Debate on the Nature of the Church & Catholicism (vs. Eric Svendsen)

Last updated on: September 7, 2017 at 5:05 pm By Dave Armstrong

Strasbourg Cathedral, Germany. Photograph by Matthias Zirngibl (11-3-08). [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license] * * * (7-5-96) * * * The following series of dialogues with leading anti-Catholic apologist Dr. Eric Svendsen, took place on Bishop James White’s Sola Scriptura discussion list, between 27 May and 5 July 1996. Dr. Svendsen’s words will be in blue; my older cited words in green. * * * * * I didn’t say we need no earthly authorities. Clearly we do, and the NT bears that out. ... Read more

Sensible Immigration Policies: Agreement with Puerto Rican Friend

Last updated on: September 7, 2017 at 3:49 pm By Dave Armstrong

Immigrant children, Ellis Island, New York (1908). [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * (7-30-12) *** The words of Édgar Alexánder Márquez, from Puerto Rico, will be in blue. * * * * * Happy birthday Dave Armstrong! From Puerto Rico. Look, like I said before, I’m a Republican. But I tend to side with Democrats in some of the economic issues. I like the republicanism of my governor Luis Fortuño Burset, who lowered the taxes on everybody. But guess, he... Read more

Judgment of Nations: Biblical Commentary & Reflections

Last updated on: September 6, 2017 at 2:30 pm By Dave Armstrong

The fall of Babylon; Cyrus the Great defeating the Chaldean army (1831), by John Martin (1789-1854) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license] * * * (9-21-01) * * * [see, for necessary background information: “Judgment of Nations: A Collection of Biblical Passages”] * * * * * God used (among others) the Babylonians and Nebuchadnezzar to judge Israel when they had strayed: . . . Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon . .... Read more

Judgment of Nations: A Collection of Biblical Passages

Last updated on: September 6, 2017 at 2:36 pm By Dave Armstrong

The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Under the Command of Titus, A.D. 70 (1850), by David Roberts (1796-1864) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (9-21-01) * * * * * See also the highly related paper, “Judgment of Nations: Biblical Commentary & Reflections” * * * Biblical passages (Revised Standard Version) teaching divine judgment or chastisement of nations (as opposed to individuals): * * * * * Leviticus 26:14-33 14 “But if you will not hearken to... Read more

Apostolic [Quasi-] Protestantism?: Dialogue with Eric Svendsen

Last updated on: September 5, 2017 at 2:14 pm By Dave Armstrong

The Death of Ananias (1515), by Raphael (1483-1520) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * [Eric Svendsen’s words will be in blue; another anonymous Protestant’s in green] *** The following series of dialogues took place on James White’s Sola Scriptura discussion list, from 21 May to 26 June 1996. As such they are some of my very first debates / dialogues online: I went online in March 1996. ***See the highly related Dialogue on “Perspicuous Apostolic Teaching” (vs. Bishop “Dr.” [???] James White),... Read more

Sola Scriptura and Private Judgment Are Logically Circular

Last updated on: September 5, 2017 at 12:49 pm By Dave Armstrong

Image by Chris Searle (9-29-15) [Flickr / Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)] * * * * * (1-28-04; slight modifications and abridgment on 9-5-17) * * * * * We don’t have to believe either Scripture is perfectly clear or perfectly obscure. Catholics can and do say that Scripture is largely and substantially clear, but a teaching authority and limits to hermeneutics and exegesis are still desirable, necessary, and suggested in Holy Scripture itself (e.g., the Jerusalem Council, or... Read more

The Singular Wickedness of America & Possible Coming Judgment

Last updated on: September 4, 2017 at 9:12 pm By Dave Armstrong

The Destruction Of Sodom And Gomorrah (1852), by John Martin (1789-1854) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * * * We’re already being judged to some extent, I think, but mostly as the natural result of our great sin. If God truly wants to judge us, it’ll be far worse. I don’t know why He is so merciful, since the US is now the wickedest nation in the history of the earth, judged by what we know and God’s standards.... Read more

Slavery as America’s Original Sin & Root Cause of the Civil War

Last updated on: September 4, 2017 at 6:14 pm By Dave Armstrong

Slave market in Atlanta, Georgia in 1864. Photograph by George N. Barnard [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (3-3-04) *** If we ask what was the major issue that divided the states (at least by the time of the Declaration of Independence and the drafting of the Constitution), it was clearly slavery. That’s why I say that this is America’s “original sin.” It was wrong and could not be justified, and the South’s greatest minds, figures, and influences (Washington, Jefferson,... Read more

I Highly Recommend Mark Shea’s Apologetics Books

Last updated on: September 3, 2017 at 11:24 am By Dave Armstrong

Mark recently recommended mine and stated, “If you are looking for some useful apologetics material and want to help someone whose livelihood comes from serving the gospel, try these [books].” This is not the first time he has graciously recommended my work. He has a long history of it, and I would again like to express my gratitude, He has written in the past: Let me just say again what a lovely site you’ve created. Way to go! (10-3-00) If you... Read more

Refutation of a Satirical “Pauline Papacy” Argument (vs. Jason Engwer)

Last updated on: September 1, 2017 at 3:53 pm By Dave Armstrong

Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter (c. 1482) by Pietro Perugino (1448-1523) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (9-30-03) * * * * * Jason Engwer and I have quite a dialogical history. This particular larger debate encompasses the following four exchanges, in consecutive order, each (after the first) responding to the previous paper: “50 New Testament Proofs for Petrine Primacy and the Papacy” (Dave) “51 Biblical Proofs of a Pauline Papacy and Ephesian Primacy” (Jason) “Reply to a Critique of my 50 New Testament Proofs... Read more