Rating: 
Summary: Too narrow but good nonetheless
Review: The one problem with this book was it was written for his family and friends and thus discusses their beliefs. Not all Protestants believe as he does.Any way, many Protestants do share the beliefs David Currie once had. This book would be great for them. Going through each of the main points he had before becoming Catholic (Communion, the Bible, Authority, Salvation, the Incarnation, Mary, the end times, and moral issues) he shows how Biblically and historically the Catholic Church is the one who gets it right. This book is highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: useful but emotional
Review: I found the book to be more helpful as an introduction to some Catholic doctrine than as an apologetic for those considering the Catholic faith. Normally an author's background is not relevant to his argument, but since Currie couches his argument as a biographical journey of discovery, I think it is fair to say that he has some emotional baggage against Fundamentalists that comes across in the occasional use of straw man arguments and shrill language. For a book that proposes itself to be a plea for tolerance, Mr. Currie seems awfully snide towards the church he left. While it is quite understandable that he would have some difficulties with the way his search was treated in his Protestant church, the caricaturization of Fundamentalists as emotionally incapable of fairly considering Catholic theology would seem to alienate the very audience Currie is trying to cultivate. My guess is that this book will be more popular with Catholics who already agree with Currie than with Fundamentalists who could stand to hear the message, which is too bad. The chapters on the eucharist, authority and scripture are the strongest. The chapter on soteriology seems the weakest, with questions about whether Catholic theology promotes salvation by works not getting the detailed discussion it should. Overall the book is more informative as an introduction to Catholic theology than persuasive as an argument against Fundamentalism.
Rating:
Summary: Good book
Review: I credit this book for helping me to go back to the Catholic Church after 3 years spent in a presbyterian church. I recommend this book. Some chapters are not as convincing as others (I did not find the chapters about Mary and Premillenialism as good as the others) but otherwise it is very well written.
I think that it is a good start for people who are considering to convert to the Catholic faith.
Rating: 
Summary: yellowcat
Review: As a Baptist raised in fundamentalist tradition, this book opened my eyes. The reason I started to take interest in Catholicism is by a event: I personnally know many Catholic friends who displayed a fruitful Christian life -- and fundamentalist friend who utters the worst from his mouth.
This does not square with what the Bible teaches that you can tell a tree by its fruits. The author's pilgrimage to Catholicism also confirmed many of my doubts: is the accusations by Fundamentalist to RC true ? My interaction with Roman Catholics, my research on church history and checking many of Fundamentalists' claim is telling me the opposite.
This book is a must read for FUNDAMENTALIST !
From the part of the world where this information is not widely spread, I hope that a translation to my language can come out soon.
Rating:
Summary: Great Insight !
Review: This book is definitely a keeper. David Currie has experienced both sides of Christianity and explains his thoughts in a very clear manner. If you have always been a Catholic and haven't experienced or studied the Protestant side, then this book may not be as clear as it was to me. If you have always been a Protestant (that means Evangelical, Baptist, and so on) then you probably will be offended and consider this book a devilish act. But, if you have experienced both sides....this book is a hit! Currie understands the attitude of the Protestants toward Catholics. It always amazes me as I walk the halls of Protestant churchs that an ignorance of the Catholic Church is very evident. People make comments and have no idea how "unchristainlike" they are toward present and former Catholics, and have a very limited view of the teachings and practices. This book touch's on many issues of Currie's conversion and he gives biblical reference to many of his positions. Keep in mind that Catholics consider Protestants as part of the Christain family. I only wish that it was vice versa. I'm not saying that every professed Catholic, just like every professed Protestant will be flying around in Heaven one day. Everyone will be accountable and God knows the inner heart. Mother Theresa was a great example of what Christianity is all about...and she was a Catholic!
Rating:
Summary: Excellant until the last chapter
Review: Enjoyed the book although his attitude about the Fundamentalists seems to occassionally get in the way. However, he really lost me with the last chapter, Morals. This chapter was essentially a quick summarization of the same old rigid, shallow Vatican views on marriage, sexual orientation, birth control, etc that has pushed literally tens of millions away from the Church. I was hoping he would have something interesting and insightful to say about that subject. Despite that, I would recommend this book to anyone initially exploring the Catholic faith.
Rating:
Summary: Comment on negative review
Review: "'The Catholic Church as a whole has never forbidden reading the Bible.' This is untrue. The Council of Valencia in 1229 placed the Bible on the Index of Forbidden Books and the Council of Trent reaffirmed this decision." First off, there never was a Council of Velencia in 1229! In fact, there never was a Council of Valencia in any year, and 1229 Valencia was controlled my the Moors, who I don't think would've allowed a Church Council to take place there at that time, lol. Second, the Index of Forbidden Books wasn't even established until 1543! Third, the Council of Trent made absoultely no mention of the banning of reading the Bible by the laity. My advice, if you are going to spew lies invented by Lorraine Boettner, check a history book first to save yourself some embarassment.
Rating:
Summary: Growing in faith
Review: Being a cradle-Catholic that grew up with a healthy (or so I thought) dose of Catholic education, I bought this book to help me understand better what Protestants, especially Fundamentalist Protestants, think we believe (I can't stomach most of Fundamentalist writings on Catholicism). While I did gain a better understanding of that, this book helped me understand my own faith even more. I greatly appriciate Currie's work for that reason alone. The other important item I took away from this book is that Catholics and Protestants use a different vocabulary when speaking about faith. Much of our commonality is obsurced by that and that is a true injury to the Body of Christ that we should be conscious of and that we should attempt to get past.
Rating:
Summary: A great embark for an indepth study
Review: Forever grateful for the charitable presentation of Mr. Currie's investigation of the Catholic Church. For those looking into the Catholic faith, I don't believe it is intended to substitute for a thorough personal investigation, but rather to help you step out in faith and study the issues, early Church history (really ALL of Church history), the teachings of the Church, and above all Biblical study, prayer and dependence on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead you into Truth. As a convert to the Catholic Church from a strong fundamentalist background, this book was wonderful to have someone who understood the lens from which I looked at each issue. I also recommend this highly to Catholics who not only want to understand the beauty of their Faith, but want to begin to understand their fundamentalist friends and family's point of view. A major breakdown in ability to communicate is a language barrier which is not easily understood by those who have either been Protestant or Catholic all their life. Mr. Currie offers a great gift in bridging that gap.
Rating:
Summary: A convicting book
Review: This book was definitely an interesting read. As a Bible-believing Christian, I found this book to be at the same time enlightening, descriptive, and informative...but mostly, I found it to be convicting--convicting of my Bible-believing faith. My main difficulty with the book really lies in the beginning. Most Bible-believing Christians believe in the Bible's inerrancy. They believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings. They believe that it is the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life. In the first part of Mr. Currie's book, he explains, from a Catholic perspective, that the Bible is not the only authoritative source for God's Word and instructions. He describes other writings as well as oral traditions--typically handed down through the clergy. Many of these works and oral traditions are either generally unavailable to the public or difficult to obtain. This single premise, which really is Mr. Currie's foundation for justifying and explaining the rest of the book, is fundamentally counter to the accepted exclusive authority of the Bible that most Bible-believing Christians hold as the foundation of Christian belief. If you are able to accept that premise that the Bible is not the single, authoritative word of God, then the rest of the book's explanations of Catholic doctrine, ritual, and belief must fall into place. If you are not able to accept that premise (which I, a Bible-believing Christian, cannot) then the foundations for the content must be questioned. Mr. Currie's descriptions and explanations, are thorough, interesting, and informative. They also reinforce my belief in the Bible's inerrancy and my confidence in my salvation only through the grace of Jesus Christ.
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