Luther’s Straw Man: Papal Infallibility = Personal Impeccability?

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 5:32 pm By Dave Armstrong

Bears in Straw of wheat and pea, 2000 carnival procession , Empfingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany; by Werner Baiker [Wikimedia Commons / GNU Free Documentation License and Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Germany license] The hypocritical Papists, being well aware that their false claim for the supremacy of the Pope cannot stand unless backed by his personal holiness, proceed to bolster up that falsehood by a greater one. They endeavor to give him the reputation of personal goodness by saying he cannot err, for the Holy Spirit never... Read more

Apologia for Vatican II / Misguided Reactionary Criticisms

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 5:34 pm By Dave Armstrong

Blessed Pope Paul VI during Vatican II; photograph by Lothar Wolleh [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license]. I was challenged by a Catholic friend who took the directives of Vatican II seriously about sharing the faith with separated brethren in a way that they can understand. If I had talked to radical Catholic reactionaries, instead, back in 1990, they would have moaned and groaned about the Church and it would have had zero appeal to me, as I was already... Read more

Friendly Dialogue with a Transgender Atheist & Satanist

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 5:36 pm By Dave Armstrong

Bruce / Caitlyn Jenner at the 2012 London Olympics (July 2012) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license] * * * * * This occurred on my public Facebook page (24-26 July 2015). I informed my dialogue partner that it was public and that I might later put up a dialogue on my blog. But I won’t use her name. Her words will be in blue. I have edited somewhat for brevity and easier presentation, and changed a few... Read more

Jesus’ Use of Socratic Method in His Teaching & Dialogues

Last updated on: November 22, 2021 at 4:15 pm By Dave Armstrong

Socrates by Leonidas Drosis, at the Academy of Athens [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license] It can hardly be disputed that anyone (Christian or not) who does philosophy or thinks logically at all is indebted to Socrates: one of the great fathers of philosophy. In a nutshell, socratic method is questioning an opponent in dialogue (or, sometimes “turning the tables”), to see if what he believes can withstand scrutiny. Jesus and Paul did this all the time. Paul frequently disputed... Read more

“Personal Relationship with Jesus”: Good Catholic Phrase and Piety?

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 5:45 pm By Dave Armstrong

Manuscript of Thomas à Kempis’ Imitation of Christ [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** Catholic bloggers on Patheos (we call ourselves “Patheosi”) are having a good discussion about this issue right now in our private forum. It started with someone noting the article, “The Problem with ‘A Personal Relationship with Jesus'” (Dr. Jay Boyd, Homiletic & Pastoral Review, July 10, 2014). The Catholic author took a negative view of the phrase; also taking issue with Patheos blogger Sherry Weddell’s 2012 book, Forming... Read more

My Comments Policy: Thoughts on Amiable and Constructive Dialogue

Last updated on: July 22, 2017 at 4:56 pm By Dave Armstrong

Paolo Veronese, Jesus Among the Doctors, c. 1560 [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** [latest expanded version: 7-22-17] *** GOOD TALK In order to better understand each other, we need to communicate, listen to each other, and become friends, if possible. Experience and knowledge of human nature teaches us that good, constructive dialogue is not possible unless there is openness, charity, and respect and courtesy shown to the other person. I want dialogue to occur here, not lectures, speeches, and “mutual... Read more

Jesus, in Effect, Used Abortion as a Metaphor for Hell (Gehenna)

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 5:49 pm By Dave Armstrong

Canaanite idol / god Molech, or Moloch; 18th-century German illustration [public domain / Wikipedia] I just recently learned that “Gehenna”: Jesus’ standard metaphor for hell (Mt 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mk 9:43, 45, 47; Lk 12:5), was not a place of constantly burning garbage, as is often thought (and what I formerly understood it as being). Rather, it was a place where children were sacrificed to false gods. That is why Jesus used it to describe hell. Some... Read more

You Prefer the TLM / EF Mass? Great! Or, Ordinary Form (like me)? Great!

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 5:52 pm By Dave Armstrong

Pontifical Mass, from a Missal of the Fifteenth Century. [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] Don’t look down on the one who prefers one way, or the one who prefers the other Mass. The Church sanctions both (Pope Benedict XVI: Summorum Pontificum – 2007). Isn’t freedom of worship wonderful? Veils are beautiful. Someone wants to wear one? Great! If not (like my wife and daughter), great! Don’t look down on the one who does, or the one who doesn’t. The Church permits... Read more

Is Mary’s Assumption Able to be Inferred from Scripture Alone?

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 5:59 pm By Dave Armstrong

Titian’s Assunta (1516-1518) [public domain / Wikipedia] *** I believe that the Bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be inferred from Scripture based on the consequences of the Immaculate Conception, which is directly taught in its essence (sinlessness) in Luke 1:28 (looked at very closely in the Greek). If the Blessed Virgin Mary was not subject to original sin, then she would not have to suffer bodily corruption, and that is the Assumption: received bodily into heaven and... Read more

Protestant-Catholic Differences Re the Rule of Faith & “Sola Scriptura”

Last updated on: May 21, 2017 at 6:01 pm By Dave Armstrong

The Book of Kells, c. 800 (Ireland): folio 292r: the beginning of the Gospel of John [public domain / Wikipedia] Protestantism: Scripture is the only infallible authority (sola Scriptura). Catholicism: “three-legged stool” comprised of Bible-Tradition-Church, with the assumption of apostolic succession, and including ecumenical councils and popes. I’ve written two books, and lengthy parts of several others, just about that. This is one fundamental principle of both versions of Christianity, and probably the one from which everything else might be... Read more