Alcohol: Biblical / Catholic Teaching

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 1:30 pm By Dave Armstrong

Jesus’ first miracle: turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana. Painting by Gerard David (d. 1523) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** (1999) *** Catholics believe alcohol is acceptable in moderation (which we would say is the biblical and traditional Christian view). We regard drunkenness as a sin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church condemns drunken excess and illegal drugs in #2290-2291: The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food,... Read more

Grape Juice in Holy Communion?

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 1:31 pm By Dave Armstrong

Baptist communion elements; photograph by “Alanscottwalker” (4-23-11) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license] ***** From my book, Biblical Catholic Eucharistic Theology (2011). ***** The historical reason for use of grape juice is the anti-drinking temperance movement of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. Once it changed, then there was probably an urge to justify it on theological or spiritual grounds, since caving into cultural movements without always stellar biblical backing is not exactly the best rationale in... Read more

Dialogue on “Bad” Bishops and “Confusing” Pope Francis

Last updated on: June 3, 2017 at 12:48 pm By Dave Armstrong

vs. Dr. Peter Kwasniewski Peter Kwasniewski [You Tube image / Creative Commons license] *** This is a combination of two related exchanges on my Facebook page with Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Wyoming Catholic College, and contributor to the reactionary sites, One Vader Five and Rorate Caeli. I engaged in very lengthy dialogue with him regarding the reform of the liturgy, in February 2014 (see Part I / Part II). His words will be in blue. *****... Read more

Mariology of “Reformers” Zwingli & Bullinger

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 1:33 pm By Dave Armstrong

Annunciation (1489-1490), by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** The following is drawn from the book, Following Zwingli: Applying the Past in Reformation Zurich, edited by Luca Baschera, Bruce Gordon, and Christian Moser (Burlington, Vermont: Ashgate Publishing Co., 2014), and its chapter 6: “Reforming a Model: Zwingli, Bullinger, and the Virgin Mary in Sixteenth-century Zurich,” by Rebecca A. Giselbrecht (pp. 137-174). She is a PhD student at Fuller Theological Seminary. The data that Giselbrecht presents demonstrates that Protestant Reformed... Read more

Exclusion of Non-Catholics from Communion: Why?

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 1:35 pm By Dave Armstrong

Chalice with the inscription: ‘My blood truly is a libation’ (John 6:55, KJV), made for the church St John the Baptist in Salinas, Spain (1549) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** From my book, Biblical Catholic Eucharistic Theology (2011). This chapter is a modified version of a dialogue originally uploaded on 30 January 2003. ***** First of all (lest anyone be misinformed on this) Catholics certainly recognize Protestants as fellow Christians, who have been validly baptized (provided only that it was... Read more

Initial Justification & “Faith Alone”: Harmonious?

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 1:36 pm By Dave Armstrong

Madonna and Child with Sts. Peter and Paul (1608-1609), by Giuseppe Cesari (1568-1640) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (5-3-04) ***** Initial justification is not at all by works in the sense that it is not the equivalent of Pelagianism, according to Trent’s Decree on Justification, ch. 8. We can do nothing to earn it. And in initial justification, there is no time to do any work; it is a gift purely of grace, initiated by God. Works had nothing... Read more

Jerusalem Council vs. Sola Scriptura

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 2:09 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . .Including Replies to Reformed Baptist Anti-Catholic Polemicist James White Reconstruction of Herod’s Temple (at the time of Jesus), with Robinson’s Arch in the foreground [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license] *** (9-2-04) ***** This is a continuation of my series of responses to anti-Catholic luminary James White’s response to a talk I gave on Sola Scriptura on the radio show, Catholic Answers Live. [I offer a free download of this interview from 10-10-03] I have... Read more

Catholic Closed Communion: A Defense

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 2:10 pm By Dave Armstrong

Reply to a Lutheran Who Was Offended by Being Excluded First Holy Communion. Photo by John Ragai, 3-27-16 [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] (10-30-08) This comes from exchanges on the Coming Home Network forum. The woman whose words are in blue is the wife of the man in question. She is a Catholic. * * * After attending Mass just twice with me, my Lutheran husband refuses to go ever again because of the Church’s “rules” about Communion. He... Read more

How to Receive Communion: Tradition & Abuses

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 2:11 pm By Dave Armstrong

Including Discussion of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Mass at an Irish Seminary [public domain / Pixabay] *** (28 January 2000; a few minor revisions made on 27 April 2016, and listing of related papers added) *** [words of others in my old discussion list are in blue] ***** Ok, this is how Holy Communion is given in every single Catholic church within driving distance of me: Most churches now have ushers that will stand at the head of your... Read more

Answers for Protestant Eucharist Questions

Last updated on: February 27, 2017 at 2:13 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . with Dr. Stanley Williams Christ with the Eucharist, late 16th century, by Joan de Joanes (1510-1579) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (7-18-07) **** This is an extended excerpt from my DVD Study Guide for the EWTN television series What Catholics Really Believe. The questions (in blue) were written by my friend, Dr. Stanley Williams. * * * * * Episode 4 EUCHARIST I Logical and Early Church Evidence Objection to Catholicism A – Catholics cannot really... Read more

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