Summary Review Of Catholicism And Fundamentalism

By Stella Gay


The attacks on Catholic faith and her doctrines over the years have inspired Keating Karl to make an attempt at explaining the major points of contention. Catholicism and Fundamentalism is a book targeted at Catholics, Protestants and non-Christians who wish to understand the Catholic faith better. It takes a historical, theological and doctrinal perspective.

The writer has adopted an approach that has enabled weak Catholics to affirm their commitment and droves of Protestants to become strong believers. The language and presentation are easy to understand and follow. It reveals crucial foundation details that have remained hidden away from most Protestants and non-Catholics. This author is also credited with founding Catholic Answers, a forum that expounds on doctrines and faith followed by Catholics around the world.

Major issues addressed in different chapters by this author include information sources that have made Protestants to misunderstand Catholic faith. Karl concludes that failure to get information from the right sources leads to erroneous conclusions. This has driven a wedge between the two groups of Christians.

Karl has thoroughly and extensively researched on the history and spread of anti-Catholicism movement in United States. By understanding this history and genesis, Keating seeks to explain events and development that are responsible for what would be called the deliberate spread of falsehood about the Catholic faith.

Catholics and non-Catholics will often engage in arguments about the faith and other principles. This book addresses how to hold an argument on any topic to the end and still remain calm. The idea is to focus on enlightening the opposition instead of winning them over. Understanding is an easier way towards conversion than any other approach.

The Anti-Catholic movement and its spread in USA have been given prominence by Keating. These underground movements have been funding smear campaigns and propaganda against the Catholic Church. Keating reveals their missions, history and activities as well as personalities behind them. There are business men, politicians and ideological figures responsible. Their events and physical address eliminate any doubt about their existence.

Papal infallibility remains a doctrinal principle and subject of attack by non-Catholics. The principle implies that since Papacy was handed down by Jesus to Peter and to the eventual holders of the office, the Pope gained immunity to error. This gives him authority to direct doctrinal and moral issues to the global community of Catholics without question.

Keating uses the book to address a group referred to as Bible Christian. This is a group of Christians of the view that every action by a Christian must have a basis in the bible. This principle explains their attack of Catholic doctrines and rites that are not rooted in the bible. Other issues include the claim that Catholics are not real Christians as well as the issue of Inquisition.

The Catholic Church witnessed a period when there were two popes. With the Papacy being a defining institution in the Roman Catholic tradition, Keating felt it necessary to address the issue. The detailed and objective way of handling the controversies surrounding the Roman Catholic faith makes the book a Must-Have for non-Catholics and Catholics interested in understanding their faith.




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