From public discussions on an Internet List devoted to the question of existence of God: May-July 2001. Uploaded with the full permission of Sue Strandberg (who refers to herself primarily as a secular humanist). This was one of the best dialogues I’ve ever had with anyone (maybe my second favorite ever; and the other was with an atheist, too). Her words will be in blue: ***** It is the hidden nature of the facts of religion, the revelatory truths that are not... Read more
Anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant Luther expert James Swan had a lively exchange with a Catholic (Mark Rome) on the anti-Catholic CARM forum. I am concentrating on this particular back-and-forth: Mark Rome: Luther was excommunicated and declared a heretic for many issues including his insistence on sola scriptura and setting himself up (and every individual) as the private judge of faith. James Swan: Where? In the Edict of Worms? That was the most important document that declared him a heretic. Read the “Items” in the Edict, Where... Read more
I offer extensive Catholic replies to portions of the Lutheran Smalcald Articles (1537). It was written by Martin Luther and is part of the Lutheran Book of Concord: which is binding on all Lutherans who wish to follow their denomination’s historical doctrinal teaching. Luther’s words will be in blue. ***** I. Of Sin 1] Here we must confess, as Paul says in Rom. 5, 11, that sin originated [and entered the world] from one man Adam, by whose disobedience all men were made... Read more
[from the original 1994 manuscript of my first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism; this portion dated 6-20-91] 1. Materialism A. Kenneth Kantzer, professor of Theology and Dean of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a senior editor of Christianity Today, declares that: The overriding problem of the evangelical church today . . . is materialism . . . as a way of life . . . The Bible is so diametrically opposed to it that to profess it and to profess Christianity... Read more
[from the original 1994 manuscript of my first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism; this portion dated 6-20-91] Prominent evangelical leaders have critiqued themselves quite strongly. Evangelicals will be exclusively quoted, with the exception of two excerpts. 1. Donald Bloesch, well-respected professor of theology at the University of Dubuque, has some hard words to say, quoting the renowned writer A. W. Tozer as well: Although evangelicalism constantly warns against the encroachment of worldliness, its accommodation to cultural norms and values is almost as... Read more
[from the original 1994 manuscript of my first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism; this portion dated 6-20-91] 1. Pragmatism: A Definition Pragmatism, according to the dictionary, is defined as follows: An American movement in philosophy founded by C. S. Peirce and William James and marked by the doctrines that the meaning of conceptions is to be sought in their practical bearings, that the function of thought is to guide action, and that truth is pre-eminently to be tested by... Read more
[from the original 1994 manuscript of my first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism; this portion dated 6-20-91] 1. Louis Bouyer Bouyer continues his remarkable analysis of Protestant historical pathways in his chapter, “The Decay of the Positive Principles of the Reformation”: What the Reformation took over from the Middle Ages was just what it should have criticised and rejected; in fact, it led the positive principles the Reformers had brought to light to assume a negative and polemical aspect.... Read more
+ Luther Expert James Swan’s and Luther’s Works Editors’ Confusion as to Luther’s Position Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, believed that there were only two sacraments (not seven). And he believed that there were more than two. If you’re confused by the previous two sentences, you should be. Luther was quite capable of both vacillation and believing several contradictory things at the same time. So why should the issue of sacramentalism be any different? I’m writing about this because... Read more
The Media Today is Vastly Different than it Was in 1971 but Remains as Free as it Ever Was I watched Steven Spielberg‘s film, The Post last night: about the Washington Compost and its publishing of The Pentagon Papers (obtained from Daniel Ellsberg). I was struck yet again by the fact that it’s been so long since the Democrats and liberals (I generalize, but accurately) actually stood for Liberal Causes and Issues that Catholics and other Christians could agree with; things... Read more
I mostly compiled citations from Catholic and Protestant scholars, in this section, which was part of my much longer original 1994 version of my first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism. The few interjections of my own will be in blue. The rest of the material (minus my category titles) consists of citations: which I won’t bother to indent.*1. Summary *It was purely and simply by means of this league between the princes and the preachers and theologians that the... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In