My talk for the evening was finished, and I was at the table in the back of the church, greeting people and signing books. Off to the side I noticed a girl from the local high school waiting to talk to me. After a few minutes she stepped forward and said, “Your talk was so awesome! I want to be an apologist too, and I was wondering if you had any tips for me.”
When I get this request, I tell young people who are in high school, and even some who are in middle school, that they are much further along in their journey than I was at their age. I then give them some practical advice that you or someone you know might also appreciate if you have a desire to spend your life explaining and defending the Catholic Faith.
Are you sure?
James 3:1 says, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness.” This does not mean no one should defend or teach our Faith. It means those who do should be aware of the solemn responsibility God entrusts to them. In fact, all potential apologists should ask themselves, “Why do I want to become an apologist?” If basking in the limelight or getting a chance to show off your intelligence is part of the answer, watch out.
Pride is the deadliest of sins, and apologists are especially vulnerable to it. The good ones have lots of people complimenting them on their abilities, which makes it easy for them to forget the divine source of those abilities. In some cases, the prideful apologist may think that if he can’t answer an objection to the Faith, there is no answer to it. He might even leave the Faith and, in a worst-case scenario, become an apologist for something like Protestant fundamentalism or even atheism. Indeed, some of the fiercest critics I encounter are former Catholic apologists.
Other times a misguided apologist might reduce the Faith to a series of arguments. In doing this he fails to see Catholicism as an encounter with the living God. Deprived of a grace-filled relationship with God, he might plunge into doubt or despair when faced with life’s inevitable trials. Mark Brumley, the president of Ignatius Press and a fine apologist himself, says, “God wants the apologist’s heart as well as his mind, and he wants his mind for more than devising arguments” (The Seven Deadly Sins of Apologetics 38).
But take heart. If God is calling you into the field of apologetics, he will provide you with the grace to answer tough questions and resist spiritual dangers. Of course, you will need to cooperate with that grace and develop a healthy spirituality to accompany your apologetics work. For that I recommend Brumley’s The Seven Deadly Sins of Apologetics and Jean-Baptiste Chautard’s classic work The Soul of the Apostolate.
Get an education
Next to a healthy spiritual life, an apologist’s most important asset is his knowledge of the Catholic Faith. Along with rigorous independent study, you should consider attaining a formal education in theology, philosophy, and certain ancient languages. The most useful languages are Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, since they comprise the original texts of the Bible and the Church Fathers. Latin is also the traditional language of the Church and is used to compose many ecclesial documents. I suggest starting with Greek—it’s easier to learn and comes up a lot in apologetic arguments.
Not only will this kind of education help your studies, it will also increase your credibility. For example, in many Catholic high schools religion teachers are required to possess at least a bachelor’s, if not a master’s, degree in theology. Even though you may not hold a teaching position, people who are interested in publishing your work or inviting you to give a seminar will scrutinize your credentials. Fortunately, Catholic universities like Franciscan University of Steubenville, Holy Apostles College, and the Augustine Institute offer relatively inexpensive online degrees in theology and philosophy.
Unfortunately, as of this writing, no Catholic university offers degrees in apologetics (although some, such as Holy Apostles College, offer a concentration in apologetics). For most apologists, their knowledge came from hundreds or thousands of hours of independent study (see here for an idea of what you should read). This independent study includes reading defenses of the Catholic Faith, along with the writings of those who attack it in order to be fully equipped to answer anyone’s objection or question.
A good way to begin independent study is to start with a narrow topic, such as the Crusades, and read extensively about it over a week or two. Once you’ve studied a decent amount, talk about the subject with non-Catholic friends or family members. The early-twentieth-century apologist Frank Sheed would have the members of his Catholic Evidence Guild do just that, except they were asked to engage strangers in dialogue at London’s Hyde Park. If you want a similar experience, contact a local affiliate of St. Paul’s Street Evangelization (streetevangelization.com). Its members set out tables with Catholic literature and talk to people about the Faith in parks or other public venues.
After you acquire a basic understanding of the “major” apologetics issues, you’ll want to focus on mastering certain topics that will become your “wheelhouse,” or area of expertise. For example, I have a general understanding of the Crusades and can answer objections related to them, but I am not an expert in this subject as is history professor Steve Weidenkopf, who wrote a great book called The Glory of the Crusades. If there is something about the Crusades I don’t understand, I can go to him for advice.
Likewise, since I’ve written books on atheism and abortion, I sometimes receive e-mails from fellow apologists asking for my help with these subjects. This illustrates St. Paul’s teaching that the Church is one body with many parts, each of which builds up the others (1 Cor. 12:27-30). Once you’ve reached the level of a trusted resource or expert on a subject, it will be much easier to raise your profile and do apologetics on a regular basis.
But let’s say you’ve spent several years studying apologetics and now you’re ready to engage in it as a full-time profession. Where do you start? How does someone become an “apologist?” Generally, there are three paths:
1. Become a university professor
Professors have the benefit of receiving a stable income (especially once they have tenure) as well as having a job that uniquely promotes apologetic work. They can engage in research, write articles and books, and teach students how to defend the Faith. This is especially true in the theology or philosophy department of an authentically Catholic university. Examples of apologists like this include Scott Hahn, Brant Pitre, and Francis Beckwith. Some, like the evangelical philosopher William Lane Craig, hold the title of “research professor” and spend the majority of their time writing and speaking as opposed to teaching classes.
Being a professor provides stability and opportunities to defend the Faith, but there are tradeoffs. As a professor, your obligation to teach students and generate academic research must supersede your desire to engage in apologetics. Moreover, in order to obtain a teaching position. you will probably need a Ph.D. or an S.T.D. (Sacred Theology Doctorate). Most doctoral degrees require five to seven years of intensive schooling, which may be out of reach for apologists who have families to support or are not in a position to enroll in these programs.
You should also know that most professors who publish apologetic works do not consider themselves “full-time” apologists. Instead, they identify as scholars who contribute knowledge to their respective fields of study. Their works might have apologetic content, but they are usually penned for fellow scholars, which reduces their circulation among lay people.
Some professors overcome this problem by taking their academic work and summarizing it for lay audiences. Others focus on being the best Christian academic in their respective field, even if it’s a nonreligious one. C.S. Lewis actually encouraged Christian academics to write on subjects outside of apologetics:
What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians on other subjects—with their Christianity latent. You can see this most easily if you look at it the other way round. Our Faith is not very likely to be shaken by any book on Hinduism. But if whenever we read an elementary book on geology, botany, politics, or astronomy, we found that its implications were Hindu, that would shake us. It is not the books written in direct defense of materialism that make the modern man a materialist; it is the materialistic assumptions in all the other books (God in the Dock, 73),
At this point, some unmarried apologists-in-training might ask, “Why not join a religious order or become a priest? Then I could spend all my time serving and defending the Church!” Setting aside the fact that this path requires almost as much schooling as some doctoral programs, it also misunderstands religious vocations.
Just as you shouldn’t marry someone because they can provide you with the stability to do apologetics, you shouldn’t pursue a religious vocation for the same reason. Some priests and religious, like EWTN’s Fr. Mitch Pacwa, defend the Faith on a regular basis, but most are focused on serving their congregation or community, and so they rarely dabble in apologetics.
In fact, our director of apologetics Catholic Answers, Tim Staples, attended seminary for several years until he felt God was calling him to do apologetics in a way he could not if were he to become a priest. After prayer and careful discernment, Tim left the seminary and joined the staff of St. Joseph’s Communications. This brings us to the second path to becoming a full-time apologist.
2. Join an apologetics organization
My journey to becoming a full-time Catholic apologist took a dramatic turn four years ago when I stepped into the office of Catholic Answers. Back then I served as the Respect Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Phoenix, and I was leading a group of college students on a trip to a marriage conference in San Diego. Since the Catholic Answers office was nearby, I scheduled a tour for the students, but the night before the tour I got a fateful phone call.
A friend told me that Catholic Answers was hiring a new apologist, so I cobbled together a resume and prayed about what should I say the next day. When I stepped into Tim Staples’s office after the tour, I introduced myself and said, “I heard you were looking for new apologists. I’d like to throw my hat into the ring.”
A few months later, after reviewing my experience and seeing how I fared as a guest on an episode of Catholic Answers Live, I was formally offered the position of staff apologist. One reason I was given this opportunity was because I showed Catholic Answers a portfolio that included apologetics material I created and videos showing me defending the Faith on university campuses. And therein lies the difficulty with this path to full-time apologetics work.
Very few Catholic organizations hire apologists or are dedicated to apologetics. Of the few apologetic organizations that do exist, most have limited budgets and rarely bring on new staff members. But even if you find such an organization, and it is hiring apologists, you will need to prove you are worth of a full-time salary. Have you been formally trained in theology or philosophy? Have you published a book or other materials related to defending the Faith? Do you have a well-trafficked blog, podcast, or YouTube channel? Are you regularly asked to speak in your local community or even on a national level?
Most apologists spend years practicing apologetics as a hobby before they are able to engage in it as a full-time profession. That being said, this next path may be your best stepping stone into entering the world of full-time apologetics.
3. Become a freelance apologist
Unlike apologists who work for an apostolate or nonprofit organization, freelance apologists work for themselves and fund their own salaries. For example, before he became the newest addition to the Catholic Answers team, Karlo Broussard was a freelance apologist who started his own apologetics ministry called the Divine Child Institute.
Some freelance apologists supplement their income with book royalties and/or honoraria from speaking events. But if you’re just starting out, you probably won’t have the notoriety that is needed to live off this kind of income. In my experience, it takes two to five years of speaking and writing before these activities have the potential to become reliable sources of income. But if you want to learn how to increase your influence, get more speaking engagements, and sell more books, I recommend reading Michael Hyatt’s book Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World.
Another option is to ask family, friends, neighbors, your dentist, and basically anyone you know if they want to pledge a monthly or annual donation to support your work. This model, also called “support raising,” is popular among missionary-centered organizations like the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).
In 2008, I became a full-time pro-life apologist and joined an organization that could not pay me a salary. But this group did teach me how to raise support, and for nine months I made phone calls, sent out letters, and scheduled meetings with prospective donors. It was tough, especially since I did all of this during the “Great Recession,” but the hard work paid off, and for the next two years I traveled the country engaging pro-choice students on university campuses.
If you choose this path, remember that raising support isn’t easy, and you will have to get used to asking for money as well as having your solicitations declined. I would also caution you against leaving a stable job in order to pursue this kind of fundraising, especially if you have a family to support. This tactic is more common among unmarried college graduates, since they have to raise relatively low salaries; but I know some older, married couples with children who make it work.
Finally, I had the benefit of directing my donations towards an established nonprofit organization with a human resources staff. If you become a self-employed apologist funded by donations, you will need to follow applicable business and tax laws lest you find yourself giving a “defense” before agents of the IRS!
Start small, dream big
I know some of this advice isn’t easy to hear, but don’t let the challenges stop you from pursuing full-time apologetics work, and don’t wait to do apologetics until you have your apologetics “dream job.”
Before I came to work at Catholic Answers, I was essentially a freelance apologist. During the time I worked for the Phoenix diocese, at night I created apologetics materials, and on weekends I hosted free apologetics seminars at local churches. Once I even cut my own birthday party short to stay up until 3 a.m. creating a response to a viral anti-Catholic video being passed around on Facebook.
I didn’t make these sacrifices because I wanted to one day become a full-time apologist. I thought that kind of job was a wonderful fiction, like a genie or a unicorn. Instead, I did it because no one was else was offering apologetics in my community, and I felt God had given me the skills and the calling to fill that void.
If you feel you have that same calling, then offer your talents to local churches and schools, or make them available to a global audience online. As more and more people recognize your work, they will gradually trust you with more and more speaking or publishing opportunities. As Jesus said, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10, NIV).
Who knows—after lots of prayer, study, and practice, Catholic Answers might invite you to visit our office to chat about how we can work together to build up the body of Christ and defend the Catholic Faith.