Did Martin Luther Support the DEATH PENALTY for Heretics?

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 10:36 am By Dave Armstrong

Was Martin Luther really a champion of religious tolerance? In this powerful video, Catholic apologist and author Dave Armstrong takes a closer look at the lesser-known historical record of Martin Luther’s views on heresy, dissent, and capital punishment. While many Protestants today are unaware of these facts, Luther did, in fact, support the execution of Anabaptists, witches, and even dissenters on matters of doctrine and morality. Drawing directly from Luther’s own writings—including Luther’s Works, Table Talk, and the biographical... Read more

John 21:15-17: Jesus Tells Peter to “Tend My Sheep”

Last updated on: April 30, 2025 at 1:07 pm By Dave Armstrong

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This is a collection of commentary that I have made about this passage in various articles through the years. ***** John 21:15-17 (RSV) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” [16] A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to... Read more

Luke 22:32: “I Have Prayed for [Peter]” + Indefectibility

Last updated on: April 30, 2025 at 1:06 pm By Dave Armstrong

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This is a collection of commentary that I have made about this passage in various articles through the years. ***** Luke 22:31-32 (RSV) “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, [32] but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.” Are we to believe that no other disciples would have instances of failed faith? Only one of them, after all,... Read more

Lucas Banzoli Sez the Archangel Michael is Jesus

Last updated on: April 29, 2025 at 11:37 am By Dave Armstrong

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Lucas Banzoli is a very active Brazilian anti-Catholic polemicist, who holds to basically a Seventh-day Adventist theology, whereby there is no such thing as a soul that consciously exists outside of a body, and no hell (soul sleep and annihilationism). He has a Master’s degree in theology, a degree and postgraduate work in history, a license in letters, and is a history teacher, author of 27 self-published books, as well as blogmaster for six blogs. He has many videos on YouTube. This is my 69th refutation of Banzoli’s... Read more

Robert Fastiggi: Pope Francis “Often Misunderstood”

Last updated on: April 25, 2025 at 4:56 pm By Dave Armstrong

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I drew this from an article in The Catholic World Report, of which it was a portion: “The reign of Pope Francis in retrospect: A Catholic World Report symposium” (4-22-25). Dr. Fastiggi is a good friend of mine, and I’ve asked him for his scholarly advice regarding many of my articles. ***** In n. 204 of his Major Catechism (Catechismo Maggiore) of 1905, Pope St. Pius X raises the question: “Come deve comportarsi ogni cattolico verso il Papa” [How should each Catholic... Read more

Reply to Lucas Banzoli’s 30 “Common” (?) Protestant Views

Last updated on: April 24, 2025 at 1:59 pm By Dave Armstrong

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Peter’s Primacy: Reply to Anglican Bishop Charles Gore

Last updated on: April 22, 2025 at 6:17 pm By Dave Armstrong

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Charles Gore (1853–1932) was a bishop in the Church of England (at Worcester, Birmingham, and Oxford), one of the most influential Anglican theologians of the 19th century, and author of many books. I am replying to his well-known volume, Roman Catholic Claims (London: Rivingtons, 2nd ed., 1889), specifically to chapter V: “The Promise to St. Peter” (pp. 71-88). His words will be in blue. I use RSV for Bible citations. ***** To this promise of Christ to St. Peter [Matt.... Read more

Justification in the Book of James (Different from Paul?)

Last updated on: April 14, 2025 at 4:55 pm By Dave Armstrong

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The following was drawn from my debate / book, Justification: A Catholic Perspective (Aug. 2023), vs. the Brazilian Calvinist Francisco Tourinho. We discussed the book of James at great length, and for some time I’ve been meaning to compile those portions, because the topic often comes up in debates on justification. I will be excerpting my words only, with slight editing. I use RSV for Bible citations. Breaks in the texts / citations will be noted by five asterisks. *****... Read more

Luther: Execute Frigid Wives; Torture & Burn Witches

Last updated on: April 7, 2025 at 1:47 am By Dave Armstrong

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Including Two Examples of Luther’s Espousal of Capital Punishment for Wrong or Aberrant Behavior Prior to 1530 It’s commonly thought by students of 16th-century Christianity (who have an adequate knowledge of the historical facts) that Martin Luther advocated tolerance towards belief-systems and behaviors contrary to what he thought was Christian, and prior to 1530 (i.e., in the first twelve years or so of his proclaimed “reformation”); thus was opposed to persecution up to and including execution on these grounds. Many... Read more

Luther’s “Table Talk”: How Historically Accurate Is It?

Last updated on: April 7, 2025 at 1:45 am By Dave Armstrong

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Photo credit: Frontispiece of the first English translation of Martin Luther’s Table Talk, edited by Captain Henry Bell and published in London in 1652 [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] Table Talk (in its many forms, of various levels of accuracy) purports to be transcriptions of utterances by Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism. It’s not, technically, his own writing. All agree on that. I’d like to cite at some length, the Introduction to volume 54 of the 55-volume edition of... Read more