Becoming An Apologist

A reader writes:

I would like to know what the best way to become an expert on Catholic apologetics?  I want to someday organize and give lectures around the country on the subject and bring Catholics home.  I am awestruck when you answer the questions thrown at you.  Do I have to go to seminary to become an expert?  Thanks.

First, good for you! We need more workers in the field!

Second, you’re much too kind.

Third, you don’t have to go to seminary.

In fact, I’m unaware of any seminary or theology program in the country that gives people much background in the skills that are actually needed in day-to-day apologetics work. I’ve dealt with people who have masters degrees in famous Catholic theology programs which shall remain nameless and have found that they still had a dramatic learning curve when it came to doing apologetics in the field.

This is understandable since very few seminary and theology professors have much experience in helping people with apologetics in practical situations. You’ll get a much better sense of the kinds of things that one needs to study up on if you listen to the Q & A shows on Catholic Answers Live or read the Ask An Apologist forum at catholic.com.

HERE’S AN ARTICLE I WROTE ON HOW TO BECOME AN APOLOGIST.

The skill-building advice comes toward the end of the piece, but the rest is of use, too–particularly if you want to do apologetics full-time.

Hope it helps!

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

6 thoughts on “Becoming An Apologist”

  1. Are the questions on Catholic Answers Live indicative of typical questions that an apologist receives, or do they patch through only the more interesting/useful questions that come through?

  3. DJ: The questions are pretty typical. Almost all of the folks who call get on the air (once the call screener has tried her best to get them to actually have their thoughts in the form of a QUESTION rather than a ramble).
    Very, very little gets nixed before it gets on the air–usually micro-detail questions that I’d need to look up the answer to (which would make for bad radio). Maybe one in fifty questions gets nixed.
    PHA: Thanks for the remind! Maybe I should put up a permapost on how to become an apologist.

  4. Maybe I should put up a permapost on how to become an apologist.
    If you get the question so frequently, I think it’d be a good idea!

  5. How weird! I was thinking of starting a sort of Catholic apologetics study group/round table in my area. I have been listening to CA live and doing some work in the forums and want to start to branch out into live, private debate with other people.
    One thing I have noticed about studying apologetics, it helps most with dealing with people of other faiths but not as much when dealing with disgruntled or fallen-away Catholics. I have a real hard time convincing them of anything.
    I realize I have much to learn, though. For instance what is an “anapologist” is that like an anabaptist? ^o^

  6. One thing I have noticed about studying apologetics, it helps most with dealing with people of other faiths but not as much when dealing with disgruntled or fallen-away Catholics. I have a real hard time convincing them of anything.
    Fallen-away Catholics usually have other issues than people who have never been Catholic, and sometimes those issues are such that debate isn’t the best way to address them.

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