Roman Catholicism is the largest branch of professing Christianity in the world, with more than a billion adherents. Catholics and evangelical Christians share a number of important beliefs—including belief in God, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, His death on the cross, and His bodily resurrection. Yet there are also significant differences between Roman Catholic teaching and the teachings of evangelical Christianity, particularly regarding salvation, justification, the authority of Scripture, church tradition, the papacy, Mary, purgatory, and prayer to the saints.
So what does the Roman Catholic Church actually teach on these subjects? Are its distinctive doctrines supported by Scripture? Was Peter the first pope? Why does the Catholic Bible contain additional books? And most importantly, does the Catholic Church teach the same gospel proclaimed in the New Testament?
The resources below examine these questions carefully and respectfully in light of the Bible, with the goal of helping Christians understand Catholic teaching, recognize important areas of agreement and disagreement, and graciously share biblical truth with their Catholic friends and family members.
FEATURED ARTICLE:
“AN EXAMINATION OF CATHOLICISM” by Charlie Campbell
CONTENT:
– The Origin of the Catholic Church
– Some areas of Agreement Between Catholics and Evangelicals
– Some Areas of Disagreement Between Catholics and Evangelicals
– The Gospel
– Purgatory
– Praying for the Dead and to the Saints
– Mary
– The Bible (The Apocrypha)
– The Authority of Church Tradition
– Sharing the Truth in Love With Catholics
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES:
“The Pope and the Papacy” by John MacArthur
“The Apocrypha: A Survey of the History of the Apocrypha from the Jewish Age to the Reformation” by William Webster
“Why the Roman Catholic Arguments for the Canon are Spurious” by William Webster
“The Church Father’s Interpretation of the Rock of Matthew 16:18” (Includes a critique of the Catholic book Jesus, Peter and the Keys) by William Webster
“The Roman Catholic Teaching on Salvation and Justification” by William Webster
“Is Peter the Rock on Which the Church is Built?” by Matt Slick
“Does the New Testament Support the Roman Catholic View of Communion?” by Norman Geisler
“Is the Perpetual Virginity of Mary a Biblical View?” by Bodie Hodge
“Why Scripture and the Facts of History Compel Me, a Former Roman Catholic, to Remain a Committed Evangelical Protestant” (A Response to Frank Beckwith’s, Return to Rome) by William Webster
“How Critics of Christianty Often Distort the Story of Galileo” by Charlie Campbell
AUDIO:
“Why I’m Not a Roman Catholic” by Norman Geisler
“The Issue of the Canon of Scripture” by William Webster
(Who decided which books belong in the Bible? Why were the apocryphal books left out of the Bible?)
“The Papacy: Matthew 16 – Peter and the Rock” by William Webster
“The Pope and the Papacy” by John MacArthur
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES IN OUR ONLINE STORE:
EVIDENCE FOR THE BIBLE: Compelling Reasons the Bible Can Be Trusted
Can the Bible really be trusted? Critics of Christianity often claim the Bible is nothing more than an ancient collection of myths and legends. But does the evidence support that conclusion? In Evidence for the Bible, apologist and speaker Charlie Campbell presents ten compelling lines of evidence for the trustworthiness of Scripture in a clear, accessible, and engaging way. Explore evidence for the Bible through:
• Historical Sources that Verify Biblical Events
• Scientific Discoveries
• Archaeological Evidence
• Fulfilled Prophecies
• Ancient Scrolls and Manuscripts
• Answers to Skeptics’ Objections and Questions
• Questions for further reflection and small group discussion
ONE-MINUTE ANSWERS TO SKEPTICS: Concise Responses to the Top 50 Objections & Questions
Could you use help answering atheists, skeptics, and agnostics’ top 50 objections and questions about God and the Bible? Objections like:
• “Why doesn’t God just appear to us in a public setting and prove He exists?”
• “The New Testament authors stole details for Jesus’s life story from religions that were around long before Christianity!”
• “The God of the Old Testament commanded the Israelites to commit genocide!”
• “The Bible condones slavery! Only evil, selfish men would concoct a book like that!”
• “You think Christianity is true because you live in the West and were brought up in the Christian faith. If you had been born in India, you’d be a Hindu!”
Learn how these and other objections and questions can be answered.
EVOLUTION—Following the Evidence: Fossils, DNA, and the Question of Origins
Where did we come from? For more than 150 years, the theory of Darwinian evolution has been presented as the scientific explanation for the origin and diversity of life. From school textbooks to nature documentaries, it is often described as settled science. But is it? In this clear and engaging investigation, Charlie Campbell examines some of the most important lines of evidence related to origins—fossils, DNA, biological complexity, natural selection, and human uniqueness—and asks a simple but profound question: What best explains what we actually observe? Rather than asking readers to ignore science, this book invites them to look more closely at it. Along the way, it explores whether the evidence more naturally fits an unguided evolutionary process, or the idea of intentional design by a Creator. Each chapter is written in an accessible, step-by-step style, helping readers follow the reasoning without requiring a scientific background. The goal is not confusion or controversy, but clarity. Whether you are a committed Christian, a skeptic, or simply curious, this book encourages you to think carefully about one of life’s biggest questions—and to follow the evidence wherever it leads.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE BIBLE:
Archaeologists have unearthed thousands of ancient artifacts, documents, and inscriptions that verify details in the Bible. Join Charlie Campbell for a journey through the ancient land of the Bible (Israel, Egypt, Jordan, etc.) to learn about dozens of these fascinating discoveries. This updated edition features:
• New discoveries
• Concise explanations of finds
• 100+ color photographs
• Bible-history timeline
• Subject and Scripture index
• Questions for discussion
• 300+ footnotes for further study
• Q&A with the author
CHARLIE CAMPBELL'S ENTIRE VIDEO LIBRARY
This tiny USB flash drive contains all 35 of Charlie Campbell’s videos (approx. 50 mins. each) on a wide variety of issues related to the defense of the Christian faith. Just plug it into the USB port on your television or computer (Mac or PC) and begin watching. Click here to order or for more details.
CHRISTIAN FICTION: Spy Thrillers • Military Stories • Romance • Sci-Fi • Comedies + More
Love a good story? Whether it’s a fast-paced spy thriller, a clean slow-burn romance, or gripping historical fiction, you’ll find something you love in ABR's online store. Each novel weaves apologetics naturally into the plot—making these stories not just entertaining, but also great conversation starters with your non-Christian friends. Browse our fiction titles here. Looking for YA fiction for TEENS? Click here. For KIDS, click here.
APOLOGETICS QUOTES: Words That Will Strengthen Your Faith & Equip You to Answer Critics of the Bible
This updated edition now includes more than 500 faith-strengthening quotes by leading defenders of the Christian faith . . .
• Norman Geisler
• Lee Strobel
• John Lennox
• Ron Rhodes
• C.S. Lewis
• Josh McDowell
• Frank Turek
• J. Warner Wallace + lots more
Includes author, subject, and scripture index.
YOUTH APOLOGETICS COURSE
Many teens growing up in Christian homes have not been exposed to the wealth of evidence and good arguments for God’s existence and the trustworthiness of the Bible. Under-equipped and weak in their faith, many young adults walk away from the Christian faith after they move out of the house, if not before. ABR hears this sad story from heartbroken parents over and over. Well, we would love to help prevent this from happening to your son or daughter. Charlie Campbell, the founder of ABR, has developed a “Youth Apologetics Course” that will help EQUIP your son or daughter to STAND STRONG in the truth and “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3). It consists of 10 videos, 2 books, and a fill-in-the-blank workbook that your teen can watch, read, and complete at their own pace at home. Learn more here.