Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on 'Romanism' by 'Bible Christians'

by Karl Keating

Karl Keating defends Catholicism from fundamentalist attacks and explains why fundamentalism has been so successful in converting "Romanists". After showing the origins of fundamentalism, he examines representative anti-Catholic groups and presents their arguments in their own words. His rebuttals are clear, detailed, and charitable. Special emphasis is given to the scriptural basis for Catholic doctrines and beliefs.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Theology, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith, Christian

372 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Karl Keating (b. 1950), a prominent Catholic apologist and author, is the founder and president of Catholic Answers, a lay apostolate of Catholic apologetics and evangelization.

He received his undergraduate degree in Applied Math at UCSD in 1972 and went on to get a J.D. at the University of San Diego. He worked as an attorney practicing civil law in the early 1980s.

Leaving Mass one Sunday, he found anti-Catholic tracts on the windshields of the cars in the church parking lot. He wrote his own tract in reply and distributed copies of it at the Fundamentalist church responsible for the anti-Catholic tract. That was the start of what has become the country’s largest lay-run apologetics and evangelization organization.

Catholic Answers was incorporated in 1982, and in 1988 Karl left the practice of law and went into apostolic work full time. That year marked the publication of his Catholicism and Fundamentalism, the first book to deal extensively with challenges posed by “Bible Christians.” Other books followed: What Catholics Really Believe, Nothing But the Truth, The Usual Suspects, and Controversies. He is at work on several more titles.

For nine years Karl served as the editor of This Rock. He has been a columnist for the National Catholic Register and the Canadian Catholic Review and has written for many other publications. Each Tuesday he answers questions on “Catholic Answers Live.” His avocations include backpacking (his favorite locales are the High Sierra and the Grand Canyon) and flying.

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

So you have been a Catholic your whole life. Maybe even went to Catholic School. But through college and out in your job you feel like you are surrounded by Bible thumping Christians who have taken as their personal crusade to convert their heathen brother. That is you.

What do you do? You know that they are great people. Very sincere in their faith. And seemingly very strong Christians. They love God, Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit. In fact they are consumed by it and frankly it is a little bit attractive at times. Especially since you might be a luke-warm Catholic at best.

But something is nagging you. It's maybe your mom's voice in the back of your head that she raised you a particular way. Or maybe it's that you would really miss those beautifully lit Midnight Masses. Though you might be restless in your inherited faith, you aren't ready to take the kind of plunge your friends are promising.

Sorry to take 3 paragraphs to say this: READ THIS BOOK!

Karl Keating will change your perspective. And maybe if you are really lucky you can hand it over to your friends and convert them instead.

Keating delves into all the misconceptions about Catholicism. Especially all the shoddy history that has been written by so-called "ex-priests" who have an axe to grind. "C&F" will cover all the bases. It grabs ahold of nearly all the main attacks that Catholicism has undergone from fundamentalists who constantly barrage the Catholic Church as the "Whore of Babylon" referenced in Revelations. Keating is thorough in his defense and lays open the faultiness of their arguments as well as how nearly every reference that a fundamentalist will use as being flawed in its presentation of what Catholicism really is. Most of their references are flat out lies and misrepresentations.

A warning though. You will want to savor this book. In fact it will be impossible to tear through it in only a few days. I read it methodically--maybe a chapter or 2 a night and that was it! I had to if I wanted to wrap my mind around on everything he was saying, and reflect fully on it. Trust me--it's like weight-training for your faith. You will need to train slowly, with deliberate technique in your reflection.

I attribute this book as the corner-stone of my turn-around in my defense of my faith. From being merely passive and believing to becoming active and defensive in my Catholic faith as we are all called to do.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without reading this book, I may have never become Catholic.

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this quite a few years ago so I hesitate to write a review with my poor memory. However, with that caveat, I recall that I found the book useful and I learned a lot. Prior to reading this, I didn't know that the average poorly catechized Catholic was targeted by "Bible Christians". At the time I was reading this book, I was heavily involved in homeschooling my children so my primary response to this book was to work harder on Scripture studies with them so they would be less vulnerable.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not articulate enough to explain how good this book is, but I implore anyone, Protestants, especially, to take a look at this book. Read the other side to the story, because most Catholics are horrible at defending their faith.

[Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the 1980s, young Catholics were leaving the Church at a tremendous rate in order to join Evangelical Christian congregations that literally thrived on these conversions. Some denominations, such as the Assemblies of God, have congregations today comprised of some 80% or more ex-Catholics. Why did Catholics leave the Church at such an alarming rate in those days? Part of it was poor catechesis on the part of the Catholic Church in the 1960s and 70s, which resulted in an entire generation of Catholics who don't understand their own faith. And part of the reason for these conversions was the purposeful targeting of Catholics by these Evangelical denominations, and these marketing campaigns often consisted of misleading or downright slanderous accusations of Catholic beliefs.

In 1988 Karl Keating wrote "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" as a response to this exodus. On the one hand, it highlights the Evangelical organizations that target Catholics and try to persuade them to leave the Church. But the main thrust of this book is to discuss the Catholic faith, to catechize the uncatechized Catholics who are inclined to leave, and to present the faith to Evangelicals who have been taught to believe that the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon, the Anti-Christ of today. In this effort this book is a great success. It is a very readable presentation of the faith, and it answers many of the most common objections to the faith in a very readable and enjoyable way. It is very easy to read and in places hard to put down. In this sense, I would recommend this book to people who either do not understand the Catholic faith or who have wrong ideas about it.

On the other hand, this book is very dated in a lot of ways. Keating spends much of the first half of the book discussing and repudiating the major Evangelical organizations of the 1980s who targeted Catholics. Today, very few of these organizations still exist, and those who do still exist are irrelevant. In the 21st Century, the threat posed to Catholics by Evangelicals is minimal. The major threat to the faith today stands squarely in the secular realm. Catholics today are not leaving the Church to be Evangelicals or even to join the mainline Protestant denominations. They are leaving the Church to join the world, take up the sexual revolution, accept social teachings that are opposed to the teachings of the Church, or simply to live a narcissistic life. To this end, this work should be updated to examine the major reasons why young Catholics either leave the Church or no longer practice the faith. So, while "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" may be a nice historical interest into why Catholics used to leave the faith, it is hardly relevant in explaining why young Catholics today leave the Church.

Regardless of its shortcomings, I would highly recommend that anyone read "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" who is interested in the Catholic Faith and its defense.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a convert from fundamentalism, this book really made me think about the life I left behind. Probably the best apologetic work I've read.

[Bojan Tunguz · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Catholic who seriously takes your faith, or have been around religious discussion forums (online or offline) soon enough you will come across a barrage of very passionate anti-Catholic ideas and sentiments. There are certainly many religious groups with a bone to pick with Catholic Church and its teachings (it could hardly be otherwise with a religious group that counts more than a billion people as its members and a truly global reach over several millennia), but some of the most vociferous attacks seem to be coming from a particular kind of Protestant Fundamentalism. Many of us are frankly mildly shocked after our first encounters with this form of dogmatic anti-Catholicism. Not because they present new arguments that make us question our faith for the first time. On the contrary, most of the arguments are centuries old, and we are mostly shocked to find them repackaged in a new guise that is at times as childish and intellectually dishonest as they come. The only truly new invention seems to be the new level of animosity and vociferousness. If you have ever been in a situation where you have to talk to one of these Fundamentalists, you probably know what I mean. And if you would like to know more about where this "neofundamentalism" is coming from - historically and intellectually - then Karl Keating's book is the definitive resource. It covers most of the important topics that pertain to Fundamentalism - its origin, some of the current vocal fundamentalist Catholic-bashers, the tactics and arguments used by these groups, the long discussion on most prominent Catholic beliefs that are under the assault, and the most effective Catholic apologetic practices. The book was written in the late 80s, but for the most part it has aged well. Of course, one huge tectonic shift that has occurred over the past twenty years has been the advent of the internet, and many of the fundamentalist anti-Catholic groups have found this to be the most appealing and the easiest way of spreading their message. However, the message has remained largely the same, and in that respect "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" is as relevant today as when it was first written.

[Joseph Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of fundamentalist anti-Catholic groups, their criticisms and charges against the Catholic Church, and the Catholic responses to them. Keating assumes a Catholic reader, so as an evangelical-turning-Catholic convert-in-progress, it sometimes felt a little awkward when he complained about fundamentalists. He carries a clear tone of indignation and annoyance, especially in the first part of the book, focusing on the critics and groups themselves (including pre-downfall Jimmy Swaggart), but maintains a charitable spirit. The second part of the book, going through the Catholic doctrines that fundamentalists chiefly criticize (tradition vs. sola scriptura, veneration of the saints, the Marian dogmata, Purgatory, St. Peter in Rome as first pope, etc.) was much more enjoyable and helpful to me, guiding me through the criticisms I'm bound to hear, and allowing me to preempt many of my own doubts and questions as I approach Catholicism from that neck of the woods. At times I felt like Keating didn't understand fundamentalists much better than many of them understand Catholics (he presumes a hard-line Calvinistic theology, which admittedly is probably the case for most outspoken anti-Catholics); and at times his exposition of the Catholic apologies felt flimsy (or the apologies themselves are flimsy), especially when it came to issues of biblical translation -- they sounded like the same arguments of fundamentalists turned backwards. Keating is not a scholar or theologian, but is an able collector and disseminator of what others have written.

[David Szatkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent apologetics read. Keating does an excellent job explaining the fundamentalist argument, explaining how it misunderstands the Catholic position, then explaining the Catholic position from both Scripture and the Fathers of the Church. He also explains the underlying presuppositions of the fundamentalist position and where there is a philosophical inconsistency with the argument. He does not white-wash the sins of the Church, critically, which is good. He also reminds readers that people who hold opinions contrary to the Church are not bad people. This book, written in the 80s, dates itself in a couple ways. One, no mainstream Scripture scholar thinks Matthew was written after 1 Corinthians (Paul wrote about 30 years before Matthew). Also, the anti-Catholics he refers to are no longer as prominent now as then (think Jimmy Swaggart and company). That being said, many of the arguments he refers to are as valid now as then. The downside of course is that 30 years of writing, theology, scriptural theology, etc. cannot be considered because they weren't written yet. All that said - strong recommendation to read, but you'll probably need to buy it used (again, mindful of the original publication date).

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It is the truth that sets us free”, is the phrase which closes Karl Keating’s afterward in his book Catholicism and Fundamentalism. And while proclaiming truth is difficult, knowing truth thoroughly is still harder, and one cannot hope to do the former without first devoting himself to the latter. I picked up this book because of fundamentalist friends in my life who have reached out to me in an effort to evangelize me. These friends picked the wrong guy to waste time on, but I figured I would use these experiences as an opportunity to further my understanding of the beliefs of other Christian denominations, and through that come to a greater appreciation of my own faith. This book I devoured with gusto, as it was like discovering a new world, coming across a new battlefront in a war I only vaguely knew was being waged. It described my friends to a tee, though I do not believe the characterizations of fundamentalists in this book were entirely accurate-perhaps the landscape has changed since this book was written, and fundamentalists have wisened to the fact that for them to be successful, they must be knowledgeable about what the Church says, rather than what their pastors and scholars think the Church says. But unequivocally, this book delivers the baseline apologetics needed for most conversations, and what it could have covered in greater depth, it points the reader to further resources so that their knowledge may be complete.

[Christian McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good book. Layed out all of the objections in an extremely clear way. I liked the sections for each objection and the charge to treat people who disagree with love and respect. The best book I've read on this topic so far.

[Kester Nucum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think every Catholic should read this book, especially those who live in more Fundamentalist/anti-Catholic areas such as the Bible Belt South. Even as someone who loves to study the faith, I found a lot of Keating's insights regarding many doctrines in which Catholics and Protestants disagree on to be very enlightening, and even so a new perspective to reflect upon. Very readable, very relatable, and very engaging. Definitely will be pulling this book on my shelf for future apologetics work and even just studying the faith.

[Carolyn Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The truth set me free

After my conversion experience, this book helped to clarify what I had slowly but radically discovered in my two year prior research into the church fathers and traditions that cannot be overlooked or ignored. History must be learned to understand the truth. Eye opening and a worthy read for people questioning what really happened before the "protest" of Luther and how wrong I was to listen to criticism without doing my own research. Wish I had read this sooner but it is a slow process to discover truth. But when the Holy Spirit works it was bam. I found "home" . Now what's next?

[SiSApis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent grounding for anyone hoping to help any kind of fervent Protestant, but especially those trending toward fundamentalism (specifically focused upon those with entrenched misconceptions about the Catholic faith--i.e., "whore of Babylon"-type anti-Catholics, or others with well-formed anti-Catholic notions, almost always founded upon complete misunderstandings/misinformation), to better understand the "Fullness of the Faith." Also a nice look into what spurred Karl Keating to found "Catholic Answers," which is an apostolate that has certainly fed my formation greatly.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book with decent rebuttals in most objections to the Church. Keating can be... dry, yes very dry and also critical in his responses however. Part of the problem with this book was that is was largely written as a rebuttal of a specific other book that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head. It really isn't clear that this is the case until almost half-way through (before that you just think he is obsessed about some guy name Botner I think it was).

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought this book was a great answer to a lot of anti-Catholic rhetoric out there. I did have a few problems though - I felt that Keating was a little too dismissive of Fundamentalist beliefs, and often set up straw men of his own. I think the information on Catholic beliefs is good, but consider his summaries of Fundamentalist beliefs to be a little bit lacking in charity.

[Foreign Grid]

Read in conjunction with James Whites Answers to Catholic Claims, since it was one of the most cited sources in White's book.
-First half spent debunking common anti catholic (most of slightly conspiratorial bent) publications of the time
-second half further explaining doctrines of CC
-plenty footnotes
-slightly outdated
-jumps around a lot
-exasperated tone in some parts

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Among the best defenses of Catholicism against Protestant Evangelicals. I strongly recommend it to any Bible-believing Christians who have to spend much time witnessing to educated Catholics. Know as well as you can what your actual differences are.

[Bonnie Ziegler-wienke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I refer to this book constantly when debating non Carholics online and it has helped deepen my own faith as a convert!

[Ivan Herrejon mfd · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first chapters on anti-Catholic groups were dated and not extremely interesting. When he actually starts talking about Catholic theology, I found the book most interesting.

[Robbie Deacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a work of Catholic apologetics, this is solid but nothing unique; you won’t find anything here that you don’t find in more recent works from guys like Trent Horn or Joe Heschmeyer. What’s interesting about this book is its influence on modern apologetics. Keating’s conception of “fundamentalism” is what many of the Catholic Answers apologists refer to as “protestantism,” and this overly-simplistic vision of what protestant traditions have to offer has led to overly-simplistic Catholic apologetics aimed at low-hanging (fundamentalist) fruit. Worth a read for those interested in the history of apologetics or those who are curious about how Catholics see certain groups of protestants.

[ruslan prisakaru · Rating 5 out of 5]

a tour de force apologetics work on understanding and combating fundamentalism. i thought i knew what i was getting myself into when i started reading the book; now, i hardly have the words to express how lucky i am for coming across this book.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.--1 Peter 3:15-16



It should be the duty of every brother and sister of Christ to be prepared to defend one's Catholic faith, particularly in a time where much attention is focussed on the mystery that shrouds the twenty-first century. Are we living in the "Last Days"? Who will rise to power as the Antichrist mentioned in Revelations? Are we, as Catholics, doing right by God?



As one of the nation's many, many K-8th grade Catholic students, I thought once I graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic School in Jacksonville, Florida I no longer needed to advance my religious education. I had a Bible, I attended services and kept to God's Commandments and Sacraments and left it at that.



Once away from the protective shell of my parents' home, however, I became exposed for the first time anti-Catholic environments. I discovered Jack Chick and his merciless comic strip attacks on my faith, and recently two Jehovah's Witnesses arrived at my doorstep waving a pamphlet depicting a woman groveling before a statue of Mary. The caption underneath read "idol worshipper." I was stunned. For twenty-five years I was certain I a was a "good Christian", praying to Jesus for strength and wisdom and abiding by His rules, only to learn that many factions insisted I was living a lie.



Catholics questioning their faith, like myself, will want to arm themselves with knowledge of apologetics, and the logical place to start would be with Karl Keating's Catholicism and Fundamentalism, an excellent resource for clarifying and strengthening one's Catholic faith in Christ. Keating, the founder of Catholic Answers, has written this book with two purposes in mind: to point out those most guilty of anti-Catholic behavior and to provide the means of successfully defending the motives of the Catholic Church.



Catholicism and Fundamentalism is well-researched and presents well-defined arguments for the succession of popes, veneration of Mary, Eucharistic adoration, and other factors that separate Catholic and Protestant faiths. Arguments against the Fundamentalist position of sola Scriptura are also discussed, as are tips on how to become a top-notch Catholic apologist.



Whether you are trying to defend your faith or learn precisely what the Catholic position is, Catholicism and Fundamentalism is the ideal book in which to rediscover faith in Jesus Christ and His church.

[Cris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a good book for Catholics to read about the various objections other denominations have to Catholicism, as it combines both journalism and theology. This covers a wide range of denominations and I learned a lot about the history of Jehova's Witnesses for example. It is also a good book to read to understand the development of the term fundamentalism, a pejorative and misunderstood term in popular culture. Karl Keating, a convert, leaves no ugly rumor unturned in this very thorough book, however the reader must be mindful to remember that Keating is talking about groups and not individuals and so must keep charity at hand. Keating is arguably becoming a name for our century, if Avery Dulles, (RIP) is to be believed.

[Cocopebbles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but I only gave it 3 stars for a purely personal reason: apologetics makes me sad. This book and books like it make me feel like the whole world is against Catholics (which is certainly not true), and while that's not Keating's fault, it still impacted my rating, but I digress. The book is full of strong Biblical and historical explanations of Catholic doctrines and practices. A good read if you are into apologetics, curious about Catholicism, or just want some refreshers about your faith.

[Jimbethhoward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Keating does not seem to know the evangelicals (fundamentalists...he argues with some validity that there is no difference) that I know or read. Instead, he selects the most fringe or archaic groups under that umbrella with whom to spar, such as the KJV only types, or the Chick tract people, and then has an aura of snark in his attacks.

Yet when he begins making positive arguments for his faith, he is more compelling, and I'm looking for a reputable protestant apologist to make a good refutation of Keating's case.

[JoAnne Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author has a bit of an attitude, but guess I don't blame him. Catholic bashers rarely take the trouble to substantiate their accusations. He does do a good job of explaining the background for every point he takes up, and he doesn't miss any of the hottest ones. I liked that. I have to admit to skipping some of the long, exhausting chains of protestant error, mostly because I agree with them. I wanted to skip to what I didn't already know. In all, worth the time.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church." This is a great book to explain many of the misconceptions and questions people have about the Catholic Church. Find your answers here and read the scripture the Church uses to support its teaching.

[A. O'connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Keating's "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" was an important work in my journey toward the Catholic faith. Easy to read and understand yet still "technical" enough to challenge one's intellectual acument, "Catholicsm and Fundamentalism" is a must-read for both the budding apologist and the average layman in the pew.