{"id":3524,"date":"2015-09-28T13:07:33","date_gmt":"2015-09-28T17:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=3524"},"modified":"2017-05-19T16:35:29","modified_gmt":"2017-05-19T20:35:29","slug":"the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2015\/09\/the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre.html","title":{"rendered":"The Biblical “Fool” & its Relation to Proverbial Literary Genre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Original title: Did Paul and Peter Disobey Jesus and Risk Hellfire (Calling Folks \u201cFools\u201d)? Did Jesus Contradict Himself? Or Do Proverbs and Hyperbolic Utterances Allow Exceptions?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Proverbs\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Image by \u201cChurch Iglesia\u201d<\/span> [Flickr<\/a> \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a> license]<\/p>\n

[From Facebook, February 2014]<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

Matthew 5:22<\/strong> (RSV) But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, \u201cYou fool<\/span>!\u201d [Strong\u2019s word #3474<\/a>: moros<\/em>] shall be liable to the hell of fire.<\/p>\n

Matthew 23:17, 19<\/strong> You blind fools<\/span>! [moros<\/em>] For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? . . . [19] You blind men<\/span>! [moros<\/em>] For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?<\/p>\n

Matthew 25:2-3, 8<\/strong> Five of them were foolish<\/span> [moros<\/em>], and five were wise. [3] For when the foolish<\/span> [moros<\/em>] took their lamps, they took no oil with them; . . . [8] And the foolish<\/span> [moros<\/em>] said to the wise, \u2018Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.\u2019<\/p>\n

Different Greek words for \u201cfool\u201d \/ \u201cfoolish\u201d below:<\/p>\n

Romans<\/strong> 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools<\/span>,<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians<\/strong> 15:36 You foolish<\/span> man! [KJV: \u201cThou fool\u201d \/ Rheims: \u201cSenseless man\u201d] What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.<\/p>\n

Galatians<\/strong>\u00a03:1, 3 O foolish<\/span> Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? . . . [3] Are you so foolish<\/span>? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?<\/p>\n

1 Peter 2:15<\/strong> For it is God\u2019s will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish<\/span> men.<\/p>\n

Fools are also referred to 135 times in the Old Testament<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As another example:\u00a0<\/span>St. Paul also cited a proverb from the comedy, \u201cThais,\u201d by the pagan Greek dramatist Menander (c. 342 \u2013 c. 290 B.C.):<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


1 Corinthians 15:33<\/strong> Do not deceive yourselves: \u201cBad company is the ruin of good morals.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


Someone asked: \u201cHow would we contrast 1 Corinthians 15:33 with Christ\u2019s company with prostitutes, tax collectors, etc?\u201d<\/span>

This\u00a0would be an exception to the rule of proverbial observations. One can try to witness to serious sinners, and avoid being corrupted by them. But other people will be corrupted, by too much association and no intent to evangelize or reform (\u201cwe are what we eat \/ read,\u201d etc.). Both<\/em> things are true, depending on circumstance and situation. The proverb always allows of exceptions by nature.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Proverbs 26:4-5 is one of the classic instances of how proverbs work:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


[4] Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.<\/span><\/span>
[5] Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


Literally interpreted, this would be a direct contradiction. But since Proverbs are general<\/em> statements and not absolute<\/em> ones, one can see how both<\/em> things can be true, according to various situations. One is true in one scenario, the other in another. Many things stated in the Bible are like that, if indeed they are hyperbolic (exaggerated) or proverbial in nature.<\/span>
One has to be aware of the literature involved, in order to properly interpret.<\/span>

I actually apply both of these verses in my apologetics, quite often. Sometimes (most times) I ignore a manifest fool, because that is the best recourse. Other times, I answer him according to his own folly, by using the logical technique of reductio ad absurdum<\/em>\u00a0(reducing an opponent\u2019s argument to absurdity), by showing the logical conclusions of where it leads or \u201creduces\u201d to: to something ridiculous or unthinkable. That is an application of Proverbs 26:5!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This is one thing that both theological liberals and [both Protestant and Catholic] fundamentalists do (ironically enough) because neither understands how biblical language and context work, and hence make many basic mistakes as a result.<\/p>\n

The Greek word,\u00a0moros<\/em> [root of \u201cmoron\u201d?] is defined as \u201cdull, stupid, blockhead, absurd.\u201d It\u2019 not used in the above quotations from Paul and Peter, but\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is used in Paul\u2019s occasional semi-sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek style at 1 Corinthians 1:25, 27; 3:18; and 4:10; and as pertaining to discussions or \u201cquestions\u201d at 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9.<\/span>

But <\/em>Jesus Himself uses it (thus there are still contradictions in play for the hyper-literalist). He uses the same word that He said would lead one possibly to hell.<\/span>

Raca<\/em> only appears in Matthew 5:22, so we can make no NT comparison. It is Strong\u2019s word #4469<\/a> and is defined as \u201cempty, worthless; term of utter vilification.\u201d But it wasn\u2019t the strongest term in Matthew 5:22;\u00a0moros<\/em>\u00a0was, because that was connected to possible hellfire.<\/span>
<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cFools\u201d in Romans 1:22 is a cognate, moraino<\/em> (Strong\u2019s #3471<\/a>), meaning \u201cinsipid, simpleton, become fool, make foolish, lose savour.\u201d Paul is describing the entire class of those who know there is a God, yet reject Him. He uses it again in 1 Corinthi<\/span><\/span>ans 1:20: \u201c. . . Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?\u201d Jesus uses it twice in relation to salt (\u201csavour\u201d) in Matthew 5:13 and Luke 14:34.\u00a0<\/span>

\u201cfoolish\u201d at 1 Corinthians 15:36 is either aphros<\/em>\u00a0(#876<\/a>): \u201cfroth, foaming\u201d or aphron<\/em>\u00a0(#878<\/a>): \u201cmindless, stupid, ignorant, egotistic, rash, unbelieving, foolish, unwise\u201d \u2014 my sources disagree, but they are cognates. aphros<\/em>\u00a0is used in Luke 9:39 to refer to a demoniac.<\/span>

Jesus uses aphron<\/em> in Luke 11:40 and 12:20 (\u201cfools, fool\u201d). Paul uses it at Romans 2:20; 2 Corinthians 11:16 (twice); 11:19; 12:6, 11; and Ephesians 5:17. It\u2019s also Peter\u2019s word (above in 1 Peter 2:15.<\/span>

\u201cfoolish\u201d in Galatians 3:1, 3 is anoetos<\/em> (#453<\/a>): \u201cunintelligent, sensual, foolish, unwise.\u201d Jesus uses it in Luke 24:25, and Paul elsewhere in Romans 1:14; 1 Timothy 6:9, and Titus 3:3.\u00a0<\/span>

Clearly these words all have similar derogatory or undesirable meanings as descriptions, and are used massively, including by Jesus Himself, so there is no way that the prohibition of calling someone a \u201cfool\u201d is an absolute<\/em> one. It\u2019s a proverbial saying that has less than universal application; lest Jesus would break His own rule and command and place Himself in danger of hellfire, which is completely ridiculous and utterly impossible.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus made some\u00a0sweeping character judgments of some of the Pharisees: they were hypocrites by nature; a major trait in them. Folks are often condemned for doing that, too. Of course we should be<\/span><\/span>\u00a0slow to such judgments, but if the evidence is overwhelming, we have every sanction in the NT to make them, including shunning people in extreme cases, for their own good (as Paul expressly recommends, or commands in some specific cases).\u00a0<\/span>We can\u2019t shun or remove ourselves from someone if we\u2019re not allowed to make a negative judgment on their acts and\/or persons in the worst cases.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

People often interpret the Bible in a shallow, uninformed way, making things absolute that are not at all, like the famous, \u201cyou shall not judge\u201d: as if we cannot say a person is sinning or in sin ever<\/em>, under pain of violating NT ethics. It\u2019s poppycock, as this word study abundantly shows.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For OT (LXX) usage, Little Kittel<\/em><\/a>\u00a0says:<\/span><\/span>

\u201cThe group [\u201cmoros\u201d and cognates] is not common in the LXX (\u2018aphron\u2019 is the usual term for the fool).\u201d\u00a0<\/span>

It does give some instances of use of these words in the Greek OT (LXX):<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 32:6<\/strong> Do you thus requite the LORD, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?<\/span>

2 Samuel 24:10<\/strong> But David\u2019s heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, \u201cI have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, I pray thee, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>

Psalm 94:8<\/strong> Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise?<\/span>

Sirach 4:27<\/strong> Do not subject yourself to a foolish fellow, nor show partiality to a ruler.<\/span>

Isaiah 19:11<\/strong> The princes of Zo\u2019an are utterly foolish; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel. . . .\u00a0<\/span>

Isaiah 32:5-6<\/strong> The fool will no more be called noble, nor the knave said to be honorable. [6] For the fool speaks folly, and his mind plots iniquity: to practice ungodliness, . . .\u00a0<\/span>

Jeremiah 5:20-21<\/strong> Declare this in the house of Jacob, proclaim it in Judah: [21] \u201cHear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now Jesus, Paul, Peter, Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah and Jeremiah are all in hell because they called people fools: according to wooden fundamentalist Bible interpretation . . . the same sort of stupidity that gives us geocentrism supposedly based on Bible passages, and a non-rotating earth (and among super-wackos, even a square, flat earth).<\/p>\n

Someone criticized the above: \u201cAll this research just so you can feel better about calling someone a fool seems rather foolish itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

I accept the revelation of the Bible. This is not all meaningless and intended as special pleading for a propensity to put people down. I don\u2019t have any such propensity. There are millions of people online (including many Catholic apologists) far<\/em> more\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cinsulting\u201d than I am or ever will be. I call a fool a fool when it is warranted<\/em>\u00a0by strong evidence: just as Jesus and Paul did.<\/span>

I called someone a fool the other day and a reactionary-type Catholic said I was in danger of hellfire. I made a response back that holds up, but I didn\u2019t know all this<\/em>\u00a0that I discovered (which abundantly backs up what I said then).\u00a0<\/span>

I think it\u2019s important, too, in understanding how biblical language works, because so many people don\u2019t get that and interpret everything literally or even hyper-literally.\u00a0<\/span>As so often in biblical thinking, there is a time for this and a time for that. Wisdom and prudence are required to know when the time has come; when it is justified to say someone is a fool or any number of other things that St. Paul often said about folks who were falling short in some way.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Bible (like Catholicism) is often \u201cboth\/and\u201d in outlook, rather than \u201ceither\/or\u201d. Biblical genres of language and style tie into that.<\/p>\n

Many people\u00a0don\u2019t like provocative or satirical-type, pointed rhetoric. But it does exist, is valid, and has biblical prototypes, so I will continue to use it (on occasion, when it fits), and some will continue to be offended by it. I can\u2019t help that.\u00a0<\/span>But I don\u2019t stop doing things just because a certain number of people say, \u201cI don\u2019t like that\u201d \u2014 when it\u2019s not a clear-cut matter of right and wrong.\u00a0<\/span>This stuff is greatly subjective and people differ.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are always<\/em>\u00a0people who don\u2019t care for satire or sarcasm or pointed observations, or mild insults such as \u201cfool\u201d etc. That\u2019s just how it is. But as this post proves, we\u2019re not forbidden to use those words on occasion.\u00a0<\/span>Just yesterday someone objected to my use of \u201cnitwit\u201d. Then they read the article from the folks that I called that and came back and said it was a mild and quite justified description. :-)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Image by \u201cChurch Iglesia\u201d [Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0 license] [From Facebook, February 2014] * * * * * Matthew 5:22 (RSV) But I say to you that every […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":3525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[781,780,792,785,784,783,789,782,788,787,791,793,790,786,794],"class_list":["post-3524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bible-and-tradition","tag-biblical-idiom","tag-biblical-language","tag-biblical-literary-genres","tag-fool","tag-fools","tag-hebrew-culture","tag-hebrew-exaggeration","tag-hebrew-idioms","tag-hyperbole","tag-literary-genre","tag-proverbial-language","tag-proverbial-literature","tag-proverbs","tag-wisdom-in-the-bible","tag-wisdom-literature"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Biblical "Fool" & its Relation to Proverbial Literary Genre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Did Paul & Peter disobey Jesus & risk hellfire (the biblical "fool")? 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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\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Biblical \"Fool\" & its Relation to Proverbial Literary Genre","description":"Did Paul & Peter disobey Jesus & risk hellfire (the biblical \"fool\")? Did Jesus Contradict Himself? 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Or do proverbial utterances allow exceptions?","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2015\/09\/the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre.html","og_site_name":"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","article_published_time":"2015-09-28T17:07:33+00:00","article_modified_time":"2017-05-19T20:35:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":550,"height":550,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2015\/09\/Proverbs.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dave Armstrong","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dave Armstrong","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2015\/09\/the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2015\/09\/the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre.html","name":"The Biblical \"Fool\" & its Relation to Proverbial Literary Genre","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#website"},"datePublished":"2015-09-28T17:07:33+00:00","dateModified":"2017-05-19T20:35:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/471eaa20e441eca4bb1ea50393cf632e"},"description":"Did Paul & Peter disobey Jesus & risk hellfire (the biblical \"fool\")? Did Jesus Contradict Himself? Or do proverbial utterances allow exceptions?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2015\/09\/the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2015\/09\/the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2015\/09\/the-biblical-fool-proverbial-literary-genre.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Biblical “Fool” & its Relation to Proverbial Literary Genre"}]},{"@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. 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\/3524","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=3524"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3524\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}