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It is always a delight to talk with Fr. Robert Spitzer!  His sure brilliance, combined with his infectious joy and good humor, is so engaging that any topic he leads us on becomes an adventure.  With “Cosmic Origins”, a soon to be released DVD, Fr. Spitzer and a group of physicists and academic heavyweights exploring modern scientific theories about how the universe came to exist.   I would call this a “mathematical apologetic”, which is so beautifully points to the greater “purpose” of our creator, that I couldn’t help but smile through the entire presentation.  Stunning, wonderful…and so much fun!

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To learn more about this film and how you can arrange screenings for your parish or group go here
Cosmic Origins explains what we know about the beginning and nature of the universe, as well as its transcendent implications in clear, easy-to-understand terms. The 49-minute film weaves together a compelling narrative from academics and credentialed scientists pointing toward a very Catholic understanding of how the universe came to exist.

Cosmic Origins is distributed by Ignatius Press.

I have read many fine Catholic Apologetic books over the years, but I have to say “How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice: Civil Responses to Catholic Hot Button Issues” is the BEST!  Dr. Austen Ivereigh, along with the Our Sunday Visitor Editor in Chief John Norton, have compiled the “must have” text for any and all Catholics who desire to respond to the call for the New Evangelization.  More than answers to just about any issue  that could come forward in a discussion about the Catholic Church and the faith we profess, their work encourages  us to respond with reason based on the fundamentals of Catholic Social Teaching and decorum befitting virtue driven discourse.  Once again, this is a MUST HAVE.  Check out Austen’s article in the OSV weekly entitled “How to Defend the Faith“ for just a taste of what can be found in the book.

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You can find the book here

From the book description (and it’s 100% accurate):

It is about winning friends, not arguments. It is about shedding light, not heat. It’s about reframing the argument so hearts can be opened and minds can be inspired. 

How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice is a new sort of apologetics. It is for those moments when you are thrust into the spotlight as the token Catholic whether the spotlight is simply at the office water cooler or whether it is front and center at the in-laws Thanksgiving celebration. How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice gives Catholics a fresh way of explaining the Church’s teaching on contentious issues humanly, compellingly, and succinctly.

But this book does not pretend to suggest it is as simple as memorizing a speech. Every conversation is different. Every day’s news cycle will bring new arguments and new challenges. Instead, it is a book about what the issues really are and where the criticisms are coming from so you can understand and communicate effectively. 

It is the fruit of a group of speakers and experts brought together by a single idea: to make sure that Catholics and the Church were represented properly in the media when Pope Benedict came to visit the UK in 2010. Their original and thoughtful approach helped make that visit a triumph and now it can be expanded for a much broader use.

Whether read in groups or alone, studied in schools or parishes, How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice offers the same thorough briefings on hot topics and the same top tips for effective communication which helped make the project such a success.

 

It’s great to be joined once again by Mark Brumley!  This time we discuss YOUCAT, an engaging a catechism designed for a youthful audience.  I say “youthful” because it appeals to seekers in all age groups.  Bright in design, filled with questions and answers, and thoughtful in its presentation of doctrine,  YOUCAT, on every page, brings the faith alive.  A fantastic resource for every home…a perfect gift for confirmation kids and adults alike.  Especially in the light of the challenges facing the Catholic faith in today’s world, we talk with Mark the need for this particular resource.

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You can find out more here

What Pope Benedict XVI has to say about the YOUCAT project:

“Study this Catechism with passion and perseverance. Make a sacrifice of your time for it! Study it in the quiet of your room; read it with a friend; form study groups and networks; share with each other on the Internet. By all means continue to talk with each other about your faith.”

It’s always a joy to talk with Fr. Robert Spitzer!  With his latest book , “Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues” he has brought solid philosophy that is easy to read and understand.  Not just for those who are interested in a prolife discussion, the “Ten Universal Principles” is perfect for anyone who wishes to grow in the use of faith and reason.  Fr. Spitzer addresses many questions including:  How do we make sense of life?  How should we treat others?  How should we reasonably be expected to be treated by others? When human life is at stake, are there reasonable principles we can rely on to guide our actions?  How should our laws be framed to protect human life? What kind of society should be built?

The Four Levels of Happiness described in the last section is worth it’s weight in gold.

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The Four Levels of Happiness^®

Happiness is the only goal that people pursue for its own sake, which makes it an ideal lens for explaining why people and organizations behave as they do. The Four Levels of Happiness model shows leaders how to elevate the powerful drive for happiness and direct it toward shared goals, strong ethics, and great performance. Click here for a full description of the Four Levels.

 

 

You find the book here

You can listen to more Fr. Spitzer as he discusses the “5 Pillars of the Spiritual Life” on the Inside the Pages interview #56

What a fascinating subject: The Natural Law!  It’s made utterly exciting when talking with Prof. J. Budziszewski.  He is such a great thinker, and, what’s even better, he helps us to become better thinkers as well.  In “What We Can’t Not Know: A Guide“, Prof. Budziszewski makes the argument for the existence of absolute values of right and wrong  and that are embedded in the conscience of every human being.  And he uses the Ten Commandments as a spring board for various aspects of the discussion.  His book is highly readable and just as HIGHLY recommended!  I can’t wait for his next book.

 

Find out more here

“Introduction to Christianity” by Cardinal Joseph Ratizinger (Pope Benedict XVI) is a modern day classic! Fr. Joseph Fessio S.J., founder of Ignatius Press and student of Pope Benedict, joins us to break open the gift of insight and wisdom contained in this inspirational work of our Holy Father.  As the Pope Benedict states in the preface in the 2nd edition of the book, that approach, taken in the book, puts the question of God and the question about Christ in the very center, which leads to a “narrative Christology” and demonstrates that the place for faith is in the Church.  It is an excellent edition to all Christian libraries and a must for anyone seeking a richer appreciation of the teachings of faith.  Pope Benedict uses the Old and New Testament, the teachings of the Fathers of the Church and generations of Saints, as well as the beauty of the Church’s Tradition to ponder the reality of Christ.  It’s beautiful!

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For more information on this work as well as all the books by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), go to  www.ignatius.com

Dr. Scott Hahn has led so many into the heart of the Church through his great sharing of Holy Scripture. With “Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots” he takes us into the various “chambers of our home”, the Roman Catholic Church. He helps to understand the devotions, prayers, customs and many other spiritual practices which enrich our faith life. The book includes chapters including: the Sign of the Cross, the Mass, the Sacraments, praying with the saints, guardian angels, sacred images and relics, the celebration of Easter, Christmas, and other holidays, daily prayers, and much more. This work has helped me so much, and it’s the gift I give to anyone I know coming into full communion with Church. It’s fantastic!!!!

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Be sure to visit Dr. Hahn’s website for the St. Paul Center of Biblical Theology at www.salvationhistory.com

 Check out the book here

“Professor Hahn’s purpose is both devotional and apologetic.  In showing how Catholic popular piety is scripturally grounded, he explains practices that shape Catholic life and help us grow in grace.  This is a book that will be helpful to individuals and to the Church as a whole.” — Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop of Chicago

“Lifelong Catholics realize that it usually takes a convert to help us appreciate and better understand the customs and practices we too often take for granted. Scott Hahn does just that in this immensely reable yet substantive loving look at Catholic prayer, devotions, and beliefs.” — Most Reverend Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York

Fr. Dwight Longenecker is Catholic priest and writer who has experienced an interesting journey of faith. Born into a Evanglical Christian family in Pennsylvania, graduate from fundamentalist Bob Jones University in Florida, and he would later become an Anglican priest serving as  a curate, a chaplain at Cambridge, and a country parson.  Then, in 1995, he and his wife and family were received into the Roman Catholic Church.  He spent the next ten years working as a freelance Catholic writer, contributing to over twenty-five magazines, papers and journals in Britain, Ireland and the USA.

Fr. Longenecker has expanded and revised his book “More Christianity:   where he invites the readers to move from “Mere Christianity” to “More Christianity” in the Roman Catholic faith.  Filled with every major aspect of our Catholic faith, Fr. Longenecker book serves, not only as resource to help Evangelicals to understand the Catholic faith, but also is excellent for Catholics who wish to deepen their own knowledge of the faith we profess.

Visit Fr. Longenecker’s blog “Standing on My Head” to learn more about this and other books, as well as so much more

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Mark Brumley is one of the masters of today’s Catholic apologetics, so if he recommends a book to help us convey the faith to others, we should take note! “The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics: Reasoned Answers to Questions of Faith” is a fantastic resource for any and all who wish to communicate the faith more clearly.  It’s also for those who desire to deepen and grow in their own understanding of Catholic faith.  Mark does a great job in this interview talking about some of those teachings, as well as, addressing today’s current issues.

Check out the book here!

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Paul Thigpen is wonderful…he answers our questions about our faith not only from the head but also from the heart!  More than just a proof text book, “Catholic Answers to Catholic Questions” tackles a why range of issues and questions.

Catholic Answers to Catholic Questions provides solid answers to hundreds of common questions asked by people just like you questions both big and small regarding doctrine, history, morality, the pope, saints, the sacraments, the Mass, prayer, Scripture, and much more.

Be more confident in your faith. Allow the why to enhance the what you do as a Catholic. Make better decisions. Be more prepared to pass on your faith to others. Feed your curiosity. Author, theology professor, and Catholic apologist Paul Thigpen ensures the answers are not only rock-solid, but also pastoral in their approach and written in everyday, relevant language.

You can find this fine book here

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It was great to speak with Gary Michuta about his new book How to Wolf-Proof Your Kids. There’s a big difference between nuturing community faith sharing and destructive “sheep stealing” that occurs with “religious” proselytizing.  Each year, thousands of Catholics fall prey to the manipulative and deceptive recruiting practices of non-Catholic groups, sects, and cults. Gary’s new book provides parents with critical information about how these groups recruit and what steps you can take to protect yourself and your children.

visit Gary’s website www.handsonapologetics.com

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Have you ever heard of  “The Catholic Truth Society”? Well thanks to Ignatius Press, you are about to.  In this edition of “Inside the Pages”, I talk with Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press and whois one of the leading Catholic apologists in the country (he’s also a really nice guy as well).  Ignatius Press is bringing the booklets, leaflets and tracks from the Society to America, and they’re fantastic.  The authors found on these booklets are enough to crow about, but the titles are so good…wow…beyond excellent.  You don’t want to miss them.  Take a look HERE! In this episode we talk the new evangelization, saints, history, apologetics…you name it.

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Here are just some of the conversations Bruce and I have had with Mark Brumley in the past 

Mark Brumley Did Jesus Really Rise.mp3

Mark Brumley Handbook of Catholic Apologetics.mp3

Mark Brumley Jesus of Nazareth Study Guide.mp3

Mark Brumley Lost Gospels.mp3