Modern Catholic Concerns

About the Book

Does God exist? This book considers the main arguments for and against this proposition from the Five Ways of St Thomas Aquinas to the Teleological Argument and the Argument from the Existence of Evil with a preliminary outline of the factors helpful to assessing the arguments, in layman’s language. Is Jesus divine? This book reviews selected biblical evidence for and against this proposition with an assessment of the persuasive value of this evidence including a comparison of modern evidentiary standards with those at the time the Gospels were written. What is the mission of the Catholic Church, its authority and authenticity, taking into consideration the Reformation denominations? Also covered are some controversial issues such as the Church and Money and adult access to official Church teachings. What are the modern Christian concerns about issues such as abortion, euthanasia, cloning, stem cell research, terrorism, child sexual abuse and other issues, especially those on which the Church has no dogma or firm teaching?

About the Author

Born 1 March 1944 in Germany. Migrated to Australia with parents in 1949. Educated at St. Patrick’s College, Strathfield NSW from Fourth Grade to Leaving Certificate in 1961. Obtained Commonwealth Scholarship and attended Sydney University obtaining Law Degree (LLB) in 1969. Did post-graduate studies in Criminology obtaining Diploma in Criminology in 1971. Further post-graduate studies in Arts in 1972-3. Employed as an Instructing solicitor in the Office of the Clerk of the Peace during 1969-70. Self-employed as a Barrister 1971-1977. Employed as a solicitor with GIO handling major medical mal-practice litigation from 1978 to 1992. Employed as a solicitor in Law Society of NSW Professional Standards Department 1992 to 1999 when I retired. I married in 1968. My wife died in 2003. I have no children. My interests are reading, theology and sport and I still play tennis and golf regularly.