Early Protestant “Unity”: Calvin vs. Westphal vs. Luther

Last updated on: May 29, 2017 at 3:22 pm By Dave Armstrong

Portrait of John Calvin; possibly by Hans Holbein (1497-1543) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (11-6-11) ***** Joachim Westphal (1510 or 1511-1574) was a German “Gnesio-Lutheran” theologian. He ran afoul of John Calvin on the issue of the Eucharist (he being far closer to the Catholic position than Calvin), almost precisely as the “sacramentarians” had clashed bitterly with Martin Luther. Thus all of Calvin’s angst and ire and ruffled feathers directed towards Westphal applies in equal measure to Luther himself.... Read more

Calvin Supports Death Penalty for Heresy After Servetus

Last updated on: May 29, 2017 at 3:27 pm By Dave Armstrong

[Pixabay / public domain] *** (11-6-11) ***** From: Last Admonition of John Calvin to Joachim Westphal, Who, if He Heeds it Not, Must Henceforth be Treated in the Way Which Paul Prescribes for Obstinate Heretics (1557); in the source, Tracts Relating to the Reformation, Volume 2; Jean Calvin, Théodore de Bèze, Henry Beveridge (Calvin Translation Society, 1849), pp. 357-358 (bolding my own): First, he maintains, that to prevent the contagion from spreading, sectaries and heretics are to be banished or... Read more

Books by Dave Armstrong: “Classic Catholic Biblical Apologetics: 1525-1925”

Last updated on: November 30, 2023 at 3:44 pm By Dave Armstrong

[completed and published at Lulu on 6 February 2012: 246 pages] *** [cover design by Dave and Judy Armstrong] *** — to purchase, go to the bottom of page — *** TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication (p. 3) Introduction (p. 5) [read below] Bibliography and Abbreviations (p. 9) [see below] Brief Descriptions of Apologists (p. 15) [read below] Classic Biblical Apologetics Listed by Scripture Passages (p. 27) Index of Scripture Passages (p. 233) Index of Topics (p. 241) INTRODUCTION *** The... Read more

“Leaven” of the Pharisees: Hypocrisy or False Doctrine?

Last updated on: May 29, 2017 at 3:34 pm By Dave Armstrong

Woe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees (bet. 1886 and 1894), by James Tissot (1836-1902) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (11-3-11) *** Nathan Rinne is a friendly Lutheran theological adversary. His words will be in blue. I will be changing excessive bolding in Nathan’s replies to italics. * * * * * Nathan’s latest reply — just one small portion of which I am now responding to –, is entitled, Round 2 with RC apologist Dave Armstrong: the unattractive body of Christ. I... Read more

Lutheranism: Catholic Critique (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 1:17 pm By Dave Armstrong

***** Am I “Anti-Luther” or “Anti-Lutheran”? (Clarifications) [9-30-08 / 5-28-09 / 1-6-15] ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. REPLIES TO LUTHERAN THEOLOGIAN / APOLOGIST JORDAN COOPER II. REPLIES TO PHILIP MELANCHTHON’S LOCI COMMUNES III. PHILIP MELANCHTHON (1497-1560) IV. THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION (1530) & CATHOLIC REPLIES (THEN AND NOW) V. REPLIES TO JOHANN HULSEMANN (1602-1661) VI. LUTHERANISM AND THE FATHERS VII. SOTERIOLOGY (SALVATION, JUSTIFICATION, & SANCTIFICATION) / “FAITH ALONE” VIII. LUTHERANISM AND MARY IX. THE DEATH PENALTY FOR HERETICS / THEFT OF... Read more

Calvinism & General Protestantism: Catholic Critique

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 1:13 pm By Dave Armstrong

[book and purchase information] ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** * Calvinism * I. REPLIES TO REFORMED BAPTIST GAVIN ORTLUND * II. REPLIES TO STEVE HAYS * III. CALVINISM AND ST. AUGUSTINE * IV. SACRAMENTS: ESPECIALLY BAPTISM AND THE EUCHARIST * V. PREDESTINATION, SUPRALAPSARIANISM, SOVEREIGNTY, JUDGMENT, UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION * VI. “TULIP”: TOTAL DEPRAVITY / LIMITED ATONEMENT / IRRESISTIBLE GRACE / PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS * VII. REPLIES TO FRANCOIS TURRETIN (1623-1687) * VIII. OTHER CALVINISTIC “REFORMERS” / MARIOLOGY IN PARTICULAR... Read more

Deity of Jesus: Called “Lord” (“Kurios”) and “God” (“Theos”)

Last updated on: May 29, 2017 at 3:37 pm By Dave Armstrong

Christ Carrying the Cross, by Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** (10-24-11) *** [all Bible passages: RSV. Kurios is Strong’s word #2962 and Theos is Strong’s word #2316] *** “I have no problem calling Jesus my Lord and my God, in the qualified sense in which the Bible presents him as a divine being. But Thomas may not have addressed Jesus as such (see my book for details). You are the one who has the problem,... Read more

Dialogue with a Calvinist: Was Paul a “Lone Ranger”?

Last updated on: May 29, 2017 at 3:41 pm By Dave Armstrong

St. Paul (c. 1611), by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (10-24-11) * * * This is an exchange I had today with Neil Shenvi, a chemist; in a thread on my friend Alan Sides’ Facebook page. Neil’s words will be in blue. * * * * * . . . I haven’t actually been arguing for Sola Scriptura, as I commented to Heather. In fact, it is completely compatible with my argument to claim that... Read more

Reply to William Whitaker’s “Sola Scriptura” Arguments

Last updated on: May 29, 2017 at 3:44 pm By Dave Armstrong

. . . Absurd Alleged Biblical Indications Against Apostolic Tradition [see book information including purchase options] *** (10-20-11) * * * I am utilizing a copy of the book available at Internet Archive. *** Whitaker’s words will be in blue. Page numbers will correspond to the above book version. * * * I come now to another argument, the last of those touched upon by Bellarmine, and derived from various passages of scripture wherein traditions are condemned: as, Matth. xv.... Read more

Biblical Evidence for the Oral Torah & Oral Apostolic Tradition

Last updated on: May 29, 2017 at 3:45 pm By Dave Armstrong

Page from a medieval Jerusalem Talmud manuscript [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * (10-18-11) * * * I drew the following information from a fabulous article by a Messianic Jew, Reb Yhoshua, entitled, The Oral Torah and the Messianic Jew. I have been curious about this for some time, and found this article in a search. It’s a goldmine. The arguments are fascinating: agree or disagree. All Bible passages are RSV (and not directly cited from the article above, since he... Read more