John Calvin: Catholic Appraisal (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 1:11 pm By Dave Armstrong

[book and purchase information] ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. CALVIN’S VIEW OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HEADED BY THE POPE (AND OF LUTHERANISM) / ECCLESIOLOGY II. SECTARIANISM, CALVINISTS OF HIS DAY, TRADITION, RULE OF FAITH, AND SOLA SCRIPTURA III. PREDESTINATION / SUPRALAPSARIANISM / SOVEREIGNTY / ELECT / PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS / TOTAL DEPRAVITY IV. SOTERIOLOGY / SALVATION / GRACE / FAITH AND WORKS / SIN V. SACRAMENTS (ESP. BAPTISM AND THE EUCHARIST) AND SACRAMENTALS VI. MARIOLOGY VII. CHRISTOLOGY VIII.... Read more

Liberal Theology & Modernism (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 12:55 pm By Dave Armstrong

Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (1768-1834), the “Father of Modern Liberal Theology” [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. General II. Deconversions III. Pope Francis: Liberal? IV. Christological Heresy V. Trashing or Questioning the Bible / Theologically Liberal or Skeptical Exegesis / Torah / Documentary Hypothesis VI. Sexual Issues VII. Implications for Ecclesiology? VIII. Modernist Skeptical Historiography *** *** I. General Dissident Catholics: Disproof of Catholic Doctrinal Unity? [6-3-96] * Have Heterodox Catholics... Read more

Conversion and Converts (Catholic) Index Page

Last updated on: May 12, 2025 at 8:24 pm By Dave Armstrong

[published in 2013] [see full book and purchase information] ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. INDIVIDUAL CONVERSIONS II. MY METHODIST AND PAGAN YEARS / EVANGELICAL CONVERSION (1977) III. MY CATHOLIC CONVERSION (1990) IV. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND INFORMATION V. C. S LEWIS AND CATHOLICISM VI. PROTESTANT ANALYSES OF CATHOLIC CONVERSION (AND MY COUNTER-REPLIES) *** *** I. INDIVIDUAL CONVERSIONS G. K. Chesterton’s Conversion to Catholicism (In Brief) [1991; published by The Coming Home Newsletter, Sep. / Oct. 1996] Ronald Knox’s Conversion to... Read more

Inquisition, Crusades, & “Catholic Scandals” (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 12:40 pm By Dave Armstrong

* * * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. Inquisition, Crusades, and “Dark Ages” II. The Sexual Scandal in the Catholic Church III. Sinners in the Church IV. Paganism, Slavery, & Other Real or Imagined Scandals (like Halloween) V. The Galileo Controversy VI. Pope Pius XII and the Nazi Holocaust / Persecution of Jews / Anti-Semitism *** *** I. Inquisition, Crusades, and “Dark Ages” Dialogue on the Crusades, the Inquisition[s], & Slavery [1998; Addendum added on 11-2-03]... Read more

Eastern Orthodoxy & Catholicism (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 12:45 pm By Dave Armstrong

[see full book and purchase information] *** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. GENERAL / MISCELLANEOUS II. MYSTERY AND REASON III. FILIOQUE / HOLY TRINITY IV. THE PAPACY V. DIVORCE AND ANNULMENT VI. CONTRACEPTION VII. ORIGINAL SIN VIII. BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IX. PRIESTLY CELIBACY X. HOLY EUCHARIST XI. ECUMENISM / ECCLESIOLOGY XII. THEOSIS XIII. PURGATORY AND LIMBO *** *** I. GENERAL / MISCELLANEOUS Roman See as Historic Standard-Bearer of Orthodoxy (+ the Ecclesiological Absurdity of Anti-Catholic-Type Eastern Orthodox Arguments... Read more

The [Catholic] Church and Ecclesiology (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 4, 2025 at 7:25 pm By Dave Armstrong

Strasbourg Cathedral (Alsace, France). At 466 feet, it was the world’s tallest building from 1647 to 1874. It remains the highest extant structure built entirely in the Middle Ages. Photo by David Iliff (2-8-14) [Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0 license] *** This testimony of the universal holy Christian Church, even if we had nothing else, would be a sufficient warrant for holding this article [on the sacrament] and refusing to suffer or listen to a sectary, for it is dangerous and fearful to... Read more

Trinitarianism and Christology (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 12:29 pm By Dave Armstrong

Basic minimal (equilateral triangular) version of the “Shield of the Trinity” or “Scutum Fidei” diagram of traditional Christian symbolism [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. CHRISTOLOGY / DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST II. EVENTS IN JESUS’ LIFE / JESUS’ TEACHING III. DIALOGUES WITH JEWISH APOLOGIST MICHAEL J. ALTER ON JESUS’ RESURRECTION AND ALLEGED NT “CONTRADICTIONS” IV. JESUS AND MARY V. YOUNG MESSIAH FILM (2016) / KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS VI. TRINITARIANISM / THE HOLY TRINITY / THE... Read more

Salvation, Justification, & “Faith Alone” (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 1, 2025 at 12:23 pm By Dave Armstrong

(October 2010, 187 pages) [much more book information and purchase options] ***** Catholic Salvation: 1871 Bible Passages [12-27-24] ***** ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** I. GENERAL (CATHOLIC SOTERIOLOGY) / INFUSED JUSTIFICATION II. “FAITH ALONE” / FAITH AND WORKS III. SANCTIFICATION IV. THEOSIS / DIVINIZATION / DEIFICATION V. PRAYER VI. SIN / MORTAL AND VENIAL SIN VII. ASSURANCE OF SALVATION / ETERNAL SECURITY / FALLING AWAY / APOSTASY / EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE VIII. PREDESTINATION / GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY / PERSEVERANCE OF THE... Read more

Bible, Tradition, Canon, & “Sola Scriptura” (Index Page)

Last updated on: May 6, 2025 at 7:41 pm By Dave Armstrong

Photograph by Chris Sloan, 28 Nov. 2009 [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] ***** Table of Contents * * * I. Relationship of the Bible to the Church * II. Tradition (Apostolic) * III. Sola Scriptura (Scripture as the Only Infallible Authority) * IV. Perspicuity (Clearness) of Scripture * V. Material and Formal Sufficiency of Scripture / Rule of Faith * VI. The Canon of Scripture * VII. Deuterocanonical Books (So-Called “Apocrypha”) * VIII. Biblical Accuracy / Alleged Biblical Contradictions... Read more

Apologetics-Oriented Biblical Commentary on Philippians (RSV)

Last updated on: June 3, 2017 at 11:32 am By Dave Armstrong

[Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (1998) *** Chapter 1 1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philip’pi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 thankful for your partnership in the... Read more