“Postconciliar” Reply to Peter Kwasniewski & John Lamont

June 10, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski and Dr. John Lamont were both signatories to the “Easter Letter” that accused Pope Francis of heresy. I have written about the reactionary influence in that document, twice (one / two) and also commented upon the pushback even of Francis critics, who opposed the attempt to accuse him of formal heresy. Both these men are properly classified as radical Catholic reactionaries (see my carefully thought-out definition). I recently summarized their glaring errors as follows: 4) Dr. John Lamont questioned... Read more

My Respect for Protestants / Catholic Ecumenical Principles

June 9, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

Some people, after reading my apologetic writings, particularly in debate with Protestants, have concluded that perhaps I don’t respect Protestants or consider them sincere. Nothing could be further from the truth. To acknowledge these very characteristics is exactly what ecumenism is about — what it presupposes right from the outset. I am careful throughout my writings to assert my great love and respect for my Protestant brethren. Even if I don’t state this where I could do so, I assure... Read more

C. S. Lewis’ Views on Christian Unity & Ecumenism

June 9, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

I think C. S. Lewis’s approach to ecumenism was quite wise. He had many close friends (several of the “Inklings”) who were (or eventually would become) Catholic, including George Sayer, who wrote a highly-acclaimed biography (Jack: C. S. Lewis and His Times, 1988), Jim Dundas-Grant, Humphrey Havard, Fr. Gervase Mathew, Dom Bede Griffiths, Christopher Derrick, Fr. Walter Hooper, Sheldon Vanauken, Fr. Martin D’Arcy, and J. R. R. Tolkien, who helped him to convert to Christianity, by describing it as a... Read more

Taylor Marshall Fans Continue Insults, Sans Argument

June 8, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

[the following are comments underneath my Amazon review of Dr. Taylor Marshall’s book, Infiltration (now listed as both the “top review” and “top critical review”), with my replies. The words of others will be in various colors. I had previously written three Facebook posts documenting further, the innumerable ad hominem personal attacks I have received over this issue (one / two / three), and also commented on Taylor Marshall’s “response” (choke).] ***** Mike: You write: “Conspiratorialism is a dead-end street; the fool’s... Read more

Taylor Marshall Lies About Pope Francis & Divorce

June 8, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

From his book, Infiltration, chapter 32: It seems apparent to me that Pope Francis actually holds the Eastern Orthodox position on the papacy, collegiality, divorce, and the “pastoral” notion of economia revamped as being true to conscience. Orthodoxy (I have written a book about it with Eastern Catholic Fr. Deacon Daniel Dozier) allows divorce: a position which is contrary to both the early Church and Holy Scripture. Catholics believe in annulment, which is a completely different notion, and is also scriptural... Read more

Is VCII’s Nostra Aetate “Religiously Pluralistic” & Indifferentist?

June 7, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

Nostra aetate, or the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions is a document of the Second Vatican Council, promulgated on 28 October 1965. ***** I’ve already addressed how radical Catholic reactionary author Taylor Marshall, in his book, Infiltration, has distorted what is in this document (word-search my long critique of his book). Underneath my Amazon review of the book, I received the following comment from one Robert Sionnach: I read Mr. Armstrong’s article that he cited about Nostra Aetate [Does... Read more

Taylor Marshall’s Whopper: Pope Francis Denies Hellfire?

June 7, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

The following false statement occurs in Taylor Marshall’s book, Infiltration (chapter 31): Pope Francis’s Amoris laetitia sparked considerable criticism for stating “No one can be condemned forever, because that is not the logic of the Gospel! Here I am not speaking only of the divorced and remarried, but of everyone, in whatever situation they find themselves.” The statement entails that hell is not eternal — a doctrine taught by Giordano Bruno, whose statue had been erected in Rome just a century... Read more

Various Thoughts on Salvation “Outside” the Church

June 6, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

Part of my job is to convince Protestants that the fullness of Christian faith and the apostolic deposit resides uniquely in the Catholic Church. The more a Protestant knows about this, the more responsible he or she will be to make a decision pro or con. Only God can finally determine if this is willful rebellion or invincible ignorance, and who will be saved or not. Human beings simply don’t have that knowledge. It’s not our “game,” to figure out... Read more

Dialogue: Do Vatican II & Ecumenism Discourage Converts?

June 6, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

[based on an actual dialogue that occurred in September 2009. My opponent’s words were accurately paraphrased, italicized, and in blue] ***** We have observed several Baptists come into the Church, as a result of the Tridentine Mass. They had been to Novus Ordo Masses and RCIA for a time, and were utterly disenchanted by them. But they are very impressed by the Tridentine Mass and the Roman Catechism of Trent. They were drawn (by the grace of God) into the... Read more

Taylor Marshall & Vatican II: Fer or Agin? (Alternate Universes)

June 5, 2019 By Dave Armstrong

I’ve been asking the following (in public, on public threads) to three or four people: all of whom deny that Taylor Marshall is “against” Vatican II. Out of charity, I won’t name them. Thus far, no answers (this has become standard modus operandi among Taylor Marshall fans, and he himself: either ignore any critical opinion of his reactionary views, mock, or both). If anyone actually attempts a cogent, rational reply, readers may be assured that I will post it here,... Read more