recommend good books for protestants - Page 2

Alan55 · #16 Jul 6, '12, 2:30 pm

I'm not sure your friends would read or appreciate a book that is doctrinal in nature, especially one that seeks to debunk Protestant mistakes about Catholicism or that argues that Protestant doctrines are wrong. I think and your friends would be well served by something that puts Catholicism in a positive light. Something on a great modern Catholic, the eucharist, or prayer, for example:

"Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorized Biography," by Kathryn Spink

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Teresa-...r+teresa+spink

“The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early Church,” by Eugene LaVerdiere, OMI

http://www.amazon.com/The-Eucharist-...ist+laverdiere

“Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina,” by Tim Gray

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193..._rd_i=507846#_

maltmom · #17 Jul 6, '12, 2:45 pm

How about:
Life Worth Living or Your Life Worth Living by the Venerable Fulton Sheen.

clem456 · #18 Jul 6, '12, 7:12 pm

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I will pick a couple of these up and read this fall. Thanks.

clem456 · #19 Jul 6, '12, 7:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggies08

The Screwtape Letters is always fun... have they read that one? Not catholic, though...

How about Theology and Sanity by Sheed? I like that one; it should have broad appeal across beliefs without having a "conversion" theme to it, and does get into some Catholic beliefs. Too academic for what you want?

Haven't read Screwtape Letters. I am currently reading Mere Christianity. Lewis is so solid in his reasoning. I am really enjoying it as well as The Four Loves.

maltmom · #20 Jul 6, '12, 7:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by clem456

Haven't read Screwtape Letters. I am currently reading Mere Christianity. Lewis is so solid in his reasoning. I am really enjoying it as well as The Four Loves.

I read the Screwtape Letters a couple of weeks ago. It's really good.

tassitus · #21 Jul 11, '12, 9:55 am

I have a non-Catholic friend who's reading, and appreciating, Dave Armstrong's A Biblical Defense of Catholicism. It seems to answer most of the questions, and correct most of the misapprehensions, he has about Catholicism.

I really would like to recommend St. Francis de Sales' The Catholic Controversy, but that might just anger your friends - it's the equivalent of "tough love" in book form on the Catholic/Protestant issue.

novusCatholic · #22 Jul 12, '12, 3:23 pm

Unabridged Christianity: Biblical Answers to Common Questions About the Roman Catholic Faith
by Fr. Mario P. Romero

anjoh66 · #23 Jul 19, '12, 12:20 pm

I am just about to begin reading this book

http://www.ignatius.com/Products/HCA...ologetics.aspx

It seems to be a nice book and can just as well be read also by protestants.

fide · #24 Jul 20, '12, 3:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by clem456

I have some protestant friends in a bible study. 8 of us total, 5 Catholic 3 Protestant. All good friends and all well versed in Scripure. Does anyone have some favorite Catholic books they have experience with, that give a good representation of Catholicism for the protestant? I have given the one guy some Henri Nouwen which he really liked, but still they don't understand the Catholic point of view very well. I suggested he read some JP2 encyclicals but he wasn't interested. Chesterton maybe? I have not read Chesterton. Any thoughts

If he is drawn to matters of spirituality - to understanding the human journey to the holiness that is our common vocation - he will find insights in the Catholic Church that are simply not available elsewhere. There are many truly great writers on the matter (Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Bernard of Clairvaux, ...) - a contemporary resource that could be helpful, that presents this very Catholic spirituality, is The Ordinary Path to Holiness. It's in paperback and digital format, at Amazon and B&N.

HisIsTheCrown · #25 Jul 20, '12, 4:29 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by HisIsTheCrown

I would not go that way.
The Protestant are well above average versed in the Bible.
BUT, the trouble lies on the following: the Protestant think they can interpret it individually as Catholics think that the interpretation belongs to the Community along the Centuries gathered around the Pope.

As long as the Protestant do not accept this or do not accept that Catholics are built that way, there cannot be mutual understanding.

To tell you the truth there are billions and trillions of interpretations of the Protestant. One loses patience for some many opinions....

Well, I repudiate my own answer now. I think it is out of place, and out of the subject and off topic.
I would say the documents of the Vatican II make a contemporary excellent view of the RCC.

Stubbylegs · #26 Jul 23, '12, 7:39 pm

If you're looking for something a bit more substantial (yet still fairly accessible for most people), I quite liked Thomas Howard's On Being Catholic, but if you're looking for something with less of an apologetic focus, that may not be what you're looking for.

He does explain the deeper meaning of the Mass, the Eucharist, hyperdulia of the Blessed Virgin, and all sorts of other things that may be points of contention for many Protestants. He does so without browbeating Protestants at all, and is quite respectful of Protestant viewpoints when discussing the points where Protestants and Catholics do not agree.