This Lent and Easter Season, I took on the Catholic Answers 20 Answers Challenge. As I mentioned in my original post, I was recommending it without reading the books. I felt it was only fair to share my thoughts on the books as I read them (and amend my recommendation if necessary).
God from the Catholic Answers 20 Answers series was written by Catholic apologist Trent Horn. The booklet claimed to be targeting “anyone with that false, too-small idea of God: to those who say God doesn’t exist or that he’s just the universe; that God is a physical being like us; that God created the universe but doesn’t care about it anymore.”
This book was a lot deeper than I anticipated a 70-ish page booklet to be, but that is a very good thing. Within the first five answers, the reader is met with writings from Doctors of the Church, philosophers, Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Saints, councils, and other early Church writings. Throughout the book, Horn intelligently addresses the big questions of who God is while also answering common questions about God. I appreciate that Horn draws from a variety of sources; he doesn’t just limit himself to Catholic teaching but also explores philosophy and science. Any good persuasive argument addresses the opponents positions, and naturally, the style of the booklets in the 20 Answers Series accomplish that. Horn takes it a step further and addresses oppositions that could be raised to the answers he gives, thereby providing a solid answer that covers a lot of ground in a brief explanation. I enjoyed the book, but to be honest, it was a lot to process. I don’t agree that the booklet is “easy-to-read” as described on the back cover, but I do think it is a much easier-to-read book compared to the other writings out there about God. That being said, I enjoyed being challenged and having the opportunity for growth. I recommend this book for people who both have a desire to learn more about the Christian view of God and who are willing to read in-depth answers. It is definitely worth the read.
