The Bad Catholic's Guide to the Catechism A Faithful, Fun-Loving Look at Catholic Dogmas, Doctrines, and Schmoctrines

by John Zmirak, Denise Matychowiak

Overview

Masquerading behind the guise of the old-fashioned Catechism that generations of Catholic school kids in plaid skirts or clip-on ties had to memorize, this candid handbook provides a witty take on the teachings of the Catholic faith. Objections from relativist, New Atheist, dissenting Catholic, and other points of view are featured, with intellectually sound questions and bracingly funny answers. Penned by a Yale-educated author who worked both in the mainstream, secular media as well as for Catholic outlets, the study reveals the whole range of contemporary criticisms aimed at the Church—and how to answer them in kind. Using both a rapier wit and the strong left hook of a blue-collar kid from Queens, this guide defends its faith with good humor and sincere respect at every turn while illustrating the difficulties modern believers face.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780824526801
Publisher:	The Crossroad Publishing Company
Publication date:	11/01/2012
Series:	Bad Catholic's Guides
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

John Zmirak is an editor, a journalist, a college teacher, and a political commentator. He is the author of The Bad Catholic's Guide to the Seven Deadly Sins and the coauthor of The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Good Living; The Bad Catholic's Guide to Wine, Whiskey, and Song; and The Grand Inquisitor. He has contributed to Investor's Business Daily and the National Catholic Register. He lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Preface: In the Footsteps of Fulton Sheen (Sort of…) vi

Introduction: This Is Not a Catechism ix

I Reason and Revelation 1

II The Father 35

III The Son 53

IV The Holy Spirit 103

V The Church 129

VI The Sacraments 165

Editorial Reviews

"A book by a polymath who is at the same time gloriously funny and massively serious . . . thoroughly orthodox and sane. The author capers through the entirety of Catholic doctrine, hagiology, literature, history, and contemporary culture. The reader will be instructed, blessed, and exhilarated."  —Thomas Howard, author, Evangelical Is Not Enough

"John Zmirak is easily one of the funniest writers alive . . . smart, well-grounded in his Catholic faith, and not hesitant to share it. . . . He attacks the subject matter with the best of his doctrinally sound depth of knowledge and relays it with maximum humor."  —Thomas McArdle, former White House speechwriter and communications director, Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights

From the Publisher