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40 Questions
40 Questions About Roman Catholicism
Straightforward answers about Roman Catholicism for a Protestant audience
The Roman Catholic faith is one of the world's most widespread religious traditions, yet the unique aspects of Roman Catholicism elicit perennial questions from adherents and outsiders alike. Such questions tend to fall into three major historical backgrounds, theological matters, and personal relationships. Using Catholic Church documents and the writings of Catholic scholars, Baptist systematic theologian Gregg Allison distills the teachings of Catholicism around forty common questions about Catholic foundations, beliefs, and practices. The accessible question-and-answer format guides readers to the issues that concern them,
• Where do Roman Catholic and Protestant beliefs differ?
• What happens during a Roman Catholic Mass?
• How does Roman Catholicism understand the biblical teaching about Mary?
• Who are the saints and what is their role?
• How can my Roman Catholic loved ones and I talk about the gospel?
40 Questions About Roman Catholicism explores theology and practice, doctrine and liturgy, sacraments and Mariology, contributions and scandals, and many other things, clarifying both real and perceived differences and similarities with other Christian traditions.
The Roman Catholic faith is one of the world's most widespread religious traditions, yet the unique aspects of Roman Catholicism elicit perennial questions from adherents and outsiders alike. Such questions tend to fall into three major historical backgrounds, theological matters, and personal relationships. Using Catholic Church documents and the writings of Catholic scholars, Baptist systematic theologian Gregg Allison distills the teachings of Catholicism around forty common questions about Catholic foundations, beliefs, and practices. The accessible question-and-answer format guides readers to the issues that concern them,
• Where do Roman Catholic and Protestant beliefs differ?
• What happens during a Roman Catholic Mass?
• How does Roman Catholicism understand the biblical teaching about Mary?
• Who are the saints and what is their role?
• How can my Roman Catholic loved ones and I talk about the gospel?
40 Questions About Roman Catholicism explores theology and practice, doctrine and liturgy, sacraments and Mariology, contributions and scandals, and many other things, clarifying both real and perceived differences and similarities with other Christian traditions.
336 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2021
39 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Gregg R. Allison
36 books61 followersGregg R. Allison (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is professor of Christian theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is secretary of the Evangelical Theological Society, a book review editor for the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, an elder at Sojourn Community Church, and a theological strategist for Sojourn Network. Allison has taught at several colleges and seminaries, including Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and is the author of numerous books, including Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church, and Roman Catholic Theology and Practice: An Evangelical Assessment.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 3, 2022
A really solid, relatively in-depth break down of Roman Catholicism.
October 16, 2021
I’ve read several of the “40 Questions” volumes in the Kregel series, and I have found them, by and large, interesting and instructive. The latest volume I read, 40 Questions About Roman Catholicism by Gregg R. Allison is no exception.
I am not Roman Catholic, but I know a fair bit about Roman Catholicism, so I came to this volume interested to see what else I would learn.
The book is divided into three sections: historical and foundational questions (questions 1-10), theological questions (questions 11-34), and contemporary and personal questions (questions 35-40).
The first area of great interest to me was the explanation that Roman Catholics believe that nature and grace are interconnected (see question 5). What this means is that nature – the physical creation – transmits – imparts – grace to the believer directly. The Creation does not merely show grace or point to grace, but itself, gives grace. This is seen – especially in the sacraments where the water, itself, cleanses the person of sin, and in the Lord’s Supper transmits grace, itself, to the receiving believer. This “works” in Roman Catholic theology because they deny that the sin of our first parents radically (to the root) corrupted humanity and all of Creation. Rather, they say that the sin of our first parents weakened humans and Creation. Thus, grace can come directly from the Creation and not just by God through the Creation.
Questions 11-13 were also of interest to me as the author explained that – for the Roman Catholic, authority comes from tradition, the Scripture, and the Magisterium. The Scripture, itself, is not the final authority, and if any of the three parts of authority fail, the entire authority of whatever is being regarded also fails.
A third area of interest to me was in question 37 that looks at why Protestants are converting to Roman Catholicism – many of whom are young people. Allison explains that Protest churches have failed in giving youth four things that they find in the Roman Catholic Church: certainty, history, unity, and authority (300). To be welcoming, contemporary, and non-threatening, Protestant churches have become slippery, ethereal, and a mere vanity – causing young people to look elsewhere.
Allison examines the history of the church, the sacraments, Mary, the popes, and so forth, and provides and excellent introduction to and critique of the Roman Catholic Church. (One thing to be aware of, as I have mentioned with each volume of this series, is that Baptists author them – which is unimportant – except to note that there are places in the commentary where the Baptist view in Protestantism is the view put forth, which may not agree with all Protestant views.)
Each question/chapter ends with a summary and then questions for reflection – either for individual contemplation or group discussion. The volume ends with a bibliography and a Scripture index.
As I noted to begin with – I enjoy this series and have found many of the volumes to be instructive and enjoyable. This one is certainly helpful in understanding the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and the differences there are between it and the Protestant churches. I hope to read and review addition volumes of this series.
I received this book free from Kregel in exchange for an honest review.
[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, Kregel. Com, and Goodreads.com].
I am not Roman Catholic, but I know a fair bit about Roman Catholicism, so I came to this volume interested to see what else I would learn.
The book is divided into three sections: historical and foundational questions (questions 1-10), theological questions (questions 11-34), and contemporary and personal questions (questions 35-40).
The first area of great interest to me was the explanation that Roman Catholics believe that nature and grace are interconnected (see question 5). What this means is that nature – the physical creation – transmits – imparts – grace to the believer directly. The Creation does not merely show grace or point to grace, but itself, gives grace. This is seen – especially in the sacraments where the water, itself, cleanses the person of sin, and in the Lord’s Supper transmits grace, itself, to the receiving believer. This “works” in Roman Catholic theology because they deny that the sin of our first parents radically (to the root) corrupted humanity and all of Creation. Rather, they say that the sin of our first parents weakened humans and Creation. Thus, grace can come directly from the Creation and not just by God through the Creation.
Questions 11-13 were also of interest to me as the author explained that – for the Roman Catholic, authority comes from tradition, the Scripture, and the Magisterium. The Scripture, itself, is not the final authority, and if any of the three parts of authority fail, the entire authority of whatever is being regarded also fails.
A third area of interest to me was in question 37 that looks at why Protestants are converting to Roman Catholicism – many of whom are young people. Allison explains that Protest churches have failed in giving youth four things that they find in the Roman Catholic Church: certainty, history, unity, and authority (300). To be welcoming, contemporary, and non-threatening, Protestant churches have become slippery, ethereal, and a mere vanity – causing young people to look elsewhere.
Allison examines the history of the church, the sacraments, Mary, the popes, and so forth, and provides and excellent introduction to and critique of the Roman Catholic Church. (One thing to be aware of, as I have mentioned with each volume of this series, is that Baptists author them – which is unimportant – except to note that there are places in the commentary where the Baptist view in Protestantism is the view put forth, which may not agree with all Protestant views.)
Each question/chapter ends with a summary and then questions for reflection – either for individual contemplation or group discussion. The volume ends with a bibliography and a Scripture index.
As I noted to begin with – I enjoy this series and have found many of the volumes to be instructive and enjoyable. This one is certainly helpful in understanding the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and the differences there are between it and the Protestant churches. I hope to read and review addition volumes of this series.
I received this book free from Kregel in exchange for an honest review.
[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, Kregel. Com, and Goodreads.com].
July 3, 2022
Gregg R. Allison is such a clear and winsome writer. He is honest and straightforward and he is unafraid of the truth. If one is ever offended by Allison's writing it will be an offense of truth, not an offense created by his his approach to communicating the truth. These traits are on full display in "40 Questions About Roman Catholicism."
In this book Allison answers 40 common questions people have about Roman Catholicism. Allison is a Southern Baptist, and he writes from his perspective as a Southern Baptist professor. But Allison is not dismissive or demeaning of Roman Catholicism; rather, Allison compares and contrasts the theology of Roman Catholicism with historic Protestant theology so that the reader may understand both the areas of agreement but also the areas of significant disagreement.
This would be an excellent text for Protestants and Catholics to read together in a home study or over a cup of coffee, not so that individuals can agree to disagree, but so the individuals can together search the Scriptures to arrive at truth. Truth matters, and eternity depends on it. So read with this book in one hand and your Bible in the other hand and gain a greater understanding of the truth of God's Word, and a greater appreciation of the Reformers urgency to proclaim faith alone, through Christ alone by reading the Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. Happy reading!
In this book Allison answers 40 common questions people have about Roman Catholicism. Allison is a Southern Baptist, and he writes from his perspective as a Southern Baptist professor. But Allison is not dismissive or demeaning of Roman Catholicism; rather, Allison compares and contrasts the theology of Roman Catholicism with historic Protestant theology so that the reader may understand both the areas of agreement but also the areas of significant disagreement.
This would be an excellent text for Protestants and Catholics to read together in a home study or over a cup of coffee, not so that individuals can agree to disagree, but so the individuals can together search the Scriptures to arrive at truth. Truth matters, and eternity depends on it. So read with this book in one hand and your Bible in the other hand and gain a greater understanding of the truth of God's Word, and a greater appreciation of the Reformers urgency to proclaim faith alone, through Christ alone by reading the Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. Happy reading!
March 4, 2024
Helpful book that does a good job spelling out the substantial differences between Roman Catholicism and evangelical Protestantism while speaking respectfully to both. The book did repeat itself a lot, although I suppose that's the nature of the "40 questions" style, where readers aren't necessarily expected read all questions in order. Also some of the theological explanations got quite confusing, which I recognize is due in part to the confusingness of Catholic theology in the first place, but I felt like it could have been a little clearer.
October 22, 2025
Very good introduction to the major issues and differences between Catholicism and Protestantism. Some of the responses to catholic doctrine could’ve been better, but overall this book covers the waterfront of the basic issues and objections.
I especially appreciated how much Allison quotes from primary sources like the council of Trent, Vatican 1, and the catechism of the Catholic Church. This effort to avoid straw-manning the Catholic position are commendable and reassuring for the reader.
Re-Read: October 2025. Still very helpful
I especially appreciated how much Allison quotes from primary sources like the council of Trent, Vatican 1, and the catechism of the Catholic Church. This effort to avoid straw-manning the Catholic position are commendable and reassuring for the reader.
Re-Read: October 2025. Still very helpful
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews