Is the Onan Story About Contraception?

Last updated on: July 8, 2024 at 9:50 am By Dave Armstrong

In his article, “Roman Catholic Confusion on Contraception in the Bible” (3-15-12), anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant apologist James Swan observed: You can’t make this stuff up: Genesis 38 is about contraception: Bottom line is that God killed Onan for some reason. The only plausible reason we have from the text itself is contraception. A straightforward reading of the text lends itself readily to that interpretation (though not absolutely of logical necessity).[source] Genesis 38 is not about contraception: “In the case of... Read more

SCOTUS Decision on Homelessness: Highlights

Last updated on: July 6, 2024 at 11:26 am By Dave Armstrong

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The decision in the case, City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson Et Al was written by Justice Gorsuch, joined by the other five legally “conservative” Justices. Note that it wasn’t the Supreme Court’s task to solve the problem of homelessness. It simply overturned a lower court ruling that disallowed enforcement of the prohibition of ongoing occupation of public property. Justice Gorsuch explains why such a prohibition actually helps the homeless, rather than harm them. I won’t bother to add... Read more

James Swan is Clueless Re Purgatory & Development

Last updated on: July 5, 2024 at 5:08 pm By Dave Armstrong

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Anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant polemicist James Swan (his words in blue below) is up to his old tricks again. This time, he attempts to cynically draw a line between Catholic scholars and lay Catholic apologists (including myself). His argument is that all we apologists do is dogmatically assert with insufficient reason that 2 Maccabees 12:41-46 self-evidently asserts purgatory in its full developed dogmatic meaning or proves that doctrine, whereas Catholic scholars (he provides the example of noted Franciscan theologian and Bonaventure... Read more

Sola Scriptura: Reply #2 to Keith Mathison

Last updated on: July 5, 2024 at 1:55 pm By Dave Armstrong

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Presbyterian Keith A. Mathison (M.A. Reformed Theological Seminary; Ph.D. Whitefield Theological Seminary) is the author of The Shape of Sola Scriptura (Moscow, Idaho: Canon Press, 2001): a book that many Protestants and Catholics alike believe to be the best recent defense of sola Scriptura. In 2012, I wrote a reply-article, “Solo” Scriptura vs. Sola Scriptura: Reply to Keith Mathison, which was in response to Keith’s article, “A Critique of the Evangelical Doctrine of Solo Scriptura“ (which in turn was taken from his book: pp. 237-253).... Read more

Works & Salvation: Luther vs. Scripture

Last updated on: July 4, 2024 at 10:35 am By Dave Armstrong

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Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, believed that works played no direct role in salvation or justification. Faith derived from God’s grace is what saves. He also taught at the same time (as I have documented at length) that good works are absolutely necessary in the Christian life, as a verification of authentic faith, and flow out of gratefulness for a justification imputed wholly apart from them. His view is very clear in the following comments, all from one work,... Read more

Pelagian Erasmus? (Fr. McSorley’s False Accusations)

Last updated on: July 2, 2024 at 4:57 pm By Dave Armstrong

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Anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant James Swan dug up a book, Catholic Scholars Dialogue With Luther (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1970; edited by Jared Wicks, SJ), and highlighted Harry J. McSorley, C.S.P.’s chapter, “Erasmus versus Luther- Compounding the Reformation Tragedy.” His goal was to “prove” that Erasmus was a Pelagian or Semi-Pelagian (variations of the heresy of “works-salvation”), who supposedly denied the Catholic Church’s official teachings on grace. As usual with Swan and Anything Catholic, he was dead wrong. He cited McSorley... Read more

Did Luther’s Excommunication Misrepresent Him?

Last updated on: July 1, 2024 at 2:52 pm By Dave Armstrong

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This is what the anti-Catholic Calvinist James Swan claims in his article, “How Accurate was Exsurge Domine in Refuting Martin Luther?” (Boors All, 4-24-10). Martin Luther’s words will be in blue, Hans Hillerbrand’s in green, and Pope Leo X’s in purple. Swan wrote: I’m going to explain why you’re not alone if you’re not sure what was going on in the Ninety Five Theses or what exactly Luther was saying at the time that so infuriated Rome. It appears Rome... Read more

Luther’s Error: We Think Church is “Over” Scripture?

Last updated on: June 29, 2024 at 10:36 am By Dave Armstrong

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“Please Hit ‘Subscribe’”! If you have received benefit from this or any of my other 4,600+ articles, please follow this blog by signing up (with your email address) on the sidebar to the right (you may have to scroll down a bit), above where there is an icon bar, “Sign Me Up!”: to receive notice when I post a new blog article. This is the equivalent of subscribing to a YouTube channel. Please also consider following me on Twitter / X and purchasing one or more... Read more

Luther vs. Scripture: All Ghosts R Satanic Deceivers?

Last updated on: June 28, 2024 at 4:14 pm By Dave Armstrong

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Luther’s Devotion to Mary (James Swan vs. History)

Last updated on: June 21, 2024 at 12:51 pm By Dave Armstrong

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+ Luther’s Wonderful Commentary on the Magnificat (March 1521) *** “Please Hit ‘Subscribe’”! If you have received benefit from this or any of my other 4,600+ articles, please follow this blog by signing up (with your email address) on the sidebar to the right (you may have to scroll down a bit), above where there is an icon bar, “Sign Me Up!”: to receive notice when I post a new blog article. This is the equivalent of subscribing to a YouTube channel. Please... Read more