The Census, Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem, and History

Last updated on: December 16, 2020 at 12:59 pm By Dave Armstrong

Reply to Atheist John W. Loftus’ Irrational Criticisms of the Biblical Accounts (2-3-11) Atheist and former Christian John W. Loftus runs the Debunking Christianity website. I hung around there quite a bit a few years ago. Many attempted interactions with him and his positions can be found on my Atheism, Agnosticism, and Secularism web page. In recent months I have been particularly interested in submitting refutations of claims that the Bible is internally contradictory. Loftus’ post, “Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?” (originally 12-16-06 and charmingly re-posted on... Read more

Annunciation: Was Mary Already Sublimely Graced?

Last updated on: September 12, 2017 at 11:55 am By Dave Armstrong

The Annunciation (1644), by Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * (10-8-11) * * * This dialogue occurred at Cranach: The Blog of Veith: a Lutheran site, in the combox for the post “Mariology,” in comment numbers 21, 25, 27, 186, 187, 188, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 198, 199, 201, 203, 206. I have arranged all these comments (no words changed or edited out!) in order to make it a coherent, flowing, back-and-forth dialogue. * * * Tom Hering’s words will be in blue. * * * * * Mary as an examplar is Law, accusing... Read more

Justification is NOT by Faith Alone, and is Ongoing

Last updated on: April 24, 2017 at 1:09 pm By Dave Armstrong

Romans 4, James 2, and Abraham’s Multiple Justifications Abraham and the Angels (1680-1685), by Aert de Gelder (1645-1727) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * (10-15-11) [the following is a large portion of the longer paper, “Dialogue with Lutheran Nathan Rinne, Regarding My Critiques of Lutheran Theologian Martin Chemnitz (1522-1586), Part Three: Soteriology and Miscellany”; just a little bit of additional material has been added. All Bible passages are from RSV] * * * * * Catholics believe in Jesus... Read more

Biblical Arguments & Evidences for Papal Succession

Last updated on: April 24, 2017 at 1:13 pm By Dave Armstrong

Pope John XXIII (r. 1958-1963), who commenced the Second Vatican Council [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] * * * * * Jesus built His Church upon Peter (Matthew 16:9). Most Christians agree that St. Peter was the leader of the early Church and the disciples: whether they believe he was a “pope” or not. It stands to reason, then, that there would continue to be a leader, just as there was a first President when the laws of... Read more

Top Twenty Biblical Proofs for the Office of the Papacy

Last updated on: January 9, 2018 at 12:39 pm By Dave Armstrong

St. Peter, by Paolo Emilio Besenzi (1608-1656) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] A great deal of biblical data suggests a primacy and leadership role of St. Peter in the apostolic Church. The great Protestant scholar James D. G. Dunn stated, along these lines: [I]t is Peter who becomes the focal point of unity for the whole Church – Peter who was probably the most prominent among Jesus’ disciples, . . . Peter who was the leading figure in the earliest days... Read more

Biblical Evidences Regarding the Nature of Saving Faith

Last updated on: April 24, 2017 at 1:20 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . (Incl. Assent, Trust, Hope, Works, Obedience, and Sanctification) St. Francis of Assisi (1597-1599), by Cigoli (1559-1613) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] (1-21-10) My Presbyterian friend “Pilgrimsarbour” referred to a past blog post of his where faith was discussed (including discussion also on my blog), and this stimulated me to do my own study. His words will be in blue. All Bible passages are RSV (as almost always in my writings). One can never be completely comprehensive in these treatments, because the subject is... Read more

Biblical Evidences and Arguments Regarding Holy Days

Last updated on: April 24, 2017 at 1:22 pm By Dave Armstrong

Feast of Booths (Sukkot) at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license] (9-21-09) [all passages RSV] St. Paul gives believers freedom to think one day “better than another”: Romans 14:5-6a One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. [6] He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. . . . By analogy to the Old... Read more

Mary’s Carol (Dave Armstrong’s 8th Christmas Poem)

Last updated on: April 24, 2017 at 1:25 pm By Dave Armstrong

Nativity (1523), by Lorenzo Lotto (1480-1556) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (12-14-08) *** [for the biblical background (that I’ve taken great pains to closely follow), see: Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-20,35] * * * * * I was just a young, poor girl from Nazareth in Galilee; To Joseph betrothed; descended from King David’s line. Obedient to Moses’ and Yahweh’s holy laws were we; Seeking in all our ways and acts to follow the Will Divine. * * * The glorious... Read more

The Song of Simeon (Dave Armstrong’s 7th Christmas Poem)

Last updated on: April 24, 2017 at 1:26 pm By Dave Armstrong

Simeon’s Song of Praise (1700-1710), by Aert de Gelder (1645-1727) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * * * [see Luke 2:25-35 for the biblical background] * * Long have I lived; my earthly end now drawing near Waiting for the Messiah, to come deliver our land To fulfill all our hopes and soothe ever-present fears And rescue His chosen people by His mighty hand * * * * * We have suffered for many years, in the utmost... Read more

Coming Down from Heaven (Jesus’ Carol): My 9th Christmas Poem

Last updated on: April 24, 2017 at 1:28 pm By Dave Armstrong

The spot where Jesus was born in Bethlehem. My wife Judy and I had the unspeakable privilege of visiting it in October 2014. Photograph by “momo” (12-9-09) [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] (12-23-09) This Christmas poem (my ninth) is the third of a trilogy of biblical “narrative” poems: the first being from Simeon’s perspective and the second from Mary’s. I determined last year that I would try to write a poem from the perspective of Jesus becoming incarnate —... Read more