From the desk of the Tar Heel disciple: June 9, 2025
Apologetics and Personalities
Some people are particularly drawn to apologetics. Numerous websites offer readers reasons for belief in God, Christianity, the Catholic Faith, etc. And it appears that there are no lack of writers for these sites, not to mention avid readers. Some people especially enjoy a good argument. And some people, it seems from the threads, might just enjoy arguing. Nevertheless, apologetics appears to be making a comeback. After a long and honorable run in the pre-conciliar era, apologetics was often dismissed as little more than “proselytizing” and thus offensive to ecumenical or interreligious dialogues, which were acclaimed in some circles as among the greatest fruits of Vatican II. But “the times they are a-changing,” and a new generation that was little evangelized and poorly (if at all) catechized knows little or nothing of the Catholic Faith (or about Christianity in general) is searching, and there are reports that surprising numbers in the most unexpected places (France, England, etc.!) are responding to the efforts of apologists both old and new.
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As mentioned, the internet is a rich and accessible source of information in the presentation and defense of the Faith. But books still hold their attraction for some personalities. Among the more interesting of those books is the one written (and more recently updated) by Vittorio Messori, Hypotheses about Jesus (Sophia Institute Press, 2023). Written and published in the mid-1970’s, in Italian, it was soon translated into many languages and sold over one million copies. Messori, a journalist and a convert himself, later added to his professional fame when he published, in 1985, his famous interview with Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Ratzinger Report (Ignatius Press). He is also noted for his interview and collaboration with Pope John Paul II, which led to the publication of Crossing the Threshold of Hope (Alfred A. Knopf, 1994). |
Messori’s book about Jesus is wide-ranging and comprehensive. He shares his own conversion story and is often in dialogue with the thinking of Blaise Pascal. Though there are many allusions to Italian intellectuals and cultural figures of the last century, they are identified by means of brief, appropriate footnotes. And some of the references to Biblical scholarship could be updated to the benefit of the text. But the basic arguments, presented with credible evidence throughout, in favor of the Faith are still pertinent, and for the right personalities, might lead the reader to a relationship with Christ and to His Church. Good apologetics is back, and have been, even for the recent “dark years” when they were being dismissed. This book is evidence of it!
