I Really Don't Like The Word 'apologetics'

Let me apologize now if the rest of this column offends you.

Truly, I don’t believe it will. But I make that statement more as a way of getting to the heart of this piece.

If you visit the dictionary.com website and look up apologize, you’ll get two definitions. The first is the one that I suspect we all think of immediately when we hear the word – the one that relates to my opening line: “to offer an apology or excuse for some fault, insult, failure, or injury.”

The second, however, is what prompts this column: “to make a formal defense in speech or writing.”

Recently, I had a conversation about the second definition with another Catholic; we agreed that a variation of the word – apologetics – is an unfortunate choice as the primary term we use to cover the explanation of our faith.

You’ll also notice I didn’t say, “to cover the defense of our faith.” Call me wrong, but I don’t believe we need to defend our faith. We need to explain it – especially to those who make incorrect and/or misguided statements about what Catholics believe. I don’t become defensive in those situations; no, I become excited for the opportunity to share with people the beauty of Catholicism.

In my opinion, Pope Francis has made it more possible than ever during my lifetime for us Catholics to have “teaching moments” with others about what we actually believe. He has engaged so much of the world that we all should be grateful for the opportunities that engagement provides us to explain our faith.

But – again, in my opinion – we needn’t be defensive; we needn’t apologize for what we believe.

Instead, we should proclaim it joyfully. I’ve never been an apologist for my faith. Instead, I try to manifest it with delight at every opportunity.

Join me?