Mini-Dialogue with an Atheist ***** This is from my analysis of the deconversion story (i.e., from Christianity to atheism) of “Anthrotheist”: a very pleasant, enjoyable dialogue. I have slightly revised it and added many links. His words will be in blue. ***** I honestly didn’t ever intend to claim that the Bible was meant to be a science textbook, but hasn’t it served at various points in history as exactly that? Sometimes it is misunderstood as that, by less sophisticated... Read more
This exchange came about in a Facebook discussion of my blog article, Faith & Works: Oil & Water or Two Sides of a Coin? Rev Ken Howes (Missouri Synod) is a friend of mine. We have engaged in several enjoyable and constructive dialogues and have great respect for each other. I would contend that such friendship (or at least respect: whether friends or not) is absolutely necessary for any truly good and instructive dialogue to take place. Pastor Howes has a law... Read more
[drawn from various articles and books of mine, as a summary] ***** The bulk of Newman’s extraordinary work is devoted to the exposition of a series of analogies, showing conclusively that the Protestant static conception of the Church (both historically and theologically) is incoherent and false. He argues, for example, that notions of suffering, or “vague forms of the doctrine of Purgatory,” were universally accepted, by and large, in the first four centuries of the Church, whereas, the same cannot... Read more
What did the early Christians believe? Did they believe that God really has a material palace in the sky and that He received His Son in a decorated state chair placed a little to the right of His own? — or did they not? The answer is that the alternative we are offering them was probably never present to their minds at all. As soon as it was present, we know quite well which side of the fence they came... Read more
[purchase my apologetics notes only, from this bestselling work, for only $2.99] ***** This is a response to a tag in an article written by Catholic journalist Jay McNally. It had to do with the early Internet, and how journalists have fared in the Internet Age. Jay seems to imply that I am a journalist, which I deny. I’m an apologist. Apples and oranges. Anyway, I had thoughts about it that I wrote on his page and now share here.... Read more
Jose Molina (words in blue) asked: Dave, can I ask you a question? How are you able to do what you do? By God’s grace! “God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). I love this work, because God put that desire in me. This is what I am here on this earth to do. Everyone has a vocation. They just have to be willing to discover it and to... Read more
This is from my book, The Catholic Verses (Sophia Institute Press, 2004, pp. 63-68). ***** James 2:24:“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (cf. 1:22, 2:14, 17, 20, 22, 26). Catholics believe in an organic relationship between faith and works. Far from being intractably opposed to one another, they are in fact inseparable. Faith is necessary to produce truly good works, and works in turn are the evidence of a true faith. This... Read more
This took place in the combox of my blog post, “Catholic Sex & Heterodoxy Scandals: Long-Term Causes.” “HematitePersuasion” is an atheist. His words will be in blue. *** Do you believe, then, that the various abuses with then RCC are a modern phenomena? That this sort of abuse and coverup was absent, pre-Vatican II? Looking at the pattern of abuse suggests to me that not only was it endemic, but the opportunity to abuse was engineered into Church culture (presumably by... Read more
[the following is from my book, The One-Minute Apologist (Sophia Institute Press, 2007; available for as low as $2.99 in several e-book formats] ***** How could true Christianity pollute the teachings of Jesus with pagan images, rituals, and ideas? THE ONE-MINUTE APOLOGIST SAYS: Truth is truth wherever it is found. The Catholic Church, following St. Paul’s example, makes use of existing practices to spread Christ’s message. All of God’s creation is good. An act or practice (not including those that are immoral,... Read more
[the following is from my book, The One-Minute Apologist (Sophia Institute Press, 2007; available for as low as $2.99 in several e-book formats] ***** The individual with his Bible has all that’s necessary to be saved. He doesn’t need a church or “tradition.” THE ONE-MINUTE APOLOGIST SAYS: The Bible does not teach this doctrine. And the history of Protestantism, with its many doctrinal divisions, argues strongly against it. How could a perspicuous Bible lead so many believers to so many... Read more
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