{"id":227,"date":"2013-03-27T12:30:00","date_gmt":"2013-03-27T16:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/04\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic-converts-and-conversion.html"},"modified":"2025-12-05T13:04:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T17:04:20","slug":"books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html","title":{"rendered":"Books by Dave Armstrong: &#8220;Catholic Converts and Conversion&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><head><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><\/head><body><div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2013\/03\/Front-Cover-550-x-828.jpg\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4537 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2013\/03\/Front-Cover-550-x-828.jpg\" alt=\"Front Cover (550 x 828)\" width=\"550\" height=\"828\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;\">[237 pages. Completed on 8 April 2013 and published by Lulu on the same day]<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;\">***<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: red;\"><b><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">PURCHASE INFORMATION<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<div>***<\/div>\n<div>[<a class=\" decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4iEnSWJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">PAPERBACK: $20.95<\/a>] [<a class=\" decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4at4fPp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">KINDLE: 2.99<\/a>]<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>***<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: blue;\"><b>INTRODUCTION<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<p>The early 1990s were a very exciting time in the Catholic world, in terms of an increasing flow of converts into the faith, and the advent of the \u201cmodern apologetics movement.\u201d Dr. Scott Hahn, a former Presbyterian minister (and anti-Catholic) was received into the Church at Easter 1986, and immediately started making a splash with his exciting conversion testimony: delivered in a way that only a former evangelical pastor can do it!<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Karl Keating, trained as an attorney, began publishing <i>The Catholic Answers Newsletter<\/i> in August 1986 (evolving into the magazine, <i>This Rock<\/i>, four years later). In 1988, his book, <i>Catholicism and Fundamentalism<\/i> (San Francisco: Ignatius Press) was published, and shortly thereafter, he formed Catholic Answers: the largest and (by far) most influential Catholic apologetics organization.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, 1986 may be regarded as the starting-date of the current \u201cCatholic apologetics \/ influx of converts revival\u201d \u2014 with Hahn and Keating as the two founding fathers (Hahn being the convert and Keating the lifelong, or \u201ccradle\u201d Catholic). It is now 27 years old and flourishing, with the massive help of the Internet: another innovation of the 1990s, EWTN, and Catholic radio.<\/p>\n<p>But these two \u201cfathers\u201d were by no means alone. Many more became involved in apologetics outreach; notably, Patrick Madrid and Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas (cradle Catholics), and Jimmy Akin, Mark Shea, Thomas Howard, and Peter Kreeft (all converts).<\/p>\n<p>Also, during this period, in 1993, Marcus Grodi began The Coming Home Network. It provided pastoral support for Protestant clergy and others who were becoming Catholics or already convinced. Many are familiar with Marcus\u2019 EWTN television show, <i>The Journey Home<\/i>. I later worked for CHN (2007-2010) as a staff moderator on their Internet forum.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the<i> Defending the Faith<\/i> conferences at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, provided a fertile meeting ground for all of these connected movements to network together.<\/p>\n<p>In metro Detroit, where I grew up and still reside, we had a little apologetics \/ conversion revival of our own. I became convinced of Catholicism by October 1990; and my non-denominational pastor from 1986 to 1989, Al Kresta (now a Catholic radio talk show host and author), returned to the Church a few years later, followed not long after by the conversion of Steve Ray, who is well-known as an author, public speaker, and host of the <i>Footprints of God<\/i> video series.<\/p>\n<p>I had been friends with both men since 1982. We were all rapt admirers of the Presbyterian popular apologist, Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984). Steve had personally studied with him, Al portrayed him in a play, and I named my Protestant campus ministry after a phrase of his (\u201ctrue truth\u201d). How odd and completely unexpected that we now all found ourselves in the Catholic Church!<\/p>\n<p>Al and I were privileged to have our conversion stories included as the last and second-to-last entries in Pat Madrid\u2019s huge bestselling book, <i>Surprised by Truth<\/i> (San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994), while Steve told his story in his volume, <i>Crossing the Tiber<\/i> (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1997).<\/p>\n<p>Apologist, author, and cradle Catholic Gary Michuta was also active in southeast Michigan by the mid-90s (when I first met him), giving talks and publishing a magazine, <i>Hands-On Apologetics<\/i>, that might be described as Michigan\u2019s version of <i>This Rock<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a long and exciting journey for all of us in the apologetics movement, and especially for those who are converts or \u201creverts.\u201d I\u2019ll tell my story at some length in Part II of this book. Part I is devoted to various analyses of the conversion process, while Part III consists of a collection of older conversion stories (now in the public domain) that have a timeless quality: highlighting <i>reasons<\/i> for becoming Catholic (that is, apologetics).<\/p>\n<p>This book provides (from many different angles and approaches) explanations of \u201chow and why\u201d men and women become Catholics or return to the Catholic Church after having left it. I hope and pray that this book will be an encouragement and aid to faith and confidence to those already Catholic, and a persuasive tool, by God\u2019s grace, for those who are on the road to the Catholic Church, or who may yet to be persuaded to embark on that narrow but exceedingly bright road.<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: blue;\"><b><br>\n<\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: blue;\"><b>DEDICATION<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">To my fellow Michigander apologists, who are converts, have returned to the Church, or experienced a great personal revival as Catholics: Al Kresta, Steve Ray, and Gary Michuta. I treasure your friendships and the wonderful work that you do for Holy Mother Church. Carry on, brothers!<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-KjxOsVmowzA\/T-NqZBtxSBI\/AAAAAAAAE60\/4Ab81slaEEo\/s1600\/HARDON4.JPG\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-KjxOsVmowzA\/T-NqZBtxSBI\/AAAAAAAAE60\/4Ab81slaEEo\/s1600\/HARDON4.JPG\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div>\n<div style=\"color: #cc33cc; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;\">I was received into the Catholic Church (and Judy returned to it), on 8 February 1991 (I was 32), by the eminent catechist and author, Servant of God,\u00a0 Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J.<\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #cc33cc; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;\">*<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[photograph by Tom McGlynn]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: blue;\"><b>TABLE OF CONTENTS\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"color: blue;\"><span style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><b><br>\n<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">Dedication <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">(p. 3) <\/span>[read above] <\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">Introduction <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">(p. 5) <\/span>[read above]\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>PART I:<br>\nANALYSES OF CATHOLIC CONVERSION<\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">1. Conversion to Catholicism: Is it Usually Reactionary and Emotional, or Proactive and Rational? (p. 11) [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\/posts\/514790068562845\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">online excerpt<\/a>: Facebook]<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><\/div>\n<div align=\"LEFT\">2. Catholic Mariology, Authority, and Various Other Qualms of Protestants Considering Conversion (p. 21)<\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">3. Dialogue on Irrational Hostility to Catholic Conversion Stories (Particularly Scott Hahn\u2019s) (p. 31)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">4. Conversion and Historical Ecclesiological Arguments (p. 39)\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">5. Replies to 101 Questions for \u201cRomanist\u201d Converts (p. 45)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"western\" align=\"LEFT\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">6. St. Augustine\u2019s <i>Confessions<\/i> as the Prototype of Today\u2019s Better-Known Catholic Conversion Stories (p. 61)<\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0***<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>PART II: <\/b><br>\n<b>MY OWN CONVERSION SAGA\u00a0<\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div>7. My Journey: From Clueless Spiritual Curiosity through Heartfelt Evangelicalism, to the Fullness of Catholicism (p. 69)<\/div>\n<p>[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\/posts\/567994553235534\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">early life<\/a>] [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\/posts\/640795719270642\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">\u201cGreat Depression\u201d spiritual crisis<\/a>] [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\/posts\/568399119861744\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">books read while evangelical<\/a>] [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\/posts\/569120656456257\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">description \/ summary<\/a> of this section] [all four excerpts were posted on Facebook]<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0***<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>PART III: <\/b><br>\n<b>TIMELESS CONVERSION STORIES <\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>(EMPHASIZING APOLOGETICS ELEMENTS)\u00a0<\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">***<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">8. Dom John Chapman (p. 145)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">9. James Britten (p. 151)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">10. Dom Augustin Daniels (p. 157)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">11. W. T. Gorman (p. 163) <\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">12. Hartwell de la Garde Grissell (p. 169)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">13. George Hare Patterson (p. 173) <\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">14. C. Kegan Paul (p. 181)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">15. Walter Croke Robinson (p. 189)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">16. W. O. Sutcliffe (p. 199) <\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">17. C. J. Watts (p. 203)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">18. Charles Fisk Beach, Jr. (p. 207) <\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">19. Harriet Brewer Churchill (p. 215)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">20. Susan L. Emery (p. 219)<\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">21. Julia G. Robins (p. 223) <\/span><br>\n<span style=\"font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;\">22. Justine Bayard Ward (p. 233)<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: red;\"><b><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">PURCHASE INFORMATION<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<div>***<\/div>\n<div>[<a class=\" decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4iEnSWJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">PAPERBACK: $20.95<\/a>] [<a class=\" decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4at4fPp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">KINDLE: 2.99<\/a>]<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>***<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: magenta;\">Last updated on 5 December 2025<\/span><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[237 pages. Completed on 8 April 2013 and published by Lulu on the same day] \u00a0 *** PURCHASE INFORMATION *** [PAPERBACK: $20.95] [KINDLE: 2.99] *** INTRODUCTION *** The early 1990s were a very exciting time in the Catholic world, in terms of an increasing flow of converts into the faith, and the advent of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":4537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[160,64],"tags":[2360,2334,1438,1439],"class_list":["post-227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books-by-dave-armstrong","category-conversion-and-converts","tag-books-by-dave-armstrong","tag-catholic-conversion","tag-catholic-conversion-stories","tag-religious-conversion"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Books by Dave Armstrong: &quot;Catholic Converts and Conversion&quot;<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This book provides (from many different angles) explanations of &quot;how and why&quot; men and women convert and become Catholics or return to the Catholic Church.\" \/>\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\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Books by Dave Armstrong: &quot;Catholic Converts and Conversion&quot;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This book provides (from many different angles) explanations of &quot;how and why&quot; men and women convert and become Catholics or return to the Catholic Church.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-03-27T16:30:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-05T17:04:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2013\/03\/Front-Cover-550-x-828.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"510\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dave Armstrong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dave Armstrong\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html\",\"name\":\"Books by Dave Armstrong: \\\"Catholic Converts and Conversion\\\"\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2013-03-27T16:30:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-05T17:04:20+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/471eaa20e441eca4bb1ea50393cf632e\"},\"description\":\"This book provides (from many different angles) explanations of \\\"how and why\\\" men and women convert and become Catholics or return to the Catholic Church.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2013\/03\/books-by-dave-armstrong-catholic.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Books by Dave Armstrong: &#8220;Catholic Converts and Conversion&#8221;\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/\",\"name\":\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism\",\"description\":\"Catholic biblical apologetics\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/471eaa20e441eca4bb1ea50393cf632e\",\"name\":\"Dave Armstrong\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/820e6db89734ae7a9e5dac8d498f5ac7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/820e6db89734ae7a9e5dac8d498f5ac7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dave Armstrong\"},\"description\":\"Dave Armstrong is a Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981, and Catholicism in particular since 1991 (full-time since December 2001). Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \\\"This Rock\\\" (now called \\\"Catholic Answers Magazine\\\"), \\\"Envoy Magazine\\\" (Patrick Madrid), \\\"The Catholic Answer,\\\" \\\"The Coming Home Journal,\\\" \\\"Gilbert Magazine\\\" (American Chesterton Society), and \\\"The Latin Mass.\\\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \\\"The Michigan Catholic\\\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}