Atheist to Catholic-Stories of Conversion

I'd been waiting for this book to come out, so when I saw it on the reviews list, I jumped for it!  (It's been awhile since I got it, please forgive my tardiness).  I knew that Jennifer Fulwiler had an essay in it (I heard of the book through her blog) but I didn't realize that the Raving Theist (fka Raving Atheist) was included.  I had read RT's blog a few times prior to his conversion, and then of course, afterwards.  I also spoke to him briefly in private.  He never did go much in to detail, and I'm said to see he's no longer blogging, but I was definitely eager to hear more of his story.

The book is short and sweet (116 pages) and a very quick read.  As different as each story was, I also very much enjoyed noting the common threads in each.  I love conversion stories in general, and of course, atheist conversions in particular. 


This review was written as a part of the reviewer program for The Catholic Company.

Solace in Suffering

Thomas a Kempis was a Swiss monk who lived in the 15th century.  Solace in Suffering is a collection of writings taken out of his immensely popular Imitation of Christ.  Because these are exerts from a longer book, the chapters are short but hard-hitting, theologically.  Kempis' work is well-translated, giving the essence of his words while still being engaging and relatively easy for modern readers understand (in the past I've had difficulty digesting Medieval era books simply because the writing style is translated archaic and difficult to get into).  It's interesting to me to see just how relevant something written hundreds of years ago still is today, how Kempis addresses spiritual concerns I often see modern writers also attempting to tackle.  A few lines that stood out to me-

 You know well how to excuse and gloss over your own deeds, but you will not accept the excuses of others.  It is more just for you to accuse yourself and to excuse another.  (Yikes, is he keep an eye on me, or something?  I know I'm too often guilty of this!)

 In order to keep us humble, it is often helpful for others to know our faults and reprimand us.  (Do you take it well when someone reprimands you?  I sure don't...but I should, when it's given in loving Christian charity).

Sometimes, although spared great temptations, we are often overcome in daily little ones.  (Wow...very true, though this isn't something I've really contemplated.  I'm luckily largely free of "great temptations," but I really am overcome by this "little daily ones."  What folly it is to think ourselves "safe" because we've managed to avoid those big temptations!)

 Of what use it is to argue profoundly about the Trinity if you have no humility and consequently are displeasing to the Trinity?  In truth, sublime words do not make one holy and just.  However, a virtuous life makes one dear to God.  For my part, I would rather feel repentance than be able to define it. [emphasis mine] (I re-read this part over and over...it was definitely one of those moments where I felt God was bonking me over the head and saying "Hey, pay attention to this!" )

 Christ was despised by people in this world.  In His greatest need He was forsaken by His acquaintances and friends in the midst of insults.  Christ was willing to suffer and to be despised- how do you dare complain of anything?  Christ had enemies and detractors- do you expect everyone to be your friends and benefactors?  How will your patience be rewarded if you have no adversity?  If you cannot endure contradiction, how can you claim to be a friend of Christ?  "If we endure, we will also reign with him" (2 Tim 2:12)  (We say this a lot, that as Christians we should expect to suffer, should expect the world to hate and mock us...yet how many of us really accept that, deep down?  Are we really okay with it, or do we try to toe a line between being Christian and being popular?  If we're not willing to truly embrace rejection and suffering for Him, then we're really no better than those that abandoned and rejected Him during the time leading up to His Passion).

I could go on and on; I could easily sit here and quote the whole book.  It's inexpensive, relatively short, and easy to read, one I definitely recommend, especially for busy moms who might not have time to sit and devour the full length Imitation of Christ.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.

Set Free to Love

Set Free to Love: Lives Changed by the Theology of the Body by Marcel LeJeune was something I've been looking for, so I was excited to see it.  I often hear people criticize aspects of the theology of the body as unrealistic and unattainable, and have been wanting to read some stories of people who not only struggled with it, but embraced it and saw it revolutionize their lives.

LeJeune starts with a brief introduction on what the theology of the body is.  Hard to do in just a few pages, but it does give enough information that those who are unfamiliar with it should be able to understand what the writers are talking about.  The rest of the book is comprised of relatively short personal essays, dealing with a wide range of topics from abortion, to pornography, to same-sex attraction.  I was particularly moved by the essay entitled "Transformed," an anonymous account of a young man who dealt with same-sex attractions most of his life.  His accounts of the shame, confusion, and worthlessness he felt were very powerful and moved me to tears, as did the joy and strength he found in Christ and the theology of the body.

I felt a couple of the essays could have been more in depth, but overall I really enjoyed reading these different accounts of real people struggling with issues many of us have faced.  I could have happily read twice as many as the mere 83 pages offered, though the upside of the shortness is I read the book in one afternoon (not something a busy mother of 4 often gets to do!)


This review was written as a part of the Catholic book reviewer program from the Catholic Company.  I received the book for free in exchange for an honest review.  Visit the Catholic Company for more, including baptismal gifts.

The Salvation Controversy

The Salvation Controversy, by James Akin, is a theologically heavy book that really maximizes every one of its 154 pages.  Akin, a convert and former Protestant, fearlessly takes on of the most important (and contentious) topics among Christians of all denominations. 

Akin relies heavily on Scripture to make a solid Catholic defense of beliefs and practices such as indulgences, purgatory, penance, and faith versus works.  Because of the Protestant rejection of sacred Tradition, it's vital to provide a clear scriptural foundation for these, and Akin does so without seeming forced or grasping.  However, he does draw on Tradition and the Church Fathers to make his arguments as well, and while he is unapologetic in his defense of the Catholic position on salvation, he also concedes to the Protestant objections when appropriate.  Because of this, it's a great read for Catholics looking for a more advanced explanation of the salvation controversy, as well as Protestants looking for a thorough and honest Catholic perspective.

Although, I have to admit that I didn't care for the chapter "A Tiptoe through TULIP."  Not because it wasn't well written; it was.  But I really, REALLY don't like Calvinism, and the last thing I wanted to read was that there was anything about it that Catholics could feasibly support!  But Akin is nothing if not intellectually honest. 

The Salvation Controversy is a great, theologically meaty read for anyone wanting to a more thorough and advanced look at the issue.

This review was written as a part of the Catholic Review program from The Catholic Company.

Review: From Atheism to Catholicism

From Atheism to Catholicism: How Scientists and Philosophers Led Me to Truth by Kevin Vost gives an overview of one man's intellectual conversion from cradle Catholic to atheist and back to Catholicism.  Vost was raised Catholic but became an atheist, in part because of the writings of well known atheist thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche and Albert Ellis.  Part I of his book is dedicated to these atheists.  Vost summarizes their positions and discusses his opinion on them, then and now.  This was my favorite part of the book, because while I had heard of these men (and one woman, Ayn Rand) and knew that they were atheists, beyond that I was pretty clueless.  I especially enjoyed the chapter on current atheist demigod Richard Dawkins.  Vost pretty easily stomps all over Dawkins' terribly immature (in more ways than one) "philosophy" of modern atheism.  Part II shows Vost's shifting from atheism back towards God, reflected in the writings of Alfred Adler, Mortimer Adler, and three prominent ancient Stoics.  Part III highlights some of the great defenders of Christianity, such as CS Lewis and GK Chesterton.  The personal story of the author seemed more of a side issue than a focal point to me, but I didn't have a problem with that.

I'm not sure that people who are well versed in philosophy would get much out of the book, but I think it's great for the average lay person.








This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company.

Review: Courageous Generosity

Courageous Generosity is one of four woman-centered Bible studies by Stacy Mitch, though it's the first one that I've done. I was drawn to it because "courageous generosity" is an interesting phrase; although we often think of generosity in terms of sacrifice, rarely do we recognize the courage it can take.

I liked that many of the questions were objective and thus had specific answers, pointing the reader to the Bible and the CCC. Though some subjective questions that require me to look at my own life and actions are fruitful, in general when I do a Bible study, I want to learn something concrete about Scripture and Church teaching.

Each lesson (there are 8) is broken up into multiple questions, which makes it a good Bible study for busy moms. I could pick it up for a few minutes, knock out a few questions, put it down, and then come back later without feeling lost. It's a pretty concise and to the point Bible study, which I appreciate as someone who doesn't have a lot of time.

Overall, I thought it was a good Bible study, and I'm definitely interested in checking out her others.

This review was written as a part of the Catholic Book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. This book was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Holy Simplicity

Holy Simplicity by Raoul Plus, S.J., was thought-provoking, but unfortunately, not a book I really enjoyed. I think that's largely my own fault and not necessarily the author's; my anticipation of what the book would be was far from what it actually was. I was expecting something more like God, Help Me by Jim Beckman, a more fast-paced, modern feel with actual step by step guides to help the reader. After reading a few pages and realizing I was bored already, I flipped back and saw that the book had originally been published in 1951.

Ah, well, that made more sense.

It's not that the book is poorly written, it's just that the syntax is definitely very 50's, not 21st century. Which, in and of itself, isn't a bad thing, it simply makes it a little more difficult for those used to modern prose to sink into.

I also found it very wordy for such a short book. For example, on page 47 (of only 86 pages!) Plus writes,

We have already noted that simplicity, being a primary idea, can be defined only by its contrasts: what is not complex is simple. The trouble is that such "complexities" are beyond numeration, ranging from what is properly called duplicity, deliberate hypocrisy, and unconscious deception, to versatility, rapid changing of ideas, vacillation, ill-defined theorizing, contintual doubt, the lack of harmony between principles and practice, affectation, a sense of complication, scruples of conscience- to give only a few forms of "plurality."

I feel out of breath just typing it! The bulk of the book is theological insights and observations, and it isn't actually until the conclusion (which is only two and a half pages long) that Plus gets around to how to achieve simplicity, and even then, he tells us that's it's pretty darn difficult and a lot of people will never succeed. Actually, it's kind of ironic that a book on simplicity was so complicated!

Still, Plus does do a good job of drawing on the words of Jesus and the Saints to make his points, and his observations simplicity really are excellent. I just found it unfortunate that it was packaged in kind of a boring way. It's not a book I would recommend to my average lay friend, though I would definitely recommend it to those that are more theologically and academically.

This book was written as a part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from the Catholic Company. I was provided with the book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Fathers of the Church

The Fathers of the Church (expanded edition) by Mike Aquilina is an engaging introduction to the men (and women) at the forefront of the early Church. Thorough enough that it's used by clergy and seminarians, the books is also easy to read and accessible to lay Catholics, which was just what I was looking for. I've always been interested in learning more about the early Church, but have found other books to be entirely too academic and boring for me to get through. Aquilina's book, in contrast, I actually thought was fun to read. The book covers the more well known fathers, such as St. Ignatius and St. John Chrysostom, but I was also introduced to some I had only heard of in passing, like St. Vincent of Lerins. The chapters are grouped by era, starting with the Apostolic fathers and ending in the Post-Nicene era, giving a nice continuity to the book that I found very helpful in understanding how the Church progressed. This expanded version also includes a short chapter on "Mothers of the Church" that was fascinating.

I think this is a great book for anyone who's wanting a good basic introduction to early Church history that focuses on getting to know the Fathers.


This review was written as a part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.

Review: Sexual Authenticity

I was a little unsure of what I would get when I ordered Sexual Authenticity: An Intimate Reflection on Homosexuality and Catholicism by Melinda Selmys. It was described as a "personal reflection" of a woman who had exchanged "secular lesbianism for Catholicism," so I was a bit worried I'd end up with a book in which a "former lesbian" is saved and now preaches from the hilltops on how all those sinful homosexuals could easily be saved, too, if they'd just throw off the shackles of their sexuality and embrace Jesus. Quite the contrary, the author is openly critical of such approaches.

Sexual Authenticity is partially a personal reflection on Catholicism and homosexuality, but it's also a very sharp and introspective look at the theological truths of sexuality, marriage, children, gender, as well as the influence of the media and secular society. Selmys is brutally honest about her personal life and her struggles, which allows her to confront an extremely sensitive topic in a way that's truthful and sometimes necessarily uncomfortable without being self-righteous or accusatory.

Selmys' extremely sharp mind and penchant for philosophy make for explanations of complicated theological arguments that are at once cerebral and easily accessible. She manages to explain the Theology of the Body in a way that is soundly logical and nearly irrefutable, but also simple enough for lay people and non-Catholics to grasp.

Her insights into the inner workings of humanity are just as impressive. More than once her frank assessment of common human failings shook me to my core. Selmys has a way of nonchalantly destroying every wall and straw man you've built up for yourself that's innately disarming, but also inviting because it's rooted in truth and shared experience.

Sexual Authenticity is a powerful book that will make people on all sides of the homosexuality issue uncomfortable. But it's a necessary discomfort that forces us to discard societal labels that divide us and recognize each other as people, as children of God, first, no better or worse than the other. Only then can we even attempt a meaningful dialogue or understanding of such a intimate issue.

This review was written as a part of the Catholic book reviewer program.

Review: God, Help Me

When I saw God, Help Me- How to Grow in Prayer by Jim Beckman listed in the reviewer program, I really went back and forth on whether or not to choose it. As a convert and former atheist, prayer is something that has always perplexed me, something I've never felt I was doing "right," and sadly, something I'd largely given up on. I was still going through the motions of doing rosaries and trying to talk to God, but without much understand or direction, and very little satisfaction. In the end I decided to give it try, and I'm very glad I did!

I was hooked from the introduction. Beckman nailed all the internal longings I had been feeling and laid them all out. He writes, "Prayer...provides the experience of deep intimacy that our human hearts crave. Through prayer, and only through prayer, we come to a full understanding of who we are and why we are here." He goes on to say that "whether you realize it or acknowledge it, there is something deep inside you longing to be reconnected with the very source of life that gave rise to your existence in the first place. It's in you, you can't silence it." I hadn't articulated these things, but reading them, I knew instantly their veracity.

The book isn't just a "how-to." While Beckman does give thorough step by step instruction on various approaches to prayer, he first explains why prayer is important. Drawing on the wisdom of the Saints, the Catechism, and Scripture, Beckman guides us to an understanding of the influence of our culture and the enemy on our prayer life and the fundamental reality of our hearts and spirituality. He pointedly addresses many of the common excuses for neglecting prayer, in a manner that is both gentle and upfront; he isn't afraid to make us uncomfortable with the truth when necessary. Seeing so many of my own excuses and failings in front of me forced me to acknowledge and confront them.

Beckman goes on to introduce and explain some of the common approaches to prayer in a way that's easy to understand and implement without seeming "dumbed down." I found his explanations extraordinarily helpful, and with the help of this book have had the most moving and fruitful experiences with God in prayer that I've ever had. The book gave me a very well rounded foundational understanding of prayer, it's importance, purpose, and function, that I believe will serve me well as I read some of the more theologically complicated writings of the Saints. Although the book is categorized as "youth," I say it's a must read for anyone struggling with their prayer life.



This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from the Catholic Company.

Review: Great Adventure Kids Pack

The Great Adventure Kids Pack is designed to be an interactive and multifaceted way to introduce salvation history to your children. The pack comes with 5 items- A large coloring book, small set of color-coded prayer beads, a fold-out Bible time-line, color coded bookmark, and playing cards.

The color-coded system ties all of the products together. The different colors represent various time periods of the Bible and salvation history, mostly concerning the Old Testament. The time line starts with the Early World, and continues through Patriarchs, Egypt & Exodus, Desert Wanderings, Conquest & Judges, Royal Kingdom, Divided Kingdom, Exile, Return, Maccabean Revolt, Messianic Fulfillment, and The Church.

My daughter especially enjoyed the card games. The card deck comes with a base set of cards and one expansion pack. There are instructions included for a variety of games you can play with the cards, and the ones we played (based off familiar games like Go Fish and Crazy Eights) were a fun way to introduce and reinforce these different periods in biblical history.

We also enjoyed the prayer beads. The accompanying prayer (found on the back of the fold-out time line) was simple enough that my daughter could read the responses, which made her feel very grown-up! She's colored a few pages of the coloring book, too (which contains the symbols for the time periods) and liked it. It's very large which is nice for little ones, but the pictures are more "grown-up" looking so they hold some appeal for older children, too.

The time line is a nice and easily accessible reference, but I especially liked the little bookmark for use during the cards games, so I could refer to it and name the time periods shown (my daughter was just going by color, so she would say the color and I'd check and name the time period to reinforce it to her).

As a "fun time" system, I really liked this. I think if I were wanting to actually use it for more of a focused learning project, I'd like a simple lesson outline suggesting how to present it in a more structured manner. Overall we really enjoyed this and look forward to finish the coloring book and playing more card games!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from the Catholic Company. Visit the Catholic Company for more information on The Great Adventure Kids Pack.

Review: The Domestic Church

When I ordered The Domestic Church: Room By Room, A Study Guide for Mothers by noted Catholic author Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, I was expecting something of a hands on guide to whipping my physical "domestic church" into shape. What I got was something much more meaningful!

Much more than simply a Bible study, Cooper O'Boyle weaves together Scripture, the Catechism, papal encyclicals, as well as quotes from the apostolic letters and various saints, inviting mothers to ponder and live out their vocation with the fullness of our Catholic faith.

Starting with the foyer and ending at the patio, each chapter's theme is a different room (for example, Chapter Two: The Garage focuses on the husband wife relationship, while Chapter Three: The Nursery looks at children and openness to life). The chapters are broken into two parts, each ending with questions and space to write out thoughts, as well as a summary. This layout works fantastically for busy mothers, allowing you to stop easily without becoming lost. Instructions for group usage are included at the beginning, but the book also works perfectly for independent study.

Cooper O'Boyle treats the vocation of motherhood realistically and respectfully, and with a warm and gentle tone that compliments and rounds out the myriad references through out the book. Mothers of all stripes, of many or few children, adoptive mothers, some-day mothers, and those whose children have all grown and gone; all will find The Domestic Church an affirming and inviting exploration of the beauty of our faith and the joy of our vocation.


This review was written as a part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company.