CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 Scriptural Reference for Catholic Apologetics Adadzie, Godwin Delali CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 Scriptural Reference for Catholic Apologetics Adadzie, Godwin Delali Permission is hereby granted by the author to print, copy or distribute anything in this book, provided that all contents remain intact and credit is given to the author where necessary. Send all comments to: [email protected] or visit: http://www.amen.co.nr Copyright© 2007-2009 Sts. Peter and Paul Catechism Ministry – Ghana All rights reserved. II CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 PREFACE This is a little book for those seeking a right understanding of Apologetics in the context of Catholicism. It is written in a simple and friendly manner. It is an attempt to look at some Catholic positions in a Biblical perspective. It is hoped that this book should appeal to the Catholic as well as to the non-Catholic readers. It is not written in a "scholarly" way, but as a plain "theological" statement with the hope of carrying conviction. This book does not pretend to be exhaustive. The field which it covers is too vast to admit of minute analysis. A good number of Catholics leave the Church every year due to poor understanding of the Faith and also the efforts of anti-Catholic groups and churches. Realizing that misrepresentation and misunderstanding are the chief sources of error; this book serves as a quick guide to remove some of these errors. Many thanks to all those who have made this book a success, especially The Blessed Trinity in Unity and Our Lady of Mercy. This book is also highly indebted to Catholic Apologists Mark Bonocore, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Dave Armstrong, John Salza, John Pacheco, Dr. Art Sippo, Dr. Scott Hahn, Tim Staples, Mark Shea and John Martignoni among others. The works and/or influence of the following faithful shepherds and teachers were of great benefit to this material: Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (of blessed memory), Fr. Martin J. Scott, S.J. (of blessed memory), Fr. Mitchell Pacwa S.J. (USA), Fr. Francis Peffley (USA), Fr. John Kobina Louis (Ghana) and all the past and present priests of the noble St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Community 8 Tema, Ghana, West Africa. Some versions of Sacred Scripture used in this book include: 1. American Standard Version – ASV 2. Douay-Rheims Bible - DRB 3. Good News Bible – GNB 4. King James Version – KJV 5. Revised Standard Version – RSV 6. Revised Version – RV III CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... III INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... - 1 - Sola Fide (Faith alone) .................................................................................................... - 3 - Salvation & Justification ................................................................................................. - 7 - Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone) ......................................................................................... - 14 - Baptism ......................................................................................................................... - 19 - Holy Eucharist .............................................................................................................. - 22 - Confirmation ................................................................................................................. - 25 - Penance (Confession).................................................................................................... - 26 - Purgatory ....................................................................................................................... - 30 - Petrine Ministry (Papacy) ............................................................................................. - 34 - Mother Mary (Mariology)............................................................................................. - 40 - Mother Mary and the Saints .......................................................................................... - 47 - Adoration and Honour .................................................................................................. - 52 - Perpetual virginity of Mother Mary .............................................................................. - 58 - Anti-Catholic Polemics and Bigotry ............................................................................. - 67 - The Catholic Concordance ............................................................................................ - 70 - Bibliography: ................................................................................................................ - 92 - IV CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 INTRODUCTION Usually people object to the Catholic Faith based on Scriptural grounds. They claim the teachings of the Catholic Church are contrary to the clear teachings of the Bible, and these misrepresentations have led countless souls out of the Church. However, Scripture read in context fully supports Catholic teachings. “The Christianity of history is not Protestantism…. To be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant.” (John Henry Cardinal Newman, Catholic Convert) “I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me.” (St. Augustine of Hippo) “If you undermine the Catholic Church, you undermine the Bible!” (Anonymous) What is Apologetics? Apologetics is a branch of Theology. It comes from an ancient Greek word (cid:1)πολογία(cid:8)(apologia) which literally means an apology. An apology (an ancient sense of the word) meaning to make a reasoned defense or justification of something. In the New Testament the word apologia is found at many places such as Act 22:1, 1 Peter 3:15 etc. "In your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence. " (1 Peter 3:15, RSV) Apologetics is all about knowing why we do what we do and believe what we believe. It is building the case for our Faith, learning how to explain and defend our Faith with confidence and ease. Apologetics is an important part of the Church's work. In Jude 3 we are told to "Contend for the faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints." To my Catholic Brothers and Sisters: We should always remember these facts: 1. The Bible is a Catholic book! 2. The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church gave it to the world! 3. There is nothing in the Bible that contradicts anything in the Catholic Faith. 4. There is nothing in the Catholic Faith that contradicts anything in the Bible. These are important facts to keep in mind because a lot of time people will quote passages from the Bible to “prove” that the Catholic Church is wrong. As a Catholic Christian, you should point to them that you believe everything the Bible says, however, you disagree with their private interpretation of those passages. - 1 - CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 The reasons you do not agree with their personal interpretations are: I. The Bible verse has been taken out of context. II. They are reading into the Biblical text what isn’t there in order to force the interpretation of the text to conform to certain preconceived ideas or theories. If you are ever asked a question about the Catholic Faith that you cannot answer, don't worry. There is an answer, you just need to go and find it. Ask a Catholic Priest, a Catechist, an Apologist or get some good Catholic books and CDs that explain the Faith. As Catholic Christians, we need to read the Bible, study it, and pray it daily. It is our book. We need to use it to bring our precious separated brothers and sisters back to the Church. Some basic Apologetics rules and advice: 1. Pray to the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom to choose your words and courage to share your faith. 2. Learn a little bit more about your Faith each and every day by reading the Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 3. Aim at winning souls (for Christ) not arguments. 4. Always remember that the conversion of hearts is the job of the Holy Spirit not you. Just plant the seeds and let the Holy Spirit take care of the rest. If you keep these things in mind, then you are on the right path of becoming a very effective Apologist and Evangelist for the Catholic Faith. Thank you. To my non-Catholic Brothers and Sisters: Of course, you may strongly disagree with the above statements and other presentations as you read on. I am not debating, just explaining. I seek to set forth the “what and why” of Catholic teachings to help you in making an informed decision in the case for Catholicism. Once there is understanding, then we can be in a relationship based on shared knowledge rather than misinformation. Thank you. Adadzie, Godwin Delali Sts. Peter and Paul Catechism Ministry - Ghana - 2 - CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 SECTION I Sola Fide (Faith alone) Faith means believing what God declares to us, not because we understand it, nor because we approve it, but simply because God, who speaks, is Truth itself, who can neither be in error nor declare what is erroneous. (1) "Faith is a personal act - the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself. But faith is not an isolated act. No one can believe alone, just as no one can live alone. You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life. The believer has received faith from others and should hand it on to others. Our love for Jesus and for our neighbor impels us to speak to others about our faith. Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith. "(§166, CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH) Sola fide (Latin: by faith alone), also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith, is a doctrine that distinguishes most Protestant denominations from Catholicism, Eastern Christianity, and most Restorationists in Christianity. (2) Sola fide asserts that, although all people have disobeyed God's commands, God declares those people obedient who place their confidence, their faith, in what God has done through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. They account Christ's obedience as their own, and the only meritorious, obedience. Their assurance is that God's work in Christ is their commendation for acceptance by God. Conversely, the doctrine says that those who trust God in this way do not trust what they themselves have done (which has no worth, because of sin). (3) The phrase πιστεως µονον(cid:8)(pisteo(cid:24)s(cid:8)monon, Greek)(cid:8)"faith alone" only occurs once in the whole of Sacred Scripture. "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." (James 2:24, RSV) Question: Is faith without works Biblical? No. This is because man is not justified by faith alone as Scripture tells us. "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?...So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead....You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone....For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead." (James 2:14-26, RSV) In Catholic theology, a person is justified by faith and works acting together, which comes solely from God’s divine grace. The faith that justifies us is “faith working through love” not faith alone, as St. Paul tells us. - 3 - CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6, RSV) "Salvation comes from God alone; but because we receive the life of faith through the Church, she is our mother: "We believe the Church as the mother of our new birth, and not in the Church as if she were the author of our salvation." Because she is our mother, she is also our teacher in the faith. "(§169, CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH) Faith (a process of thought) and love (an action) are never separated in the Scriptures. (cf. Ephesians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 John 3:23; Revelation 2:4-5) Some Scripture verses that indicate the necessity of works include: • "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46, RSV) • "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21, RSV) • "And behold, one came up to him, saying, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?' And he said to him, 'Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.'... The young man said to him, 'All these I have observed; what do I still lack?' Jesus said to him, 'If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.'" (Matthew 19:16-21, RSV) • "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe -- and shudder." (James 2:19, RSV) • "And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He who says 'I know him' but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him;" (1 John 2:3-4, RSV) St. Paul tells us about self-control and discipline in relation to justification. He also gives a warning about falling and disqualification. "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:25-27, RSV) Christians are reminded to avoid sin. "For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:26-27, RSV) There is nothing like once saved always saved. - 4 - CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 When the Day of Judgment comes, we shall not be asked what we have read or believed, but what we have done; not how well we have spoken, but how well we have lived. Some Scripture verses that indicate that works will be judged include: • "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body." (2 Corinthians 5:10, RSV) • "For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek....For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." (Romans 2:6-10,13, RSV) • "Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me'....Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me'....And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:32-46, RSV) • "Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the men servants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more." (Luke 12:43-48, RSV) • "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done." (Revelation 20:12, RSV) - 5 - CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS GUIDE 101 St. Paul tells us to uphold the law. "Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." (Romans 3:31, RSV) Again, St. Paul tells us to “work out” our own salvation. "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12, RSV) Question: What must I do to be saved? To be saved, you must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). However, that's not all. Sacred Scripture clearly shows other things you must also do to be saved: • You must endure to the end (in a state of grace). (cf. Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13) • You must accept the Cross (suffering). (cf. Matthew 10:38, 16:24-25; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23, 14:27) • You must be baptized with water. (cf. Mark 16:16; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 3:20-21) • You must be a member in God's true church. (cf. Acts 2:47) • You must confess your sins. (cf. James 5:16; 1 John 1:9) • You must keep the Commandments of God. (cf. Matthew 5:19-20, 7:21) • You must heed the words of St. Peter, the first Pope (and his successors). (cf. Acts 11:13-14, 15:7; Hebrews 13:7, 17) • You must eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ. (cf. John 6:51-58; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29) The Catholic Church is the only Church that meets all the requirements of Salvation. - 6 -