Biblical “Truth” (vs. “Primary & Secondary” Doctrines)

Last updated on: October 21, 2019 at 12:06 pm By Dave Armstrong

The following material is a remnant of my discontinued book, 501 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura (Lulu: Jan. 2009): which was revised and published as 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura (San Diego: Catholic Answers Press, May 2012). The newer book is of a completely different structure, with the best arguments modified, improved, and honed down to get the best “meat” of the various arguments against sola Scriptura. It also contains several sections that are brand-new. The older book was... Read more

C. S. Lewis: A Life of Extraordinary Charity & Selflessness

Last updated on: October 21, 2019 at 12:01 pm By Dave Armstrong

I’ve been reading through the two volumes of Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis (running from 1931-1963) — edited by Walter Hooper –: some 2500 pages worth of endless treasures and insights. One thing I’ve learned about Lewis is that he exhibited very strong signs of exceptional sanctity. It may not be how we usually think of the apologetics and fantasy writer titan, but it is a delightful thing to behold. I shall examine five different ways that C. S.... Read more

Oral Tradition According to Great Historic Apologists

Last updated on: October 20, 2019 at 1:23 pm By Dave Armstrong

Here I present biblical texts having to do with this topic (RSV), followed by commentary from one or more great historic Catholic apologists. These excerpts are all drawn from my 2012 book, Classic Catholic Biblical Apologetics: 1525-1925. Bibliographical briefs of each apologist can be read on that book page. Source information will be added at the end (below). ***** John 3:3-5, 9-10 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of... Read more

C. S. Lewis & Low-Key, Gentle, Subtle Evangelism

Last updated on: October 17, 2019 at 2:53 pm By Dave Armstrong

From: The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Vol. II: Books, Broadcasts, and the War, 1931-1949, edited by Walter Hooper, HarperSanFrancisco, 2004: (I assumed last night that I was talking to those who already believed). If I’d been speaking to those who didn’t, of course everything I’d said would be different. (To Patricia Thomson, 8 December 1941, pp. 499-500) * Many laymen who believe the Christian doctrines desire to hear them supported and expounded from the pulpit, and are disappointed when... Read more

C. S. Lewis Believed in Vicarious, Redemptive Suffering

Last updated on: November 1, 2019 at 12:40 pm By Dave Armstrong

It’s a quite biblical theme: redemptive suffering, or joining our suffering with that of Christ (see several papers of mine on it, below); yet Protestants often do not address this scriptural theme, and claim that such a view denies the sole salvific / redemptive sufficiency of the cross and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. In any event, those who ignore this biblical motif and practice have to alternately explain several Bible passages that explicitly teach it. The Anglican C. S.... Read more

“Solo” Scriptura vs. Sola Scriptura: Reply to Keith Mathison

Last updated on: October 16, 2019 at 2:53 pm By Dave Armstrong

Words of Keith A. Mathison will be in blue. ***** A fashionable Protestant comeback to the merciless beating that sola Scriptura has been taking over the past twenty or so years from Catholic, Orthodox and conservative Anglican apologists alike, has been the claim that present-day evangelical Protestantism — following the tradition of early Anabaptism and other breakaway sects –, accepts a greatly distorted version of the primal, “magisterial” notion of the mainstream early Protestant leaders (or so-called “Reformers”), regarding the... Read more

Catholic Sexuality: Cordial Dialogue with an Agnostic

Last updated on: October 15, 2019 at 3:55 pm By Dave Armstrong

Dr. JD Eveland is a very thoughtful and congenial agnostic. He responded to my post, Catholic Sexuality: A “Nutshell” Explanation. His words will be in blue. * * * * * You’ve provided a quite detailed and cogent summary of the Catholic position, most of which I was pretty familiar with and, obviously, disagree with in many ways. I do wish that you had perhaps provided a little less dogma and little more actual engagement with the issues that I raised, because even among... Read more

“New” / Ordinary Form / Pauline Mass: a Traditional Defense

Last updated on: October 15, 2019 at 3:54 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . with Massive Historical Documentation, + Summary of Vatican II on Liturgical Reform Sacrosanctum Concilium, or The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, was promulgated at the Second Vatican Council, on 4 December 1963. Pope Paul VI issued Missale Romanum, or Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Missal, on 3 April 1969 (“MR” below). I shall, before proceeding, present some highlights of both of these documents, categorized by topic: ***** 1. Diversity of Liturgical Rites * Lastly, in faithful obedience to tradition, the sacred... Read more

C. S. Lewis: Either Hated or Loved by Readers / Hearers

Last updated on: October 21, 2019 at 1:37 pm By Dave Armstrong

I have long noted that apologists (including myself) are basically either loved or viewed with contempt and hatred. I think we know (basically) why that is, if we listen to Jesus saying that His disciples would be “hated by all” for His sake. It’s the message that is hated, of course. Since the apologist carries and defends that message (and given that many folks have the hardest time separating persons from opinions and viewpoints), he or she gets the scorn.... Read more

St. John Henry Newman: Photograph & Portrait Page

Last updated on: October 14, 2019 at 2:58 pm By Dave Armstrong

The following photographs and portraits (above the ten asterisks below) are from The National Portrait Gallery, London: which was founded in 1856. Its purpose is ‘to promote through the medium of portraits the appreciation and understanding of the men and women who have made and are making British history and culture, and … to promote the appreciation and understanding of portraiture in all media’. The license for all of these NPG images is Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).... Read more