Recent Advice

I recently got this question from a friend of a friend:
-----
Hello, Trent,

XXXXXX gave me your name as someone who might be able to give me some good reading references. I'm a doctoral student in YYYYYY at ZZZZZZ. One of our courses introduced us to the functional/positivist, social constructionist and post-modern (and their multiple iterations) paradigms. I'd like to read more about the them from a theological perspective. Specifically, how would Catholic Christians view the world? And other questions I don't even know how to ask, or more accurately, other questions I'm sure I have, but need to read more to know what questions to ask...Hmmmmm
Any suggestions?
-----

Here's my reply:

-----
XXXXXX gave me your name as someone who might be able to give me some good reading references. I'm a doc student in communication at Mizzou.
[Trent Dougherty] XXXXX’s awesome. Glad to help.

One of our courses introduced us to the functional/positivist, social constructionist and post-modern (and their multiple iterations) paradigms. I'd like to read more about the them from a theological perspective. Specifically, how would Catholic Christians view the world?

[Trent Dougherty] That’s pretty broad. I just read a passage from Chesterton where he says that all –isms take some one facet of Catholic Truth and try to make it the whole picture. Only the Catholic worldview can piece all these partial truths together into a coherent mosaic.

By far the best expression of the breadth and coherence of the Catholic worldview is the Catechism. Seriously, it’s just fantastic! Some other great reads would be Peter Kreeft’s book Fundamentals of the Faith. Also, C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity is very hard to beat. A Catholic would have to add the Magisterium of the Church to his Mere Christianity, but he faithfully represents the foundation.

And other questions I don't even know how to ask, or more accurately, other questions I'm sure I have, but need to read more to know what questions to ask...Hmmmmm

[Trent Dougherty] I think if you look at Kreeft’s or Lewis’s books it will spur your thoughts on and help organize them, helping you get more concrete on the questions you want to pursue first. There’s really no better place to start than with those books.

Please keep in touch.

td