Dwight Longenecker - Catholicism Pure and Simple

COVER DESIGN & BOOK LAYOUT Christopher J. Pelicano
PRINTED AND BOUND IN THE U.S.A CreateSpace

COVER ARTWORK
Rembrandt van RijnHead of Christ

ISBN 978-0-615673-85-1

Father Dwight Longenecker does for Catholicism what C. S. Lewis did for mere Christianity. Those looking for the way home by taking the path to Rome will find this book an excellent and reliable guide for the journey.

Joseph Pearce, author of C.S.Lewis and the Catholic Church

Convert Father Dwight makes a powerfully pure and simple presentation of the Catholic faith. From fundamentalist Protestant to Anglican to Catholic; from America to England and back again; he asked difficult questions, and in this fine text, he successfully presents the answers that helped him make his journey home.

Marcus Grodi, host EWTNs Journeys Home, author of How Firm a Foundation and Pillar and Bulwark

In Catholicism Pure and Simple, Fr Dwight Longenecker walks readers from the existence of God, through the doors of the Church, and eventually all the way to heaven covering the basic teachings with constant warmth and wit Catholicism Pure and Simple is perfect for skeptics, doubters, and spiritual fledglings. It may be pure and simple, but its also enjoyable and smart from beginning to end.

Brandon Vogt, blogger and author of The Church and the New Media
Catholicism Pure and Simple is just what we need for seekers with questions and Catholics with doubts.. I loved Fr. Longeneckers incisive, witty style, and the way he gets into the heads of readers and understands what they need in order to discover the eternal treasures of the Catholic Church.

Ronda Chervin Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, Holy Apostles College and Seminary and Catholic author

The book title says it all. Father Longenecker guides us through salvation history and the role of the Catholic Church, with a simple style we can all understand... I found myself nodding yes in joyful agreement through each chapter.
Tom Peterson, President and Founder, Catholics Come Home, Inc.

Fr. Dwight Longenecker likes to give us Jesus straight up and with a generous dollop of joy. He takes the newbie through the life of the Faith in a way that whets your appetite, makes you curious and cracks you up.

Mark P. Shea, blogger, journalist and author of The

Heart of Catholic Prayer
Catholicism Pure and Simple is meat and potatoes for those malnourished by the fast food buffet of secular materialism and the new paganism... I am responsible for helping adults understand and live the faith, and this is the book I have been looking for. It explains the Catholic faith in refreshingly plain language - while opening the reader to its depth and beauty and inviting them to go deeper....Buy a box full and give them away!

Deacon Keith Fournier, Editor in Chief of Catholic Online

Fr. Longenecker has written another gem. Written with clarity and straight talk and directly from Fr. Longeneckers priestly heart; the title says it all: Catholicism Pure and Simple... This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to become Catholic or for any Catholic who wants to learn more about the Faith...use this book as a textbook for confirmation and RCIA. Evangelize by getting more copies to spread around.

Fr. James Farfaglia, author of Get Serious!A Survival Guide for Serious Catholics

DaVinci observed, Simplicity, is the ultimate sophisticationand Father Longeneckers prose is both svelte and sophisticated. In Catholicism Pure and Simple, he uses wit and an abundance of grace to bring the most complex theological propositions within reach of all.

Kathy Schiffer, blogger, Seasons of GraceFr. Longeneckers Catholicism Pure and Simple successfully communicates the basic truths of Catholicism in a refreshingly straightforward and direct manner. For anyone interested in exploring the Catholic faith, this is a great place to start.

Hector Molina, Catholic Speaker and Evangelist

Fr. Longenecker provides an invaluable service for inquirers by explaining the Catholic faith in a personable, accessible, yet concise fashion, and clearing away many common misconceptions. Highly recommended!

Dave Armstrong, author of 30 Catholic apologetics books, including 100 Biblical Arguments Against SolaScriptura and The Quotable Newman

Fr. Longenecker does something in Catholicism Pure and Simple that is difficult to do: he presents the truths of the Catholic faith in a clear, easy to understand manner and yet loses nothing of its depth and beauty. Whether a person is new to Christianity or has been raised Catholic this book is bound to inform and inspire.

Chris Stewart, President of Casting Nets Ministries
I N T R O D U C T I O N

One of the problems with our modern world is that there is too much religion out there. The market is flooded, not only with thousands of different forms of Christianity, but a whole shopping mall of other religions, self help programs, new age techniques and strange philosophies. The internet is crowded with ideas, ideologies and religions of all kinds. Everybody is looking for the answer to lifes riddles, but there are too many different answers being offered.

Furthermore, the traditional forms of Christianity, like Catholicism, are weighed down with liturgies that are difficult to understand, complex theological theories, rules and regulations that seem complicated, and a hierarchy and bureaucracy which seems top heavy, cumbersome and sometimes corrupt. Added to these problems, Catholicism either comes across as ancient, irrelevant and out of touchor even worseas trying hard to be up to date, trendy and with it.

Theres more: for the last five hundred years, in many parts of our culture, there has been a lingering anti-Catholic bias. Generations of non-Catholics have been brought up with an underlying assumption that Catholicism is simply wrong. They have been taught that the Catholic faith is a religion of superstitious foreigners who worship statues; that the Popes are all rich, corrupt and power hungry despots; that Catholic priests are scheming, greedy men and that the whole Catholic church is, wealthy, powerful and far from the simple religion of the carpenter Jesus Christ.

This centuries-old bias against Catholicism has been made worse with recent financial and sexual scandals which the media keeps before the eyes of the public relentlessly. All these problems contribute to a new form of anti-Catholicism which is ever more popular in society. It could be called atheism lite. This new breed of atheists have picked up their beliefs from the vast melting pot of popular culture. A newspaper article here, a website there, here a book by a new atheist, there a lecture by a college professor: all of it leads to an ill formed and half thought out, but passionately held atheism which is usually no more than a thinly disguised anti-Catholicism.