{"id":99707,"date":"2026-06-05T11:45:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T15:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?page_id=99707"},"modified":"2026-06-05T11:50:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T15:50:40","slug":"martin-luther-catholic-critical-analysis-and-praise","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/books-by-dave-armstrong\/martin-luther-catholic-critical-analysis-and-praise","title":{"rendered":"Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
\u2190 All Books by Dave Armstrong<\/a> \u00a0\/\u00a0 Protestantism (History and Analysis)<\/span><\/div>\n
\"Martin<\/a>\n
Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise<\/div>\n
Dave Armstrong<\/div>\n
ePub \u2014 $9.99<\/a>Buy in Print \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n
print & e-book purchases support Dave\u2019s full-time apologetics work<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
ABOUT THIS BOOK<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

A Catholic analysis of Martin Luther in two parts: a critical examination of the founder of Protestantism (his authority claims, his canon, his salvation theology, the Peasants\u2019 Revolt, his intolerance), followed by 83 pages of praise \u2014 where Luther\u2019s Eucharistic theology, Mariology, and sacramental teaching sound surprisingly Catholic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Dedication (p. 3)<\/p>\n

\nContinue reading (22 more)<\/summary>\n
\n

Introduction (p. 5) [available online<\/a>]<\/p>\n

PART ONE: CRITICISM<\/p>\n

1. Was Martin Luther a \u201cRevolutionary\u201d Who Had Many Fundamental Disagreements With the Catholic Church? (p. 11)<\/p>\n

2. Martin Luther\u2019s Extraordinary (and Arbitrary) Claims Regarding His Own Authority (p. 39)<\/p>\n

3. Martin Luther and the Canon of Holy Scripture (p. 47)<\/p>\n

4. Luther and Salvation Theology: \u201cGetting to a Gracious God\u201d and the \u201cSnow-Covered Dunghill\u201d (p. 63)<\/p>\n

5. Soul Sleep and Luther\u2019s Rejection of Purgatory (p. 105)<\/p>\n

6. The Extent of Luther\u2019s Blame Regarding the Tragedy of the Peasants\u2019 Revolt (1525-1526) (p. 117)<\/p>\n

7. Martin Luther\u2019s Religious Intolerance and Ironic Espousal of Capital Punishment For Heresy (p. 161)<\/p>\n

PART TWO: PRAISE AND AGREEMENT
***<\/p>\n

8. Sacraments: Baptismal Regeneration, Real Presence in the Eucharist, Adoration, Absolution, Confirmation, Anointing (p. 175)<\/p>\n

Excerpts available online:<\/p>\n

Martin Luther On the Sacrament of Absolution (and Private Confession)<\/a><\/p>\n

Martin Luther\u2019s Opinion of (the Catholic Sacrament of) Confirmation<\/a><\/p>\n

9. Mary: the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God (p. 207)<\/p>\n

10. Other Catholic \u201cRemnants\u201d: Good Works and Sanctification, Authoritative Church Tradition, Crucifixes, Images, Etc. (p. 231)<\/p>\n

Excerpts available online:<\/p>\n

Martin Luther on Sanctification and the Absolute Necessity of Good Works as the Proof of Authentic Faith<\/a><\/p>\n

Martin Luther on Crucifixes, Images and Statues of Saints, and the Sign of the Cross<\/a><\/p>\n

Bibliography of Sources (p. 259)<\/p>\n

Review by Fr. Peter Stravinskas<\/a>, in The Catholic Response (Jan \/ Feb 2009, Vol. V, No. 4, pp. 31-32):<\/p>\n

The author is a fine apologist and has often demonstrated how Luther (and other Reformers) were much more Catholic than their spiritual heirs today. In scholarly, critical, and ecumenical fashion, the reader is led through the theological musings of a very complex and confused\/confusing man. Where Catholic truth is at stake, Luther\u2019s inadequacies are highlighted; where there is coincidence, that is happily shown. Particularly worthwhile is the treatment of Luther\u2019s Eucharistic theology and his Mariology, where contemporary Protestants could profit greatly from their spiritual forefather.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

\"Dave<\/span><\/a>\n
Get Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise<\/i> at Dave\u2019s Bookstore<\/div>\n
ePub \u2014 $9.99<\/a>Buy in Print \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u2190 Back to All Books by Dave Armstrong<\/a><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2190 All Books by Dave Armstrong \u00a0\/\u00a0 Protestantism (History and Analysis) Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise Dave Armstrong ePub \u2014 $9.99Buy in Print \u2192 print & e-book purchases support Dave\u2019s full-time apologetics work ABOUT THIS BOOK A Catholic analysis of Martin Luther in two parts: a critical examination of the founder of Protestantism […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":0,"parent":99551,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-99707","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nMartin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise - Biblical Evidence for Catholicism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"← All Books by Dave Armstrong  \/  Protestantism (History and Analysis)Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and PraiseDave\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/books-by-dave-armstrong\/martin-luther-catholic-critical-analysis-and-praise\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Martin Luther: Catholic Critical Analysis and Praise - 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