A Danger with Apologetics

[Cure of Ars]

A danger with apologetics is that it can distort the Catholic faith. So much is focused on the controversial and supposed weakness that the center tenants of the Catholic faith get ignored. After awhile those from the outside looking in start to believe that the controversial is central to the faith and the essentials are secondary. Anyway that is what I see happening.

 

[Lyric's Dad]

A danger with apologetics is that it can distort the Catholic faith. So much is focused on the controversial and supposed weakness that the center tenants of the Catholic faith get ignored. After awhile those from the outside looking in start to believe that the controversial is central to the faith and the essentials are secondary. Anyway that is what I see happening.

I would certainly like to know of the ignored parts that should be out in the open. I do not have a strong base knowlege of the Catholic church so I do not come with any pre-conceived prejudices. I reserve those for my former faith, mormonism. :-D

Anyway, please list those things that you feel are being ignored.

 

[Cure of Ars]

This is a hard question. I would say that it is very similar to most Christians in that its center is Christ. Blaise Pascal said, “The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.†And this is why I am having a hard time with your question. It is not something that can be totally communicated in words.

The Catholic faith is intricate and comprehensive. It is earthy but at the same time mystical. It uses the ordinary world and brings out the transcendent through it. It is one unified faith but it is large enough to live free, crazy, and creative within the limits of the faith. It is a personal faith but also a communal, family faith. It is a faith that is both religious and spiritual. It resides not only in the mind or soul but also the body. It is a faith that is in the world but not of the world. It is a faith that has roots in the old and historical but is also ever new and eternal. It is a faith that holds to both scripture and apostolic tradition. It is a faith that is authoritative but also freeing and forgiving. It is a faith that promotes the search for the beautiful, the good, the Truth, and Charity. The Catholic Church is a hospital for great sinners but also a home for great saints. It is a faith that produces a life that can make meaning out of great sorrow but it also has the ability to party it up with great joy. It is a faith that is universal enough to encompass all peoples and the good things in all cultures. It is a faith that is very challenging; it asks things that can only be done by supernatural Grace. It is a faith that requires great oaths through sacraments that help me make commitments to God but it also gives me God’s grace to fulfill what God is asking of me because I can't do it by myself.

If there was one thing that I could point to that would encompass all that I am trying to say it would be Christ’s real presence: body, soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Catholic life. It is the “participation in the body of Christ†(1 Cor 10:16) and without it the Catholic Church would have no life (John 6:53). It is crazy that Jesus would give himself to me 2000 years ago on the Cross. But is beyond anything that I could hope for to be able to be physically and spiritually intimate with Jesus in a personally and ongoing way in the sacrament of Holy Communion. What Jesus does for us out of love is mind-blowing.

 

[Heidi]

If the catholics focused more on Christ than on Mary, then there would be no controversy. The church where I attend does not call its minister "Our Holy Father" nor does it make up the fact that Mary was a virgin all of her life. The catholic church is simply accountable for its teachings. James said that teachers will be held to a higher accountability than the rest of us. And I believe him. Paul also tells us not to endorse false teachings or be yolked with those who do. I believe him as well.

 

[CatholicXian]

Heidi, it is usually (and overwhemingly) the non-Catholic Christians who bring up so much discussion on Mary. The Church has a great wellspring of teachings and doctrines on the person of Christ... you are welcome to also discuss these any time!

"make up" is your understanding and view of many Catholic teachings... but only because you refuse to look through any other lense other than your own. The perpetual virginity of Mary has been explained and demonstrated more than several times on this board...

 

[fiat]

Beautiful post, Cure...a good reminder. So much time is spent here trying to package Catholicism into palatable "bites" that the splendor and Mystery of our Faith is lost by the wayside. Being a baby-Catholic convert, sometimes I wake up in the morning thinking "I'm Catholic! :o :-D 2000 years and the Lover of Mankind is still with us and will be until the end of time" :smt060

 

[D46]

If there was one thing that I could point to that would encompass all that I am trying to say it would be Christ’s real presence: body, soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Catholic life. It is the “participation in the body of Christ†(1 Cor 10:16) and without it the Catholic Church would have no life (John 6:53).

That even made my dog sick! What Heresy and blasphemy!!

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0074/0074_01.asp

 

[CatholicXian]

D46,

Instead of the cheap shot and cries of heresy, perhaps you could explain your grievances with charity and patience. Jack Chick is not a good source for information about Catholic teachings. Jack is more interested in his doodles than the facts.

 

[Cure of Ars]

That even made my dog sick! What Heresy and blasphemy!!

I see, your one of those disciples...



"Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?....As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. (John 6:60-66)

http://swaft.info/cheek/cheek0.html

 

[PHIL121]

A danger with apologetics is that it can distort the Catholic faith..

Care to give an example? If Catholic doctrine can't stand up to the rational study of the hisotroy of Christianity (which is basically what apologetics is), to me that says more about Catholicism than it does about Apologetics.

 

[Cure of Ars]

A danger with apologetics is that it can distort the Catholic faith..

Care to give an example? If Catholic doctrine can't stand up to the rational study of the hisotroy of Christianity (which is basically what apologetics is), to me that says more about Catholicism than it does about Apologetics.

I did give examples, but let me give an analogy to see if that helps. Lets say the Catholic faith is like a car. Now you can look at the odometer and examine it and understand it. But just because you understand the odometer does not mean that you understand how a car works. Even if you looked at essential parts of the car, as long as you only look at them in parts, you will not understand the car as a working whole. Because apologetics is forced to address whatever the attackers’ assert, it tends to leave the impression that a car is an odometer.

 

[PHIL121]

[quote="Cure of Ars":aa54c]A danger with apologetics is that it can distort the Catholic faith..

Care to give an example? If Catholic doctrine can't stand up to the rational study of the hisotroy of Christianity (which is basically what apologetics is), to me that says more about Catholicism than it does about Apologetics.

I did give examples, but let me give an analogy to see if that helps. Lets say the Catholic faith is like a car. Now you can look at the odometer and examine it and understand it. But just because you understand the odometer does not mean that you understand how a car works. Even if you looked at essential parts of the car, as long as you only look at them in parts, you will not understand the car as a working whole. Because apologetics is forced to address whatever the attackers’ assert, it tends to leave the impression that a car is an odometer.[/quote:aa54c]

I think I see the anology you're trying to make. I'll try to extend to show my point. If I'm looking at a car and I see it has bad tires, a bad distributor, and the engine knocks when it runs, I won't be inclined to but it. The more I learn about Catholic Doctire and more I see how some Catholics apply it to their personal lives, the more I tend to think of Catholicism as a "lemon".

That doesn't mean I don't deny Catholics are Christians (they are). I just don't think Catholic doctrine and dogma teach a person to live the way Christ intended.