The Top Five Mistakes Apologists Make

Catholic apologetics really began to take off in the 1980s over 25 years after the close of the second Vatican Council. Today you have Catholic publishers that feature apologetics books, ETWN radio and TV, and lots of great speakers that feature apologetics as a topic.

And that’s all to the good, because for complicated reasons apologetics fell out of favor with The Groovy Spirit of the 60s and 70s and a kind of false ecumenism that arose in the turbulent wake of the Council.

Catholic apologetics is still in the middle of its Renaissance I think, but I believe too many apologists make three common mistakes. I would love to hear your comments below about this.

#1- Believing that apologetics is enough.

#2- Believing they have to be able to answer any objection on the spot.

#3- This is related to the first, and that is the mistaken idea that apologetics converts anybody. Apologetics has never converted a single person in the history of the Church.

#4- Believing that to be an effective apologist you need to read a lot of books or understand the original biblical languages.
ter what their intellectual level.

#5- Finally, believing that you can do apologetics without a prayer life.

I have a two-CD set that explains in much greater detail the least you need to know to get started in apologetics— including the sweet 16 books you really need to get under your belt if you want to take your game as an apologist and disciple to the next level. Click this link to get a copy of Getting Started in Apologetics. Great as gifts as well.

Last thought: if the Catholic faith is a sport then apologetics is defense and evangelization is offense…hopefully without giving offense.