Continuing to Understand

In the past I have written about understanding your belief system and the reasons for your faith. In my personal opinion it is fine to have a humble beginning in the formation of your faith journey, but I firmly believe that at some point you need to grasp a firmer understanding of your faith. I am not suggesting the need for you to run out and become an apologist. (In a future post I will discuss my thoughts on this topic.) I am simply stating it’s a good idea to gain a complete understanding of why you believe what you believe by building a firm and concrete foundation. If only for yourself, isn’t it more comforting to have a stronger understanding of your religion? Do you sometimes wonder why we as Catholics do certain things? Have you ever been stumped by a non-believer who asks you a question about your faith that you cannot answer? As I said you are not required to become the next great American Evangelizer, but it never hurts to know more. And lest we forget what the Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” Additionally when you know more it strengthens the foundation of what you already believe.

So now that you are ready and willing to learn more about your faith, where do you turn? Well, you might want to consider the Bible, imagine that? Since our faith is based on the teachings of the Bible what better place to start. A wonderful companion to the Bible is the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Keep this reference guide by your side as you are reading the Bible. It comes in very handy when you reach a point in the Book, where you scratch your heads and think to yourself, “say what?” The Catholic Catechism is as thick as the Bible and is an all-in-one shop filled with all of the background information you could want surrounding the teachings of the Catholic Church.

In addition to the obvious there are numerous books on Christianity and specifically the Catholic Faith. I just recently finished a book by Timothy Paul Jones called Conspiracies of the Cross. This is a wonderful book which debunks the Top 10 conspiracies surrounding Christianity. From the notion that Jesus couldn’t have risen from the dead because his body would have remained on the cross to be devoured by dogs and vultures, to the theory that Jesus never even existed in the first place. Jones does an excellent job of detailing each of the conspiracies as well as identifying their biggest proponents. He doesn’t sell the conspiracies short in his descriptions of them. In fact while I was reading certain conspiracies, I found myself thinking, “wow that could be what happened, I never thought of that.” But then Jones uses history and well documented writings (including but not limited to the Bible) to set the record straight. This is a great read if you are one who wishes to be a Defending the Faith Crusader but is equally valuable as tool to simply enrich your faith. If you have read more than one of my posts, you know by now how passionate I am about expanding ones knowledge of their beliefs. It can never hurt to learn more. I have found the more time I have spent furthering my understanding of the Word, the closer I have come to God.

I don’t know if I could have ever actually classified myself as an atheist but I can tell you this, I never could have fathomed that I would be writing so frequently and passionately on the topic of religion. But I have come full circle in my beliefs; not by being a passive observer but rather being an active participant. In life it is important to continue to learn; this goes for anything and everything. So how much more important is it to continue to educate yourself in the ways of God? Only you can answer this question. But whether you are a faith-filled by-the-book believer or someone who is struggling with your faith, it can never hurt to know more.

Editors Note: This side note pertains to the book review above. Some Catholics are very cautious when it comes to reading books or articles on religion. I must say I am not one of them. I feel that I am educated enough (biased observation) and strong enough in my faith that I can discern the good from the bad in my selection of reading materials. I am aware that the Catholic Church has a listing of approved motion pictures which can be found on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Website. I was unable to find a similar listing for reading materials but am sure there is something out their. If you are unsure if this book is suitable reading material for you personally, I recommend that you confer with your priest first.

In Christ,

-Scott