How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice

How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice: Civil Responses to Catholic Hot-Button Issues is a book that seeks to guide the average Catholic in defending his faith especially in relation to neuralgic topics - those issues that touch a nerve.  In order to be a team of ordinary Catholics to speak to the media, Catholic Voices devised a 'method' prior to Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UK in 2010. Apologists need to not be defensive nor aggressive and 'reframe' the criticism of the Church or Her teachings by looking for the 'positive intention'

The book covers a wide range of topics from politics to pro-life issues to women in the Church. Each chapter begins with typical criticisms in the form of questions that many of us might hear in our ordinary day-to-day life. The positive intention is then offered along with pages of explanation and concluding with the existing frame, the reframe and key messages.

I found this book did a very good job of explaining nine neuralgic topics and the reasons the Church believes and teaches. I will be the first to admit I am not a very good apologist and living in the South run into more than my share of criticisms of the Church. Just this past weekend, someone asked me about the selection of the new Pope and I made a comment about it being a very prayerful decision guided by the Holy Spirit. Another individual at the table made a snide remark about pedophiles and I was tongue tied - I will be rereading Chapter 5: Clerical Sex Abuse.

How to Defend the Faith is a book I will come back to time and time again to refresh my memory on how to respond to criticisms of the Church. It's also an excellent resource for Catholic college students who want to evangelize on campus and for RCIA students.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice. The Catholic Company is the best resource for gifts for every Sacrament celebration, such as First Communion gifts and Baptism gifts, as well as a great selection of limited-time Year of Faith gifts and resources.