Q: Are there any basic “rules” for doing apologetics?
A: 1 Ptr 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to make a defense...” Always be prepared Scripture tells us! How can we “always be prepared” to make a defense of our Faith?
Rule #1: Pray. Pray to the Holy Spirit that He give you the courage to share your Faith and the wisdom to choose your words carefully and profitably.
Rule #2: You don’t have to know everything right now. Learn a little bit more about your Faith each and every day. Read Scripture. Read the Catechism. Listen to apologetics tapes. Listen to Catholic Radio. Learn a little bit at a time.
Rule #3: Luke 5:10, “Do not be afraid, henceforth you will be catching men.” Jesus said this to Peter, and to us. Will you make mistakes and get into tight spots when you start sharing your Faith with others? Yes, you will, but Peter made mistakes and he got into tight spots. Yet, Jesus told Peter not to be afraid. Why? Because if we are sincere in our desire to share the truth with others...to share Jesus Christ with others...then Jesus will find a way to make good come from even our mistakes.
Rule #4: Always view a question about your Faith, or even an attack on your Faith, as an opportunity - an opportunity to share the truth.
Rule #5: Don’t get frustrated. Catholics often get frustrated by what I call the doctrinal dance...you get asked about Purgatory, Mary, the Pope, the Sacraments all in rapid fire succession. Before you can answer one question, you’re asked another, then another. Just keep bringing the discussion back to one topic until you’ve said all you want to say...then move on.
Rule #6: Most important! Never be afraid to say, “I don’t know,” when asked a question about your Faith. Don’t try to “wing it.” However, always follow, “I don’t know,” with, “But, I will find out and get back to you.” And make sure you do!
Rule #7 Ingrain this into your psyche - the Bible is a Catholic book! The Catholic Church gave it to the world. Which means that there is no teaching in the Bible that is contrary to anything in the Catholic Faith, and there is no teaching in the Catholic Faith that is contrary to anything in the Bible. This is important to remember because a lot of times folks will quote a passage from the Bible that supposedly “proves” the Catholic Church is wrong. Whenever someone quotes you a Bible verse that “proves” the Catholic Church is wrong on something, your response should be, “Amen, I believe what the Bible says! As a Catholic, I believe everything the Bible says! However, I don’t agree with your very fallible personal interpretation of that passage.”
And the reason you don’t agree with their personal interpretation is because 100% of the time you are presented with a verse that “proves” the Church wrong, that verse has either: a) been taken out of context, or b) simply does not say what they are trying to make it say - the words on the page do not match the words coming out of their mouth.
As Catholics, we need to reclaim the Bible - it’s our book. We need to read it, learn it, pray it, meditate on it, soak in it, and live it. “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ,” St. Jerome said. And we need to be conversant in the Bible so that we can use it to plant seeds of truth with our separated brothers and sisters which will hopefully help dispel the myths and misconceptions they hold about the Church and build unity in the Body of Christ.
 | About John Martignoni John Martignoni is the Director of the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama and also the President of the Bible Christian Society. John's column, Apologetics 101, appears regularly in the diocesan newspaper, the One Voice. If you have a question about the Catholic Faith, please send an email to: jmartignoni@bhmdiocese.org. And check out John's free audio and written apologetics materials at: www.biblechristiansociety.com. |
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