Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a Former Catholic

“Im going to take this book and give it to my Catholic friends and ask them to underline what they most like and what they find most difficult. It will produce a wonderful discussion. Chris Castaldo has written with humility, reality and above all personal experience and here we see such issues as Luther and Loyola and why they matter; Scripture and why its authoritative; grace and how it is experienced; church authority and why its central. I thoroughly recommend this book as a great tool for those seeking to dialogue with Catholic friends, family and colleagues.”

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“Chris Castaldo has given us a wonderful, grace-filled, helpful resource. The insights in this book are written with love, compelling credibility, and in an engaging style. Holy Ground will equip your heart and your mind to engage our Catholic friends in a meaningful, compassionate dialogue around the truth of the gospel.”

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“A superb treatment and guide for understanding, appreciating and sharing Jesus with Catholic people. I will commend it broadly.”

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“Holy Ground is a well researched, historically sound, conciliatory treatise of the Catholic/Protestant dialogue. With integrity, balance, and his witty, no-nonsense New York sensibility Chris Castaldo goes to great lengths to honor that which is good, pure and Christ-centered in both traditions. This is a great read for those looking to move past stereotypes, hearsay and fill-in the-blank responses to important questions.”

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“A timely, careful book which blends the pastoral, personal, and theological issues and approaches which are vital in responding to folks within and outside the Roman Catholic community. All who read will be challenged not only in the beliefs and practices of others but in their own theological, practical, and church practice.”

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“I highly recommend Chris Castaldos book, Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a Former Catholic as a must read for every Christian. Chris has done an excellent job in providing insight and balance in an area that is rarely addressed. Holy Ground has power to change your life.”

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“I teach a seminary course on Roman Catholic theology and have been looking for a simple, practical, popular-level book for my students to read so they can understand two issues: what is it like for Catholics to become Evangelical followers of Jesus Christ, and how can these former Catholics live and share the good news with their Catholic relatives and friends? Chris Castaldos Holy Ground is the book for which I have been searching!”

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“As a former Catholic turned Protestant who eventually ended up going to seminary in preparation for full-time ministry, I found Holy Ground to be an accurate and helpful resource. I wish it was around when I was trying to understand church history and doctrine, especially as it relates to the chasm that still exists between Protestants and Catholics. I genuinely appreciate Chris Castaldos sensitivity in approaching the differences in a way that is respectful, thought-provoking, and accurate. I am certain that engaging, grace-filled dialogue will follow from this instructive book, leading Protestants and Catholics alike to a greater understanding of one another and what they believe.”

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“If youve had enough of Evangelical writers who make a straw man of the Roman Catholic Church and then proceed to knock it down, Holy Ground is for you. As a Catholic-turned-Evangelical, Chris Castaldo is perfectly positioned to offer honest critique of his former church home and to help Evangelicals see their own shortcomings as well. Written from an insiders perspective, this book dismantles stereotypes on both sides of the Tiber. Anyone trying to bridge the worlds of Evangelicalism and Catholicism will benefit from the wisdom Castaldo brings to the conversation.”

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“This is a sensitive, well-written, and helpful treatment of how to discuss ones Evangelical faith with Roman Catholics. They should not be offended because it is a friendly, understanding, and loving presentation. It lacks the polemical sharp edge found in many overzealous converts from Catholicism. Nonetheless, it states clearly why Chris Castaldo chose Evangelicalism over the Catholic faith in which he was reared.”

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“Even those with no Catholic background will appreciate Chris Castaldos wit and wisdom as he tiptoes through the landmines on Holy Ground.”

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“Chris Castaldo is eminently qualified to address this topic, knows both Catholics and Evangelicals well, has a sense of humor, writes clearly, and displays a deep knowledge of the events and doctrinal differences surrounding the Reformation and the rupture it caused in the church. May this balanced treatment provide needed understanding for Catholics and Protestants alike.”

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“Holy Ground is much more than an excellent treatment of the longstanding and significant doctrinal differences between Catholicism and Evangelicalism, though it is certainly that. Breaking new ground, it also explores the personal dilemmas and real life experiences which former Catholics face as they seek to move forward as Evangelicals. Well researched, up to date, and insightful, this book will enrich the most strained Catholic-Evangelical relationships with a compelling balance of grace and truth.”

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“Chris Castaldo offers a provocative twofold challenge. For evangelicals, to recognize that their Catholic friends and family can, yes, know Jesus. He also offers insight into why so many former Catholicsthe second largest religious grouping in the UShave found a home in the Evangelical Christian world.”

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“What an encouraging book from a fine young Christian leader! Chris Castaldo speaks from his own spiritual pilgrimage about the unity between believing Catholics and faithful Evangelicals, the important differences that still remain between us, and what all of this means to our witness in the world today. Great stuff!”

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“Admirably fair-minded, carefully documented, and pleasantly lucid and irenicHoly Ground will grace the lives and relationships of those Evangelicals with Catholic heritages. An important read for Evangelicals and Catholics alike. Highly recommended.”

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“Holy Ground is the best tool available for helping former Roman Catholics witness to friends and family members without causing needless offense or compromising the gospel. Chris Castaldos love for other people and firm grasp of biblical principles for discipleship and evangelism come through on nearly every page. His honest, charitable approach to Protestant-Catholic relationships will help many people honor God and demonstrate the love of Jesus in the very way they share their faith.”

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“In a culture in which theological disagreements are treated as no different than matters of taste, Christ Castaldos Holy Ground is a refreshing change. He is a former Catholic turned Evangelical Protestant who shows respect for the tradition from which he departed while a the same time not shying away from the doctrinal issues over which Catholics and Protestants are in serious disagreement. He has a knack for clearly and charitably explaining to Evangelicals the diverse factions within Catholicism and how each thinks about its commitment to Scripture, Church, and walking with Christ. Although one may find oneself disagreeing with how Pastor Castaldo conveys or presents a particular doctrine or historical event, as I did on more than one occasion while reading this book, one cannot help but be impressed by his sincere effort to sincerely and graciously assess the issues that continue to divide, as well as unite, Protestants and Catholics.”

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“How very important it is that conservative Evangelical and Roman Catholic laypeople should relate to each other with respectful insight, on a basis of real mutual understanding! And how very helpful Castaldos book is as a means to this end!”

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“Principled and gracious, theological and practical, full of careful reasoning and warm illustrationsthis is a book I will recommend to others. Even if you think Castaldo is too hard or too soft on Catholics here or there, you will surely benefit from his personal research and sensitive analysis. This book does a great service to the Evangelical church. And it just might help a few Catholics too.”

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“Because the accounts of a number of high-profile Evangelicals converting to Roman Catholicism have hit the press, we sometimes overlook the fact that statisticians tell us that in America, Catholics are becoming Evangelicals faster than the reverse by a ratio of about three to one. What do these converts find? How do they cope? How do theyhow should theyrelate to their Catholic families and friends? This is the best book I have read that chronicles such pilgrimages. And it is full of godly commonsense.”

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