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Understanding Roman Catholicism: 37 Roman Catholic Doctrines Explained
This book is a wake-up call for Roman Catholics. It begins by presenting bad news. Most Catholics are not headed for heaven because their religion teaches them to reject God's word and obey unbiblical traditions of men instead. As proof, the book quotes 37 main Catholic teachings from official Catholic sources. Then the Bible is quoted to show how each Catholic doctrine directly contradicts God's word. Once Catholics understand the truth about their religion, and that they are without hope, they are ready for the good news. The book goes on to explain that salvation is God's free gift. You will learn why salvation cannot be obtained by being a Catholic. It cannot be earned by performing sacraments or doing other good works. The book quotes many Bible verses as it lovingly shows you why salvation had to be free, and how you can receive this wonderful gift right now.
- GenresReligionNonfiction
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1995
15 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Rick Jones
6 booksChick Publications
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 4, 2016
The title of this book is rather misleading, unless one reads the synopsis. The title leads the reader to believe that it's a concise, clear explanation of Catholicism for non-Catholics, or for those Catholics who would like to refresh their knowledge of Catholic doctrine. This is not the intent of the book, though. Instead, it's an exposition of Catholic doctrines that are in direct contradiction to Bible teachings.
I think this is a pretty sneaky move on the part of the author, but I don't condemn him for it. Indeed, this little ruse might have drawn many an unsuspecting Catholic to the book, and have then perhaps stimulated them to question Catholicism. This is exactly what happened to me, although I had already begun to question my Catholic beliefs before coming across this book. However, it did help me to see exactly how Catholic doctrines were in total opposition to what is taught in the Bible.
Jones uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994 edition) and compares quotes from it side by side with Biblical quotes. He clearly shows how each Catholic doctrine differs markedly from what is actually taught in the Bible.
The biggest contradiction is also the key concept of Christianity: salvation. Just how are we humans saved, according to the Bible, and according to the Catholic Church? Jones shows that, according to the latter, one must be a member of the Catholic Church in order to be saved. Furthermore, one must also perform "good works".
In regards to salvation only through the church of Rome, Jones quotes: "For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained." (Catholic Catechism, paragraph #816) Jone contrasts this with the following Biblical quote: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13, KJV) He also points out that Jesus repeats this message in John 3:16, 3;18, and 6:40. He also references Romans 10:9-10, in which Paul states that if one confesses out loud, and believes in one's heart, that Jesus rose from the dead, one will be saved. Jones mentions other verses, as well.
In regards to "good works", which include such things as baptism and the other sacraments, Jones emphasizes that salvation is a free gift of grace from God, and can never be earned through the performance of any type of "good works". He references Ephesians 2:8-9, as well as Titus 3:5, Romans 3:28, and Galatians 3:8 and 3:26. These are not the only verses he mentions, but they are the most important ones.
Each chapter in the book examines a specific doctrine, contrasting quotes from the Catholic Catechism with relevant quotes from the Bible. At the end of each chapter, Jones summarizes his point, and then challenges the Catholic reader to decide whether s/he will choose to believe God, as quoted from the Bible, or the Catholic Church.
The doctrines examined by the author in this book are precisely the ones that set apart Catholics from other Christian denominations. They are also the very ones that are huge points of disagreement between Protestants and Catholics. Some of these doctrines are: the Catholic Church is the one true church, baptism saves, the Pope is infallible, the sacraments save Catholics, there are venial and mortal sins, the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ during the Mass, indulgences can help get souls out of Purgatory, and the Virgin Mary is Co-Redemptrix and Co-Mediator, together with her son, Jesus.
The entire book is laid out in a very straightforward, simple manner, with each Catholic doctrine clearly explained, and then juxtaposed with the Biblical teaching it contradicts.
Jones is a former Catholic himself, so he never talks down to or attacks Catholic readers. In fact, his tone is even loving and respectful. In spite of its simplicity, the book should be studied by any reader -- whether Catholic or not -- who would like to be better informed about the differences between Catholic teaching and what is taught in the Bible.
Having stated all of the above, I would also have to point out that it seems to me that Jones has carefully selected the verses he uses, ignoring those that might be used by Catholics in support of the teachings of their church. For instance, in the chapter titled, "Confessing Sins to a Priest", Jones clearly leaves out a key verse used by Catholics in support of this particular doctrine: John 20:21-23 (KJV), which states the following: "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."
Clearly, the above verse is a powerful one to use in support of the Catholic doctrine of confessing sins to a priest. Why, then, does Jones fail to address it? True, he does give several verses that show that people in the Bible confessed their sins directly to God, but still, he should have addressed the verse above (as well as others that also seem to justify the Catholic position). Just what did Jesus mean in this verse? What teaching was He attempting to convey?
It might seem that I'm either playing devil's advocate here, or trying to find ways to criticize the author of this book. However, what I'm simply trying to do is to remain objective, although I was raised in the Catholic Church myself. It seems to me that Jones could have done a more thorough job of refuting any verses that might be used by Catholics in counter-arguments with him.
To summarize, although I do think that this book presents a very clear, easy-to-read exposition of the author's position, I don't think it goes far enough in proving that his position -- which is the one taken by most Protestants -- is the only true one. Therefore, I would regard this book as a sort of primer for those who are beginning to question Catholic teachings.
In this regard, I would like to read another book which I believe will be a more thorough, more in-depth examination of this highly-important (to anyone interested in theology) issue. That book is titled The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God, by James G. McCarthy. I happen to own this book, so I will be delving into it in the very near future. Hopefully this book will clear up some of the issues that Jones's book has left unresolved in my mind.
For more of my nonfiction and literary fiction reviews, please visit:
http://mindspiritbookjourneys.blogspo...
I think this is a pretty sneaky move on the part of the author, but I don't condemn him for it. Indeed, this little ruse might have drawn many an unsuspecting Catholic to the book, and have then perhaps stimulated them to question Catholicism. This is exactly what happened to me, although I had already begun to question my Catholic beliefs before coming across this book. However, it did help me to see exactly how Catholic doctrines were in total opposition to what is taught in the Bible.
Jones uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994 edition) and compares quotes from it side by side with Biblical quotes. He clearly shows how each Catholic doctrine differs markedly from what is actually taught in the Bible.
The biggest contradiction is also the key concept of Christianity: salvation. Just how are we humans saved, according to the Bible, and according to the Catholic Church? Jones shows that, according to the latter, one must be a member of the Catholic Church in order to be saved. Furthermore, one must also perform "good works".
In regards to salvation only through the church of Rome, Jones quotes: "For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained." (Catholic Catechism, paragraph #816) Jone contrasts this with the following Biblical quote: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13, KJV) He also points out that Jesus repeats this message in John 3:16, 3;18, and 6:40. He also references Romans 10:9-10, in which Paul states that if one confesses out loud, and believes in one's heart, that Jesus rose from the dead, one will be saved. Jones mentions other verses, as well.
In regards to "good works", which include such things as baptism and the other sacraments, Jones emphasizes that salvation is a free gift of grace from God, and can never be earned through the performance of any type of "good works". He references Ephesians 2:8-9, as well as Titus 3:5, Romans 3:28, and Galatians 3:8 and 3:26. These are not the only verses he mentions, but they are the most important ones.
Each chapter in the book examines a specific doctrine, contrasting quotes from the Catholic Catechism with relevant quotes from the Bible. At the end of each chapter, Jones summarizes his point, and then challenges the Catholic reader to decide whether s/he will choose to believe God, as quoted from the Bible, or the Catholic Church.
The doctrines examined by the author in this book are precisely the ones that set apart Catholics from other Christian denominations. They are also the very ones that are huge points of disagreement between Protestants and Catholics. Some of these doctrines are: the Catholic Church is the one true church, baptism saves, the Pope is infallible, the sacraments save Catholics, there are venial and mortal sins, the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ during the Mass, indulgences can help get souls out of Purgatory, and the Virgin Mary is Co-Redemptrix and Co-Mediator, together with her son, Jesus.
The entire book is laid out in a very straightforward, simple manner, with each Catholic doctrine clearly explained, and then juxtaposed with the Biblical teaching it contradicts.
Jones is a former Catholic himself, so he never talks down to or attacks Catholic readers. In fact, his tone is even loving and respectful. In spite of its simplicity, the book should be studied by any reader -- whether Catholic or not -- who would like to be better informed about the differences between Catholic teaching and what is taught in the Bible.
Having stated all of the above, I would also have to point out that it seems to me that Jones has carefully selected the verses he uses, ignoring those that might be used by Catholics in support of the teachings of their church. For instance, in the chapter titled, "Confessing Sins to a Priest", Jones clearly leaves out a key verse used by Catholics in support of this particular doctrine: John 20:21-23 (KJV), which states the following: "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."
Clearly, the above verse is a powerful one to use in support of the Catholic doctrine of confessing sins to a priest. Why, then, does Jones fail to address it? True, he does give several verses that show that people in the Bible confessed their sins directly to God, but still, he should have addressed the verse above (as well as others that also seem to justify the Catholic position). Just what did Jesus mean in this verse? What teaching was He attempting to convey?
It might seem that I'm either playing devil's advocate here, or trying to find ways to criticize the author of this book. However, what I'm simply trying to do is to remain objective, although I was raised in the Catholic Church myself. It seems to me that Jones could have done a more thorough job of refuting any verses that might be used by Catholics in counter-arguments with him.
To summarize, although I do think that this book presents a very clear, easy-to-read exposition of the author's position, I don't think it goes far enough in proving that his position -- which is the one taken by most Protestants -- is the only true one. Therefore, I would regard this book as a sort of primer for those who are beginning to question Catholic teachings.
In this regard, I would like to read another book which I believe will be a more thorough, more in-depth examination of this highly-important (to anyone interested in theology) issue. That book is titled The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God, by James G. McCarthy. I happen to own this book, so I will be delving into it in the very near future. Hopefully this book will clear up some of the issues that Jones's book has left unresolved in my mind.
For more of my nonfiction and literary fiction reviews, please visit:
http://mindspiritbookjourneys.blogspo...
September 12, 2024
A VERY INACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF CATHOLIC DOCTRINES
Author Rick Jones [who also wrote Stairway to Hell: Rescuing Teens From Their Well-Planned Destruction, When life is over, etc.] wrote in the Preface of this 1995 book, "I was baptized into the Catholic church as an infant, made my First Communion as a child---and attended Mass and religious instructions classes weekly. I confessed my sins to a priest, and tried my best to obey the Ten Commandments. In general, I was a good Catholic. My wife, Shari... was also born and raised in a Roman Catholic home... neither of us ever fully understood the true doctrines of the Catholic church, or how those doctrines relate to the Holy Bible. As a result, our faith in the Catholic church suffered. I believe with all my heart that most Catholics are in the same position. This book was designed to remedy that problem."
He asks, "Do you really believe that all non-Catholics will burn in hell? Once again, the answers to these questions will be determined by which you choose to believe... the traditions of men, or God's Word." (Pg. 46) He adds, "Since the sacraments are supposedly necessary for salvation, and since the sacraments are only available through the Catholic church, then obviously, one must be a faithful member of the Catholic church to be saved. Though you will never hear a spokesperson for Catholicism admit it, this is exactly what this Catholic doctrine purports. I ask you again, can you accept that everyone outside the Catholic church will burn forever in hell?" (Pg. 64)
He refers to the Catholic teaching of the Eucharist as "literal cannibalism." (Pg. 84) He states that "the Catholic church demands that members worship Mary." (Pg. 104) Of veneration using statutes, he says, "Catholicism does not even pretend that this doctrine came from God... This doctrine came from the 'holy Fathers' and 'tradition of the Catholic Church.' You are expected to believe that these holy fathers were 'divinely inspired' to violate God's Word. Can you accept this?" (Pg. 150)
He asserts, "How tragic that priests and nuns around the world are foregoing the pleasure of sharing their lives with a spouse, believing that their sacrifice pleases God, when in reality they are falling prey to a powerful demonic scheme." (Pg. 193)
The author's understanding of Catholicism is... well, certainly NOT what Catholicism actually teaches. When there are so many far more scholarly Protestant critiques of Catholicism available (e.g., White’s ‘The Roman Catholic Controversy,’ or ‘Evangelical Answers’), one would hope that more readers would avoid this book, and turn to them.
Author Rick Jones [who also wrote Stairway to Hell: Rescuing Teens From Their Well-Planned Destruction, When life is over, etc.] wrote in the Preface of this 1995 book, "I was baptized into the Catholic church as an infant, made my First Communion as a child---and attended Mass and religious instructions classes weekly. I confessed my sins to a priest, and tried my best to obey the Ten Commandments. In general, I was a good Catholic. My wife, Shari... was also born and raised in a Roman Catholic home... neither of us ever fully understood the true doctrines of the Catholic church, or how those doctrines relate to the Holy Bible. As a result, our faith in the Catholic church suffered. I believe with all my heart that most Catholics are in the same position. This book was designed to remedy that problem."
He asks, "Do you really believe that all non-Catholics will burn in hell? Once again, the answers to these questions will be determined by which you choose to believe... the traditions of men, or God's Word." (Pg. 46) He adds, "Since the sacraments are supposedly necessary for salvation, and since the sacraments are only available through the Catholic church, then obviously, one must be a faithful member of the Catholic church to be saved. Though you will never hear a spokesperson for Catholicism admit it, this is exactly what this Catholic doctrine purports. I ask you again, can you accept that everyone outside the Catholic church will burn forever in hell?" (Pg. 64)
He refers to the Catholic teaching of the Eucharist as "literal cannibalism." (Pg. 84) He states that "the Catholic church demands that members worship Mary." (Pg. 104) Of veneration using statutes, he says, "Catholicism does not even pretend that this doctrine came from God... This doctrine came from the 'holy Fathers' and 'tradition of the Catholic Church.' You are expected to believe that these holy fathers were 'divinely inspired' to violate God's Word. Can you accept this?" (Pg. 150)
He asserts, "How tragic that priests and nuns around the world are foregoing the pleasure of sharing their lives with a spouse, believing that their sacrifice pleases God, when in reality they are falling prey to a powerful demonic scheme." (Pg. 193)
The author's understanding of Catholicism is... well, certainly NOT what Catholicism actually teaches. When there are so many far more scholarly Protestant critiques of Catholicism available (e.g., White’s ‘The Roman Catholic Controversy,’ or ‘Evangelical Answers’), one would hope that more readers would avoid this book, and turn to them.
January 16, 2018
Growing up Lutheran, I was always told that I was "Catholic Lite", since we shared some teachings, but didn't have the guilt. Aware that some Lutheran churches have kept some of the original format of church services (masses) from Catholicism, I wanted to research the background for myself to see if it was biblical and true. The author, Rick Jones, a Catholic from birth, wrote this book to share the truth of the gospel and to compare/contrast the doctrinal differences between Catholicism and the Holy Bible.
First and foremost, I am explaining this to those readers who have already determined in their hearts who/what is their ultimate authority. All of us have a sense of something higher than ourselves. Reading this book may stir something inside of you. If you have any type of religious background, you may feel like you are under attack, or you may begin to have questions about certain types of teaching. I implore you to continue reading all of the way through. Jones does a wonderful job of doing so, spelling out verbatim what the Catholic Catechism says and then showing you what the Holy BIble says. If you are willing to subjectively read the doctrines in totality and see what Scripture says about such teachings, I know your eyes will be opened.
And my goal for sharing my five-stars review for this author and this book is to help others who have a love of faith, like me. It's imperative that we know WHY we believe what we believe, and HOW to share with others the absolute truth of the gospel. There are some very deceptive churches out there, willing to say whatever you'd like to hear, or deceiving because of their own agendas, but we who follow Jesus, are to be discerning and test the spirits (1 John 4:1-3). DO NOT BE DECEIVED. We are living in a time where we can read the Bible, interpret it for ourselves, pray to our Heavenly Father for wisdom and understanding, and discern what is actual truth.
May you be blessed for seeking the TRUTH and may it truly set you free!!
First and foremost, I am explaining this to those readers who have already determined in their hearts who/what is their ultimate authority. All of us have a sense of something higher than ourselves. Reading this book may stir something inside of you. If you have any type of religious background, you may feel like you are under attack, or you may begin to have questions about certain types of teaching. I implore you to continue reading all of the way through. Jones does a wonderful job of doing so, spelling out verbatim what the Catholic Catechism says and then showing you what the Holy BIble says. If you are willing to subjectively read the doctrines in totality and see what Scripture says about such teachings, I know your eyes will be opened.
And my goal for sharing my five-stars review for this author and this book is to help others who have a love of faith, like me. It's imperative that we know WHY we believe what we believe, and HOW to share with others the absolute truth of the gospel. There are some very deceptive churches out there, willing to say whatever you'd like to hear, or deceiving because of their own agendas, but we who follow Jesus, are to be discerning and test the spirits (1 John 4:1-3). DO NOT BE DECEIVED. We are living in a time where we can read the Bible, interpret it for ourselves, pray to our Heavenly Father for wisdom and understanding, and discern what is actual truth.
May you be blessed for seeking the TRUTH and may it truly set you free!!
March 28, 2022
A half truth is a whole lie!
The differences between Christians and Catholics are eternal! Catholicism is man made traditions that have no Biblical grounds whatsoever. This book written by a former Roman Catholic gives the basis for the man made traditions using the 1994 Catechism with references you can look up and compare with Scriptural references. The study work is done for you! An easy read that will free you from the bondage of man made rules to the eternal life offered by Jesus Christ, resting in the righteousness provided by God Himself!!
The differences between Christians and Catholics are eternal! Catholicism is man made traditions that have no Biblical grounds whatsoever. This book written by a former Roman Catholic gives the basis for the man made traditions using the 1994 Catechism with references you can look up and compare with Scriptural references. The study work is done for you! An easy read that will free you from the bondage of man made rules to the eternal life offered by Jesus Christ, resting in the righteousness provided by God Himself!!
December 29, 2023
Respectful Exploration
The author does a wonderful job explaining major differences between Catholics and Christian believers. A world of difference lies between the two. I appreciated his treatment of the subject matter without ridicule and sarcasm. He was respectful, sincere, and thorough in his explanation of the differences. An excellent read.
The author does a wonderful job explaining major differences between Catholics and Christian believers. A world of difference lies between the two. I appreciated his treatment of the subject matter without ridicule and sarcasm. He was respectful, sincere, and thorough in his explanation of the differences. An excellent read.
May 17, 2025
worth the read!
Wow this was very helpful! Clarified all of my previous misgivings about the Roman Catholic Church while simultaneously strengthened my faith and understanding of the Word. Fantastic book and quick and enjoyable to read.
Wow this was very helpful! Clarified all of my previous misgivings about the Roman Catholic Church while simultaneously strengthened my faith and understanding of the Word. Fantastic book and quick and enjoyable to read.
March 23, 2024
What a great book. I have had such a struggle talking with great people about the Catholic religion. This information has helped me develop an understanding of the areas that I need to share with a person who is in bondage to the Catholic Church come to a free understanding of their personal relationship with Christ. I will be recommending this book to all of those that are part of the Roman Catholic religion.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews