“Amazing Grace”: Is it a Theologically “Anti-Catholic” Hymn?

Last updated on: November 22, 2021 at 2:07 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . as Michael Voris thinks? Former slave trader John Newton (1725-1807), who wrote the words to Amazing Grace, c. 1780 [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] (11-1-10) Michael Voris did a video about the song Amazing Grace, claiming that it is “anti-Catholic”. Is this indeed the case? * * * * * I think it is an interesting presentation, but I believe that Voris’ negative conclusion about Amazing Grace as an “anti-Catholic” song is absurd: much ado about nothing (in line with the general... Read more

The Holy Trinity: Hundreds of Biblical Proofs & Evidences

Last updated on: April 16, 2018 at 3:05 pm By Dave Armstrong

(originally written in 1982; subsequently revised only slightly) (KJV unless indicated otherwise) [this research was updated and switched to (mostly) RSV in my 2012 book, Theology of God] C O N T E N T S I. FORTY DESCRIPTIONS APPLIED BOTH TO GOD/YHWH AND JESUS II. GOD/YHWH, THE MESSIAH, AND JESUS: PARALLEL PASSAGES III. THE UNITY OF GOD AND MONOTHEISM IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND/OR TRINITARIANISM V. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON: FORTY PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES VI. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS... Read more

I Actually Enforce My Discussion Policy (What a Novelty!)

Last updated on: April 27, 2017 at 2:31 pm By Dave Armstrong

[public domain / Pixabay] * * * * * Once again, an atheist came onto my page, guns blazing, was banned, and now he is crying in his beer and gathering all his like-minded cronies about him, group hugging, with lots of warm fuzzies, singing of Kumbaya (oops! atheists don’t sing that, do they?), and whining and crying about how nasty all the wicked Christians are (me foremost of all, of course), who deign to ban a person who violates their... Read more

Jesus is God: Hundreds of Biblical Proofs & Evidences

Last updated on: April 16, 2018 at 3:03 pm By Dave Armstrong

Christ Crowned with Thorns (c. 1633-1639), by Matthias Stom (fl. 1615-1649) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] (1982; slightly revised in 1997) [KJV unless indicated otherwise] [this research was updated and switched to (mostly) RSV in my 2012 book, Theology of God] C O N T E N T S I. DIRECT STATEMENTS OF JESUS’ EQUALITY WITH GOD THE FATHER II. JESUS IS THE CREATOR III. JESUS IS ETERNAL AND UNCREATED IV. JESUS IS WORSHIPED V. JESUS IS OMNIPOTENT (ALL-POWERFUL) VI.... Read more

Is Christianity to Blame for Allegedly “Christian” Lunatics?

Last updated on: April 27, 2017 at 2:37 pm By Dave Armstrong

Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time (detail), from Allegory of the Triumph of Venus (1540-1545), by Angelo Bronzino (1503-1572) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * This exchange took place in the combox for my post, Atheism: More Rational & Scientific than Christianity? The words of JGravelle (atheist) will be in blue; those of JD Eveland (agnostic) in green. * * * * * A: “Stalin was an atheist!” B: “Hitler was a Catholic!” Where exactly does that sort of dialogue get... Read more

Dogmatic Materialist Scientists vs. Intelligent Design

Last updated on: April 27, 2017 at 2:40 pm By Dave Armstrong

The Helix Nebula: 700 light-years away; photograph taken by European Southern Observatory’s VISTA Telescope (7-1-13). It was used in the Hidden Universe IMAX film [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license] * * * This dialogue (myself against five atheists or agnostics, as usual) came from the combox of my post, Atheism: More Rational & Scientific than Christianity? The words of catfink will be in blue; those of JD Eveland (agnostic) in green, TheMarsCydonia in red, Brad Feaker in brown, and JGravelle in purple. “ID” = “intelligent design.” * *... Read more

Problem of Evil: Treatise on the Most Serious Objection

Last updated on: April 27, 2017 at 2:44 pm By Dave Armstrong

Original title: Christian Replies to the Argument From Evil (Free Will Defense): Is God Malevolent, Weak, or Non-Existent Because of the Existence of Evil and Suffering? One of mass graves at Katyn (Russia), 1943, where the NKVD (Soviet secret police) in 1940 massacred some of the estimated 22,000 Polish officers, policemen, intellectuals and civilian prisoners of war [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * * * This is a somewhat abridged version (minus only lengthy quotations from Augustine and Aquinas) of chapter 4... Read more

Can Atheists Possibly be Saved? Are They All “Evil”?

Last updated on: April 27, 2017 at 3:06 pm By Dave Armstrong

Original title: Are Atheists “Evil”? Multiple Causes of Atheist Disbelief and the Possibility of Salvation Not a real sign! I made it up. See the “www” in it? But I contend that such a sign is actually possible, within a biblical / Christian paradigm. (17 February 2003) * * * Jesus taught that those who love Him will at least attempt to follow His teachings: Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he... Read more

Atheist Irrational Demands for “Empirical” Proofs of God

Last updated on: April 27, 2017 at 3:09 pm By Dave Armstrong

Or, Vigorous Critique of Irrational, Incoherent, Excessive, Arbitrary, & Relentless Atheist Demands for “Empirical” Proofs of God’s Existence 50s Movie poster mad scientist style, by Glen Edelson, 8-30-08 [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] * * * * * This comes from another one of my gigantic discussion threads, that atheists have participated in with great vigor (331 comments in two days, as I write): underneath my post, Blind Faith? Dialogue w an Atheist. I would have preferred to have made a... Read more

Luther on Theosis and its Relation to Sanctification

Last updated on: April 27, 2017 at 3:13 pm By Dave Armstrong

Original title: Martin Luther: Strong Elements in His Thinking of Theosis and Sanctification Linked to Justification [public domain / Pixabay] (11-23-09) [see also a highly related article: “Justification as Healing: The Little-Known Luther” (Ted M Dorman) ] St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: Now the gift of grace surpasses every capability of created nature, since it is nothing short of a partaking of the Divine Nature, which exceeds every other nature. And thus it is impossible that any creature should cause grace.... Read more