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The Protestant's Dilemma: How the Reformation's Shocking Consequences Point to the Truth of Catholicism
What if the Reformers really were heroes, the Bible the sole rule of faith, and Christ's Church just a collection of believers loosely united in some invisible way?
As an Evangelical, Devin Rose used to believe all of it. Then one day the nagging questions began. He noticed things about Protestant belief and practice that didn't add up. He began following the logic of Protestant claims to places he never expected it to go - leading to conclusions no Christian would ever admit to holding.
In The Protestant's Dilemma, Rose examines more than thirty of those conclusions, showing with solid evidence and compelling reason how the major tenets of Protestantism - if honestly pursued to their fullest extend 0 wind up in dead ends of absurdity. And he demonstrates how the only escape from the dilemma is Catholic truth.
The Protestant's Dilemma is the perfect book to give to non-Catholics trying to work through their own nagging doubts, or for Catholics looking for a fresh way to deepen their understanding of the Faith.
As an Evangelical, Devin Rose used to believe all of it. Then one day the nagging questions began. He noticed things about Protestant belief and practice that didn't add up. He began following the logic of Protestant claims to places he never expected it to go - leading to conclusions no Christian would ever admit to holding.
In The Protestant's Dilemma, Rose examines more than thirty of those conclusions, showing with solid evidence and compelling reason how the major tenets of Protestantism - if honestly pursued to their fullest extend 0 wind up in dead ends of absurdity. And he demonstrates how the only escape from the dilemma is Catholic truth.
The Protestant's Dilemma is the perfect book to give to non-Catholics trying to work through their own nagging doubts, or for Catholics looking for a fresh way to deepen their understanding of the Faith.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
February 7, 2015
This book is devastating to Protestants. I'm worried it will be devastating to ecumenism too. It's almost like witnessing a marital argument where one spouse loses their patience and just lays out every big thing that the other spouse does wrong, and they give example after example and prove their case with commonsense logic. And then they turn to you and ask, "what do you think?" Gulp. The result of an exchange like that is almost always negative. The accused gets defensive, or depressed, or resentful. I'm worried that this book can cause a lot of damage and can end relationships. However, nothing in it is untrue. It's well written, short, pithy, logical, commonsensical, well-researched, well-organized, and easy to read. The book completely sidesteps arguments over interpretations of Scripture and proof-texting. It fairly assumes the Protestant interpretation and then asks questions about the logical consequences of the Protestant position. For example, if Luther can pull seven books out of the Old Testament, who's to say another future reformer cannot come along and pull out even more books (remember, Luther initially pulled James out too)? Also, if those seven books are apocryphal and one teaches Purgatory, then why would Christ permit his Church to read them as the word of God for over 1,100 years? Another example, if infant baptism is invalid, and the one and only time most Pre-Reformation Christians were baptized was as infants, then for the first 1,500 years of Christianity most Christians were unbaptized. Most of these questions can be traced back to the issue of Authority. Who has Authority among Protestants when all the reformers disagreed on major issues? Who has Authority when different Protestants of good faith can all read the same Bible guided by the same Holy Spirit and all come away with wildly different positions? I think these are hard questions for Protestants to hear and probably will not be well-received. I'm sure there are answers, but I think the point is that when you add all the answers together the sum doesn't look like any Church Christ would found. I think this book will be good for Catholics who are reticent because they lack confidence in their faith and knowledge of Scripture. I think it will be most useful for Protestants who are already seriously considering Catholicism and need something to pull them off the fence. Protestants who are happy with their faith, however, will probably get angry, defensive and super annoyed. This book has the potential to make a major impact and to be talked about and recommended for a long time.
September 23, 2015
If you are a Protestant willing to have your faith challenged, then read "The Protestant's Dilemma" by Devin Rose. This should be a book that every Protestant read. At the very least, it helps explain to us Protestants why Catholics believe in certain doctrines the way they do even if they seem a bit strange to us. At best, it helps a Protestant better understand why he/she may be drawing closer to the ancient beliefs and traditions of the Catholic faith such as myself.
In my early years of the Christian faith I was a right-wing fundamentalist Evangelical Christian that was taught that Catholics and their Church are apostates and heretics. I read a lot of anti-Catholic propaganda that led me to believe that the Popes are corrupt and Catholicism is really just a powerful and wealthy cult.
As I have grown in my faith and come to know Jesus more, not only have I left fundamentalism, but I have actually begun to understand and in some ways embrace many of the doctrines, traditions, and teachings of the Catholic faith. While this book helped clear up many misunderstandings and misgivings I had with the Catholic faith (i.e. the apocrypha/deuterocanonical books, purgatory, praying for and seeking prayer from the saints, and apostolic authority), I still have issue with a couple of key Catholic doctrines, such as: transubstantiation of the Eucharist and Marian theology. Aside from these two issues, I come just short of fully identifying with the Catholic faith.
Very well written and laid out, humbly explained, and uncritical to those of other faith traditions, I highly recommend this book to those Protestants who have enough balls to have their faith challenged and for those who desire to seek and understand more about our Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ and their rich history.
In my early years of the Christian faith I was a right-wing fundamentalist Evangelical Christian that was taught that Catholics and their Church are apostates and heretics. I read a lot of anti-Catholic propaganda that led me to believe that the Popes are corrupt and Catholicism is really just a powerful and wealthy cult.
As I have grown in my faith and come to know Jesus more, not only have I left fundamentalism, but I have actually begun to understand and in some ways embrace many of the doctrines, traditions, and teachings of the Catholic faith. While this book helped clear up many misunderstandings and misgivings I had with the Catholic faith (i.e. the apocrypha/deuterocanonical books, purgatory, praying for and seeking prayer from the saints, and apostolic authority), I still have issue with a couple of key Catholic doctrines, such as: transubstantiation of the Eucharist and Marian theology. Aside from these two issues, I come just short of fully identifying with the Catholic faith.
Very well written and laid out, humbly explained, and uncritical to those of other faith traditions, I highly recommend this book to those Protestants who have enough balls to have their faith challenged and for those who desire to seek and understand more about our Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ and their rich history.
May 13, 2023
As a Catholic, reading the arguments made me question deeper parts of my faith than previous. This book is definitely worth reading if one wants to try to understand not only the principles of Catholicism that are hardest for Protestants to trust, but also what it is about the faith that makes it so unique. The book itself is not hard to understand and reads quite fast. But, it is only a introductory lesson that makes one question and search deeper in their faith on their own time. If a devil’s advocate were to read the book, I’m sure they would come up with some reason as to why these arguments are not justly representing the Protestant’s standpoint but the book is only trying to make the reader aware of the entanglement (one might even say circular argument) that stems from the objections to the faith.
July 24, 2014
This is a very easy read that is pithy and to the point. If any Christian wants to seek the truth of Christianity and honestly look into the logic of Protestant claims, this book will give you the answers. A truly comprehensive look at the truth in Catholicism and a respectful look at the flaws and history in arguments of Protestantism. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.
October 25, 2024
This book by Catholic apologist, Devin Rose, is a very good book giving a list of many points of the early Church as opposed to the later Reformation. He gives many reasons that the early Church, shown by Scripture and the early apostles, and the Church Fathers all show how God left his Word to continue throughout time. After many schisms and changes this book gives us the truth left by God for His Church.
August 2, 2022
From the conclusion: "For every argument that has been made in this book, a Protestant apologist could attempt a response, perhaps more eloquent and well-presented than mine."
This I agree with. Many of the chapters attack straw men of Protestant beliefs and present logical arguments that don't necessarily follow. Many times Rose said "If you believe X then logically you must accept that Y is also true." Many times when reading these claims I could come up with a valid and logical way to believe X and not accept Y. That is, Rose mistakenly claimed that Y necessarily followed from X and it did not.
Not to say a majority of Rose's arguments were weak ... I'd say about 20-30% of the arguments were weak and the rest were strong. That said, for an apologetics book one would hope for a much lower percentage of weak arguments.
All in all I was bummed by the execution given that the format of the book was very creative and original. I think the book would have been much better if it was trimmed by more than half, from its 30+ chapters to maybe the 10 strongest, and if it was edited to remove straw men of Protestant beliefs and to remove logical arguments that don't necessarily follow.
Examples of Roses's stronger chapters are Chapter 7, that Protestants must believe that it is ok for each individual to remove books from the canon if they personally believe that those books are non-inspired, Chapter 10, that the doctrine of Sola Scriptura is undermined by the belief in an infallible canon, Protestants must pick one (or neither), Chapter 11, that if the Protestant claim were true that the Holy Spirit is leading earnest, studious, and prayerful Protestants into all truth then it makes no sense that earnest, studious, and prayerful Protestants disagree on matters of salvation and the Trinity, Chapter 19, that for Protestants the purpose and meaning of Baptism is anyone's guess (there is no verse that says that profession is an effect of baptism, let alone its purpose), Chapter 23, that Protestants mysteriously do not practice the anointing of the sick even though it is commanded in James, Chapter 30, that the Protestant teaching that people can declare themselves to be church authorities is incongruent with how church authority was conferred in the New Testament, and Chapter 31, that to hold to standard Protestant theology one must conclude that the consensus of Christian theologians and pastors from living memory of the apostles to the 16th century was gravely wrong on many important issues, like baptism being merely a symbol, the Lord's Supper being merely a symbol, infant baptism being wrong, justification being a once-for-all event, Apostolic succession being a myth, Apostolic authority to interpret scripture being a myth, that the deuterocanon is non-inspired, that justification is by faith alone, and more.
This I agree with. Many of the chapters attack straw men of Protestant beliefs and present logical arguments that don't necessarily follow. Many times Rose said "If you believe X then logically you must accept that Y is also true." Many times when reading these claims I could come up with a valid and logical way to believe X and not accept Y. That is, Rose mistakenly claimed that Y necessarily followed from X and it did not.
Not to say a majority of Rose's arguments were weak ... I'd say about 20-30% of the arguments were weak and the rest were strong. That said, for an apologetics book one would hope for a much lower percentage of weak arguments.
All in all I was bummed by the execution given that the format of the book was very creative and original. I think the book would have been much better if it was trimmed by more than half, from its 30+ chapters to maybe the 10 strongest, and if it was edited to remove straw men of Protestant beliefs and to remove logical arguments that don't necessarily follow.
Examples of Roses's stronger chapters are Chapter 7, that Protestants must believe that it is ok for each individual to remove books from the canon if they personally believe that those books are non-inspired, Chapter 10, that the doctrine of Sola Scriptura is undermined by the belief in an infallible canon, Protestants must pick one (or neither), Chapter 11, that if the Protestant claim were true that the Holy Spirit is leading earnest, studious, and prayerful Protestants into all truth then it makes no sense that earnest, studious, and prayerful Protestants disagree on matters of salvation and the Trinity, Chapter 19, that for Protestants the purpose and meaning of Baptism is anyone's guess (there is no verse that says that profession is an effect of baptism, let alone its purpose), Chapter 23, that Protestants mysteriously do not practice the anointing of the sick even though it is commanded in James, Chapter 30, that the Protestant teaching that people can declare themselves to be church authorities is incongruent with how church authority was conferred in the New Testament, and Chapter 31, that to hold to standard Protestant theology one must conclude that the consensus of Christian theologians and pastors from living memory of the apostles to the 16th century was gravely wrong on many important issues, like baptism being merely a symbol, the Lord's Supper being merely a symbol, infant baptism being wrong, justification being a once-for-all event, Apostolic succession being a myth, Apostolic authority to interpret scripture being a myth, that the deuterocanon is non-inspired, that justification is by faith alone, and more.
February 7, 2015
This is an easy, enjoyable read. It's not meant to be an in-depth analysis, but an exploration of Christian schisms. I see it as a thought provoking book. Not one to cause a Protestant to immediately abandon his faith, but to start to question inconsistencies. It entices one to seek answers to questions, search for the sources of truth, and begin a dialogue.
The book does a wonderful job of introducing topics in short chapters, briefly describing the Protestant and Catholic positions, and has a terrific referenced index. I found each chapter presented a topic that was not overly described but gave enough information to allow the reader to do research on their own. I learned a lot about both Catholicism and Protestantism, both by reading this book and in the external reading the book inspired me to explore. I thank Mr. Rose for that. I had never read the Luther vs. Zwingli Marburg Colloquy about the Eucharist. (Luther and Zwingli firmly agreed that one’s theology of the Lord’s Supper was not minor or secondary, but essential to correctly understanding the entire Christian faith.)
From a Catholic perspective, it introduced me to Protestant dogmas I was unaware of. It has helped me dialogue more efficiently with my Christian friends. It has inspired me to read other Christian and Catholic works in my search for God's truth. It helped clear up misunderstandings I had of the Catholic Church.
The only negative thing is it could use an editor. There are several grammatical errors which derailed my train of thought.
Overall, it was a very worthwhile read which I would recommend to any Christian.
The book does a wonderful job of introducing topics in short chapters, briefly describing the Protestant and Catholic positions, and has a terrific referenced index. I found each chapter presented a topic that was not overly described but gave enough information to allow the reader to do research on their own. I learned a lot about both Catholicism and Protestantism, both by reading this book and in the external reading the book inspired me to explore. I thank Mr. Rose for that. I had never read the Luther vs. Zwingli Marburg Colloquy about the Eucharist. (Luther and Zwingli firmly agreed that one’s theology of the Lord’s Supper was not minor or secondary, but essential to correctly understanding the entire Christian faith.)
From a Catholic perspective, it introduced me to Protestant dogmas I was unaware of. It has helped me dialogue more efficiently with my Christian friends. It has inspired me to read other Christian and Catholic works in my search for God's truth. It helped clear up misunderstandings I had of the Catholic Church.
The only negative thing is it could use an editor. There are several grammatical errors which derailed my train of thought.
Overall, it was a very worthwhile read which I would recommend to any Christian.
August 31, 2014
Devin Rose is obviously committed to the New Evangelization and should be commended for his decision to seek truth for himself from within a Protestant worldview. This book sets out to follow his same path to converting to Catholicism. He takes a Protestant viewpoint and extends it to its logical conclusion and then gives the Catholic answer to this problem. This format shows a lot of promise, but there are two problems. The first is that in lumping all Protestants together it is unclear how many and who may believe any of these things. The second is the Catholic answers. As a Catholic, I accept the authority of the Catechism and the Church Fathers, but using them as a defense against Protestants is not going to work. The epilogue and the framing of the book as a whole makes it not just an apologetic, but an evangelization so arguments need to be founded in Protestant accepted authority else this is a circular argument that authority is right because it is the authority. Besides this some of the articles of faith have much better attested points in their favor than the ones chosen by Mr. Rose. As a Catholic this book was a nice broad ranging apologetic work. It left me with questions to ask my Protestant friends specifically in regard to how they know they are interpreting the Bible correctly or in the right church. I however doubt that a similar usefulness will be found amongst Protestants not already half convinced that the Catholic Church is really what it says it is the Church that Jesus established through Peter 2000 unbroken years ago.
June 26, 2015
Protestants Should Not Read This Book
Four stars is given because a five star rating seems an exaggeration of the reading experience. Right from the beginning of the reading was an impression of how well reasoned are Rose's arguments. For him to have produced this book he would have had to do a lot of research. How the book is organized allows an easy read. A copy of this book was purchased for a friend who like me is interested in Catholicism--yet me more than her. She fails to fully appreciate Rose's argument because in her opinion the author makes Martin Luther appear a fool. Actually Rose could have said more about Luther's hatred of jews. With a little online research it was found numerous studies have been done illustrating Luther's direct influence making possible the Nazi take over of Germany in the 1930's. Now if my friend, a Protestant, were to say Rose makes Luther look foolish because of the weakness of scripture alone then I think she would have a more accurate conclusion. Rose's thesis intends to demonstrate scripture alone is the fundamental weakness of Protestantism and he accomplishes that task convincingly.
Four stars is given because a five star rating seems an exaggeration of the reading experience. Right from the beginning of the reading was an impression of how well reasoned are Rose's arguments. For him to have produced this book he would have had to do a lot of research. How the book is organized allows an easy read. A copy of this book was purchased for a friend who like me is interested in Catholicism--yet me more than her. She fails to fully appreciate Rose's argument because in her opinion the author makes Martin Luther appear a fool. Actually Rose could have said more about Luther's hatred of jews. With a little online research it was found numerous studies have been done illustrating Luther's direct influence making possible the Nazi take over of Germany in the 1930's. Now if my friend, a Protestant, were to say Rose makes Luther look foolish because of the weakness of scripture alone then I think she would have a more accurate conclusion. Rose's thesis intends to demonstrate scripture alone is the fundamental weakness of Protestantism and he accomplishes that task convincingly.
February 10, 2025
I really don't like books like this. I don't mind books that are pro-Catholic, or even anti-Protestant, but it really annoys me when a book claims to be something it clearly isn't. Any Protestant reading this will face no dilemmas, other than to decide whether to sell this to the used book store or throw it away. This is a 'home-team' book, useful and enjoyable to people who are already Catholic but not much else.
The chapters are very short and not very substantive. The author typically sets up a flimsy straw man of the Protestant faith, then easily tears it down. Fun to watch maybe if you are a Catholic, but not a book that any one would take seriously if you are a protestant.
There are real dilemmas that Protestant's face and I thought this author would engage those from a Catholic point of view, but was disappointed. If you want to read a book that actually present's some compelling dilemmas to wrestle with as a Protestant, pick up a copy of Rock and Sand.
The chapters are very short and not very substantive. The author typically sets up a flimsy straw man of the Protestant faith, then easily tears it down. Fun to watch maybe if you are a Catholic, but not a book that any one would take seriously if you are a protestant.
There are real dilemmas that Protestant's face and I thought this author would engage those from a Catholic point of view, but was disappointed. If you want to read a book that actually present's some compelling dilemmas to wrestle with as a Protestant, pick up a copy of Rock and Sand.
May 17, 2014
Whilst the book has some good points to make, particularly in relation to Protestant distinctives, it suffers from what I would call typical apologetic dishonesty. This is particularly acute in the author's treatment of Anabaptists where he makes a number of historically false claims to advance his argument. The same dishonesty vis-a-vis Anabaptists appears in Rose's earlier book "If Protestantism is True".
Based on the author's dishonesty alone relative to Anabaptists, I'd be tempted to give it just one star but will give it two stars because the criticisms he has of Protestantism are generally spot on.
Based on the author's dishonesty alone relative to Anabaptists, I'd be tempted to give it just one star but will give it two stars because the criticisms he has of Protestantism are generally spot on.
February 12, 2016
Apologetics is something that has always interested me and this book has helped my interest to grow. This book really opened my eyes to what Protestants believe and why. I feel that I can refute the Catholic faith so much better now and it is a good reference if I ever forget. Devin Rose's layout is very easy to follow and provides the reader with an idea behind Protestant beliefs, but then explains how it is a dilemma. He goes on to cover why the Catholic faith makes sense. He cover many topics. You will not be disappointed!
October 17, 2016
This was the first book I read when I began learning about what the Catholic Church teaches. It flipped my world upside down. I have never been the same since.
You can read my blog post to learn more about this book.
You can read my conversion story here: www.teawithabbey.com/Grace
You can read my blog post to learn more about this book.
You can read my conversion story here: www.teawithabbey.com/Grace
March 10, 2018
Truly excellent set of apologetics for Catholicism. The author was raised as a fundamentalist and later became a Roman Catholic. His style is readable yet precise. He takes the Protestant founders to task appropriately. It bears rereading.
June 6, 2017
Apologetics is something that has always interested me and this book is very thought provoking! Want to read this again and do further researching and studying.
August 4, 2025
This book really made me think deeply about the roots of Christian belief. As someone who's grown up around Protestant teachings, I found The Protestant’s Dilemma both challenging and eye-opening. Devin Rose doesn’t attack Protestantism harshly, but instead walks the reader through logical questions and inconsistencies he personally wrestled with as an Evangelical.
What struck me most was how honestly he approached these “dilemmas.” Each chapter focuses on a specific claim or belief, and rather than just stating opinions, Rose builds his case with historical evidence, early Church writings, and Scriptural reasoning. He doesn't shy away from tough questionsnhe leans into them and lets the logic speak for itself.
I appreciated how readable the book was despite tackling deep theological issues. Whether you're Catholic, Protestant, or just someone exploring Christianity, this book encourages honest reflection. For me, it didn’t feel like propaganda it felt like a sincere journey of someone trying to find truth, wherever it leads.
Highly recommend for anyone interested in Christian theology, Church history, or seeking clarity on the Catholic Protestant divide.
What struck me most was how honestly he approached these “dilemmas.” Each chapter focuses on a specific claim or belief, and rather than just stating opinions, Rose builds his case with historical evidence, early Church writings, and Scriptural reasoning. He doesn't shy away from tough questionsnhe leans into them and lets the logic speak for itself.
I appreciated how readable the book was despite tackling deep theological issues. Whether you're Catholic, Protestant, or just someone exploring Christianity, this book encourages honest reflection. For me, it didn’t feel like propaganda it felt like a sincere journey of someone trying to find truth, wherever it leads.
Highly recommend for anyone interested in Christian theology, Church history, or seeking clarity on the Catholic Protestant divide.
June 22, 2019
Definitely worth the read, however it is full of problems. The author often labels all Protestants together based on the actions of a few (Martin Luther in particular). He also doesn't realize that many Protestants are willing to say that Luther and Calvin were incorrect on certain issues. Ultimately, the book boils down to an authority question, and offers a mostly strong critique of sola scriptura, however it is less than compelling from my perspective as I agree with a lot of his points and it is the reason why I am Anglican, not Catholic. Furthermore, he consistently offers citations and evidences of Protestant issues, but rarely, if ever, addresses the counter argument or similar evidence against the Roman Catholic perspective. All in all, the second half of the book ought to have been more fleshed out, as that was where the better critiques cake from, and I would love to see an academic Protestant rebuttal of this book.
January 3, 2022
This book is clear, uses modern language and brilliant challenges. This is a really crucial book in the search for the fullness of the Christian truth.
It’s arranged in a really great way, with comparative statements (If Protestantism is true, then this is the result of their argument. Because Catholicism is true, it does not lead to the same disaster for this reason).
It doesn’t pull punches so it was both challenging and refreshing for me, as one who has been disenfranchised with reformed Protestantism and is ready for authoritative arguments for Catholicism.
It’s arranged in a really great way, with comparative statements (If Protestantism is true, then this is the result of their argument. Because Catholicism is true, it does not lead to the same disaster for this reason).
It doesn’t pull punches so it was both challenging and refreshing for me, as one who has been disenfranchised with reformed Protestantism and is ready for authoritative arguments for Catholicism.
April 6, 2024
Very good clean & simple logical format giving objections to the Catholic Church and historical defense responses as to why it is the true church.
Each chapter is she same structure with different topics of confrontation.
The reason why it is not 5 stars:
There are a handful of moments where you get a sense of cherry picking arguments that are biased in a Catholic way.
Each chapter is she same structure with different topics of confrontation.
The reason why it is not 5 stars:
There are a handful of moments where you get a sense of cherry picking arguments that are biased in a Catholic way.
May 27, 2025
A very good, concise book. The author is an evangelical convert to Catholicism like me, so I could relate to a lot of his arguments and concerns with Protestantism. He outlines the problems with Sola Scriptura and the doctrinal confusion the Reformation has brought. The chapters are short and not super exhaustive, but the arguments pack a punch.
December 15, 2022
While I agree with much of what was said, my issues are with the presentation, which can come across as uncharitable at some points. I also felt that Rose painted with a rather broad stroke on some claims, which, while unavoidable, detracts from his argumentation as a whole.
May 7, 2018
Not atypical of all other books from the Catholic apologetic genre.
February 4, 2019
I stopped reading. The tone was too negative for me to put more time into the book. Perhaps I will return to reading the book.
December 14, 2019
wow. really good book. a must read for every Catholic.
January 10, 2020
Among the most important books for thinking protestants who are considering Catholicism, and Catholics who want to learn about Protestantism.
December 15, 2020
One of the clearest books I've read that dives into the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, and does a great job explaining Catholic beliefs and doctrines.
March 16, 2017
Good book. Insightful and well researched.
Every protestant and catholic should read this. Explains why the Catholic Church IS Christianity, every other denomination is a Heretical Schism.
Every protestant and catholic should read this. Explains why the Catholic Church IS Christianity, every other denomination is a Heretical Schism.
December 5, 2014
This was a book for the St. Peter's book group. It was quite interesting, and I learned a lot. The author is a Catholic convert who had been an Evangelical Protestant. The book is in an easy-to-read format, a series of premises with analyses of their logical outcomes. He begins with an overview of the Reformation, then takes some of the principal beliefs of protestantism, carries them to their logical conclusions (which usually prove to be contradictory or inconsistent), and then gives the Catholic view. Some things I learned: I had heard of sola scriptura, but didn't realize its significance; that Protestants look upon the Bible as the ONLY source of infallible authority. The inconsistency is that they believe each person is in charge of interpreting it himself. Hence the numerous fragments of Christianity: each time someone had a different interpretation, he formed a new religion or church. And they Protestants eliminated some of the books of the Bible, too. The most trenchant point was that Christianity had existed for 1500 years before Luther. The idea that people had been wrong and misunderstanding Christ's role and message for that long IS a bit hard to swallow. The fact that for those 1500 years most of the people were illiterate and books were very scarce, makes it implausible that Christ would assume that each person would interpret the Bible as he chose. I also was surprised that some Protestant denominations don't believe in the divinity of Christ. I thought that was the whole point of Christianity.
This would be a good book for Catholics who need to understand their own faith in contrast to other Christian faiths, as well as for people who are interested in becoming Catholics. There are many points where I wish the author had gone into more depth, but I think his purpose was to raise the questions and encourage people to do some follow up reading or research.
This would be a good book for Catholics who need to understand their own faith in contrast to other Christian faiths, as well as for people who are interested in becoming Catholics. There are many points where I wish the author had gone into more depth, but I think his purpose was to raise the questions and encourage people to do some follow up reading or research.
November 10, 2014
This book certainly isn't the one to pass around if you want to promote feelings of ecumenical togetherness among different Christian groups. It does, however, take a hard look at the assumptions underpinning the Protestant Reformation and modern "nondenominational" Christianity in the United States. This book may be useful if you engage in dialogue or apologetics with non-Catholic Christians, but you have to approach it with a good dose of humility and and even bigger dose of prayer. It's too easy for anyone to start feeling smug if she feels like she has all the answers and for anyone else to feel defensive if she feels like her beliefs are under attack.
I would have preferred for the book to be a tad less stark and possibly insulting in its brutal honesty, but it's purpose it to take to its logical conclusion assumptions that go unexamined among many Christians. Maybe there's not a nicer way to accomplish the same thing, and maybe this book isn't really meant to pass around among Christian friends from different denominations. I would recommend it only for the person serious about Catholic apologetics who already has experience in dialoging with others in a spirit of charity and respect.
I would have preferred for the book to be a tad less stark and possibly insulting in its brutal honesty, but it's purpose it to take to its logical conclusion assumptions that go unexamined among many Christians. Maybe there's not a nicer way to accomplish the same thing, and maybe this book isn't really meant to pass around among Christian friends from different denominations. I would recommend it only for the person serious about Catholic apologetics who already has experience in dialoging with others in a spirit of charity and respect.
February 27, 2016
Great to see someone else struggling with the dilemma's of Protestantism, itemising them out with simplicity and clarity.
The next dilemma for Catholicism is to determine whether the research on homosexuality is part of the revelation in natural law to which the church needs to reverse its stance, or part of an elaborate conspiratorial plot by the immoralists. If it is the former as James Alison articulates so well then Devin needs to change his last few chapters.
The next dilemma for Catholicism is to determine whether the research on homosexuality is part of the revelation in natural law to which the church needs to reverse its stance, or part of an elaborate conspiratorial plot by the immoralists. If it is the former as James Alison articulates so well then Devin needs to change his last few chapters.
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