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Carl
E. Olson is the editor of Ignatius Insight.com and Catholic World Report.
He is the co-author, with medievalist Sandra Miesel, of The
Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in The Da Vinci Code (Ignatius,
2004). Known for his knowledge of Evangelical and Fundamentalist beliefs
about the end of the world, he has written over two dozen articles about
Bible prophecy, the belief in the "Rapture," and Left Behind
books. His recent book, Will
Catholics Be "Left Behind"? A Catholic Critique of the Rapture
and Todays Prophecy Preachers (Ignatius Press, April 2003)
is the result of years of research on the topic; it was recognized by
the Associated Press as one of the best religious titles of 2003.
Carl grew up in a devout Fundamentalist Protestant home in western Montana.
After two years of art school, he attended Briercrest Bible College, an
Evangelical Bible college in Saskatchewan, Canada, graduating with an
associates degree in 1991. Carl's wife, Heather, is a graduate of
Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon. They married in 1994 and
entered the Catholic Church together in 1997. Their conversion story appears
in the book, Surprised By Truth 3.
In May 2000, Carl graduated from the University of Dallas with a Masters
in Theological Studies. For two years he was the director of catechesis
and evangelization for Nativity of the Mother of God, a Byzantine Catholic
parish in Springfield, Oregon. From 2002 to 2004 he was the editor of
the award-winning Envoy magazine.
Since 2006, he has written the weekly Scripture column, "Opening
the Word" for Our Sunday Visitor newspaper. He is also a contributing editor for This Rock magazine. Carl has written articles for Crisis, The
Catholic Faith, National Review Online, Catholic Parent, Envoy, This Rock,
First Things, Gilbert!, Saint Austin Review, New Covenant, CatholicExchange.com,
and Catholic.org. He is a regular contributor to National Catholic
Register and Our Sunday Visitor. Carl has been a guest on BBC
radio, ABC News Now, FOX-TV, CNBC, "Catholic Answers Live!," "Kresta
in the Afternoon," "Living His Life Abundantly," "The
Catholic Connection," "Morning Air," and EWTNs "The
Journey Home," "The Abundant Life," "EWTN Live,"
and "Threshold of Hope." He has also guested on numerous local and regional radio
programs and gives talks around the United States.
He is also author of the Study Guide for Fr. Robert Barron's acclaimed video series, "Catholicism", produced by the
Word on Fire apostolate. In January 2012, he began writing a regular apologetics column for The Catholic Answer magazine, published
by Our Sunday Visitor.
Carl and Heather have three children, ages younger to older. In his spare time, Carl
enjoys recreation with his family, collecting music, reading, playing
tennis, drinking coffee and singing Swedish love ballads in a sweet falsetto
(just kidding!).
For more about Carl visit his personal web site: www.carl-olson.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @ignatiusinsight (for
Ignatius-related tweets) or @carleolson (for sporadic personal observations on this, that, and the other thing).
E-mail: carl@ignatius.com
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