Church Fathers and Sola Scriptura

Last updated on: April 5, 2017 at 1:19 pm By Dave Armstrong

[see full book and purchase information; the material below is not part of this book] ***** This is a somewhat modified condensation of general portions of a huge debate that I engaged in with Protestant anti-Catholic polemicist Jason Engwer in July 2003. Particular Church fathers and their pro-tradition / “anti-sola Scriptura” views will be dealt with individually and separately. ***** Sola Scriptura simply cannot be found in the Fathers, as the many historians I cite (mostly Protestant) repeatedly affirm. All my... Read more

Total Depravity & Salvation Outside the Church (vs. Calvinist)

Last updated on: April 4, 2017 at 3:58 pm By Dave Armstrong

Photograph by “MemoryCatcher” (6-14-13) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] ***** Erik is a thoughtful, amiable Calvinist who commented under my blog paper, Total Depravity (“None is Righteous”): Reply to James White. His words will be in blue. ***** I honestly cannot comprehend your intentions here. That’s extraordinary, since I laid them out in the most painstaking detail. No one could possibly misunderstand my intent. But somehow you manage to do so. Strong presuppositions cause that to happen. Are you saying there are... Read more

Reply to a Calvinist on Faith Alone & Works [of God Only?]

Last updated on: April 4, 2017 at 1:56 pm By Dave Armstrong

Image by “jalandas0” (3-23-16) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] ***** Erik is a thoughtful, amiable Calvinist who claims he has never had a constructive theological discussion with a Catholic. Hopefully, this will be his first time. I enjoyed it on my end! He commented under my blog paper, “Reply to Calvin” #3: Synergism, Grace Alone, & the Elect. His words will be in blue. ***** I believe you are correct that Calvinism and Catholicism (especially Thomism) have a virtual overlap in... Read more

“Reply to Calvin” #4: “Primary” & “Secondary” Doctrines

Last updated on: April 3, 2017 at 12:07 pm By Dave Armstrong

Historical mixed media figure of John Calvin produced by artist/historian George S. Stuart and photographed by Peter d’Aprix: from the George S. Stuart Gallery of Historical Figures archive [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license] *** This is an installment of a series of replies (see the Introduction and Master List) to much of Book IV (Of the Holy Catholic Church) of Institutes of the Christian Religion, by early Protestant leader John Calvin (1509-1564). I utilize the public domain translation of... Read more

“Reply to Calvin” #3: Synergism, Grace Alone, & the Elect

Last updated on: April 3, 2017 at 12:06 pm By Dave Armstrong

Are Patheos Catholic Writers Overwhelmingly “Liberal”?

Last updated on: April 2, 2017 at 7:45 pm By Dave Armstrong

[PublicDomainPictures.Net / CC0 public domain] ***** Fellow Patheos writer David Russell Mosley wrote in his thoughtful piece, “Is Patheos Catholic Liberal?” (4-1-17): “Many of the authors who write about politics at Patheos Catholic do not come from a politically ‘conservative’ point of view.” Precisely. The question is: what is their view? Is David saying that they are left-of-center or that their political views transcend the entire left-right schema for categorizing political views? I’m certainly one of the more “conservative” bloggers here, but... Read more

Angry Anti-Theism Strikes Again! (“Dave Armstrong is Delusional”)

Last updated on: March 31, 2017 at 5:43 pm By Dave Armstrong

Photograph by Jessica Flavin (2-6-08) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license] ***** I ran across a typical [former Catholic] “angry atheist” sub-type on my blog (note that I’m not saying that all atheists are angry and anti-theist, but there is a large group that is). I immediately banned him when I saw his comment (which — needless to say — made not the slightest attempt to interact with my article) because it broke my discussion rules and... Read more

Mary Mediatrix and the Church Fathers (vs. James White)

Last updated on: March 23, 2017 at 4:12 pm By Dave Armstrong

+ Documentation That White Accepts the Scholarship of the Protestant Church Historians I Cite (J. N. D. Kelly and Philip Schaff) Assumption of the Virgin (1637), by Guido Reni (1575-1642) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (9-7-05) *** James White wrote a book called, Mary — Another Redeemer? His words will be in blue. *** Evidence of the Mary Mediatrix doctrine in a primitive, relatively undeveloped sense, is seen in aspects of St. Irenaeus’ teaching. St. Irenaeus (130-202), in his famous Against Heresies (bet. 180-199)... Read more

Purgatory: Refutation of James White (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

Last updated on: September 19, 2019 at 3:04 pm By Dave Armstrong

Photograph by “Zauberin” (3-17-13) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (3-3-07) *** Reformed Baptist, anti-Catholic apologist James White wrote an article entitled, “1 Cor 3:10-15: Exegesis and Rebuttal of Roman Catholic Misuse” (1-11-02). This is my reply. His words will be italicized. The starting Bible passage is from his article. *** [1 Corinthians 3] 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on... Read more

Council of Nicea: Reply to James White

Last updated on: March 22, 2017 at 2:31 pm By Dave Armstrong

Its Relationship to Pope Sylvester, Athanasius’ Views, & the Unique Preeminence of Catholic Authority Icon depicting Emperor Constantine, center, accompanied by the Church Fathers of the 325 First Council of Nicaea, holding the Nicene Creed in its 381 form [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (4-2-07) *** This was a reply to Mr. White’s article, “What Really Happened at Nicea?” (Christian Research Journal, Spring 1997). I shall cite everything in White’s article that I disagree with and reply point-by-point, as... Read more