Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: The Bible, Church, Tradition, & Canon (Index Page)

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Relationship of the Bible to the Church

SHORTER PAPERS

The Catholic Church Has Always Been the Enemy of the Bible (???)

The Three-Legged Stool of Catholic Christian Authority: a Brief Explanation

Dialogue with an Anglican on the Catholic Understanding of the Relationship of Scripture, Tradition, and the Church (Dave Armstrong vs. Jon Jacobson)

Catholic Interpretation of Scripture (Hermeneutics / Exegesis): Resource List

How Does the Individual Catholic Approach and Interpret Holy Scripture?

Does the Catholic Church Think it is Superior to the Bible, and its Creator?

The Canon of Scripture: Did the Catholic Church Create It Or Merely Authoritatively Acknowledge It? (with Kevin Johnson)

The Layman's Use of Greek Bible Reference Books: Reply to an Exceedingly Strange and Ironic Objection From Presbyterian Tim Enloe

Aids For Catholics: Selecting a Bible Translation

The Freedom of the Catholic Biblical Exegete

Clarification On What I Consider "Biblical Evidence" (Dave Armstrong and Tim Enloe) (+ Discussion)

Thoughts on Bibles and Catholics, Catholic "Sunday School," Catholic Bibles at Mass, Bible Memorization, Etc.

Am I a "Protestantizing" Catholic Now Or Was I Formerly a "Catholicizing" Protestant? (+ Discussion)

Catholic (and Protestant) Biblical Illiteracy and Ignorance at an All-Time High?

LONGER PAPERS

"Biblical Evidence" and Exegetical Series: Collection of 150+ Papers

Was the Catholic Church an Avowed Enemy of Scripture in the Middle Ages (or at any other time)?

"Why Don't Catholics Read Their Bibles?"

Reply to "CPA" (Lutheran) Concerning Bogus Notions of the Catholic View of the Bible

Critique of Martin Chemnitz' Examination of Trent: Scripture I (Poisoning the Well as to the Catholic Rule of Faith & Veneration of Holy Scripture) (+ Discussion)

Apostolic Succession Based on Biblical Data / Supposed "Prooftexting" & Protestant Reluctance to Discuss Bible Text Interpretations With Catholics (+ Discussion)

Purchase: paperback or PDF E-book ($3.00)

Purchase paperback from amazon.com

501 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura

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Tradition (Apostolic)

SHORTER PAPERS

Tradition is Not a Dirty Word

Why We Need More Than the Bible (my talk on Catholic Answers Live: 10-10-03. Real Audio file)

25 Short Biblical Arguments For the Binding Authority of Tradition

LONGER PAPERS

Biblical Evidence For Apostolic Tradition (Including Oral Tradition)

Dialogue on "Tradition" in the New Testament (Dave Armstrong vs. Eric Svendsen)

The Old Testament, the Ancient Jews, and Sola Scriptura

Reply to C. Michael Patton on Sola Scriptura, Part One (Definitions & Introduction) (+ Discussion)

Reply to C. Michael Patton on Sola Scriptura, Part Two

Reply to C. Michael Patton on Sola Scriptura, Part Three (Dual-Source Theory) (+ Discussion)

Reply to C. Michael Patton on Sola Scriptura, Part Four (Tradition and Apostolic Succession)

Reply to C. Michael Patton on Sola Scriptura, Part Five (The Canon)

Reply to C. Michael Patton on Sola Scriptura, Part Six (Divisions)

Refutation of Protestant Polemicist William Webster's Critique of Catholic Tradition and Newmanian Development of Doctrine (Dave Armstrong vs. William Webster)

Anglican Anti-Traditional Principles of "Development" & the "Cult of Uncertainty" (Dave Armstrong vs. Dr. Edwin Tait)

Response to Rev. Michael Pahls on "Theological Humility" and the Protestant "Non-Quest" Regarding Christian Certainty (Dave Armstrong vs. Rev. Michael Pahls)

Priests, Levites, and Josiah's Destruction of the High Places: Closer to Sola Scriptura or Catholicism? (+ Part Two / Part Three / Part Four / Part Five)
(Dave Armstrong vs. "CPA")

A Refutation of the Fallacies and Circular Reasoning of James White Regarding "Moses' Seat," Authentic Tradition, and Sola Scriptura (Dave Armstrong vs. James White)

Dialogue on Whether Extensive Use of Biblical Arguments Reduces to a Quasi-Sola Scriptura Position? (Development of Doctrine, Tradition, and Implicit vs. Explicit Biblical Proofs. The Papacy as a Test Case) (Dave Armstrong vs. Christopher Parks)

Luther Meets His Match: Part IV: Erasmus' Hyperaspistes (1526): The Rebellious and Anti-Traditional Elements of Luther's Revolt

Reflections on Tradition, Sola Scriptura, Perspicuity, and the Canon

Biblia y Tradición: Mantened la Tradición . . . [Bible and Tradition: "Maintain the traditions . . ."]

The Canon of Scripture

SHORTER PAPERS

The New Testament Canon (see also the Spanish version)

25 Short Arguments on the Difficulties Posed to Protestants by the Determination of the Canon of Holy Scripture

Are All the Biblical Books "Self-Attesting" and Self-Evidently Inspired?

Reply to Dave H. on the Biblical Canon and the Alleged Irresponsibility of Internet "Catholic Apologists"

2nd Reply to Dave H. on Catholic "Epologists" and the Biblical Canon

James White's Deficient Research: Counting Numbers at Trent (Regarding the Canon) / Gary Michuta's Deuterocanon Web Page (+ Discussion)

Did Martin Luther Deny the Canonicity of Esther?

LONGER PAPERS

Dialogue: Are All the Biblical Books Self-Evidently Inspired & Canonical? (+ Parts Two | Three) (Dave Armstrong vs. Ken Temple)

Luther's Outrageous Assertions About Certain Biblical Books (Protestant Scholars' Opinions and "Debate" With John Warwick Montgomery)

Did St. Paul and Other Biblical Writers Always Necessarily Know That What They Were Writing Was Inspired Scripture? / NT Prophets (Dave Armstrong vs. Ken Temple)

Reply to a Protestant Counter-Response on Development of Doctrine (Particularly With Regard to the New Testament Canon and the Papacy) (Dave Armstrong vs. Jason Engwer)

Further Dialogue With an Evangelical Protestant on Various Aspects of Development of Doctrine (Particularly Concerning the Canon of Scripture)
(Dave Armstrong vs. Jason Engwer)

2nd Reply to "CPA" on Catholic Apologists and the Biblical Canon

Deuterocanonical Books (So-Called "Apocrypha")

SHORTER PAPERS

The "Apocrypha": Why It's Part of the Bible (see also the Spanish version)

Dialogue on Objections to the "Apocrypha" (Dave Armstrong vs. Dr. Norman Geisler)

Orthodox View of OT Canon / Athanasius' Slightly-Qualified Acceptance of the Deuterocanon / Jerome's Anomalies in His Rejection of the Deuterocanon

James White's Deficient Research: Counting Numbers at Trent (Regarding the Canon) / Gary Michuta's Deuterocanon Web Page (+ Discussion)

John Calvin's Citations of Deuterocanonical Books (So-Called "Apocrypha"): Documented Instances

LONGER PAPERS

Reply Concerning the Canonicity of the So-Called "Apocrypha" (Dave Armstrong vs. Dr. John Ankerberg & Dr. John Weldon)

Reply to C. Michael Patton on Sola Scriptura, Part Five (The Canon)

A Biblical Defense of Catholicism

Word 2000 "Deluxe" Hyper-Linked Version or PDF / Adobe ($5.00)

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The One-Minute Apologist

Word 2000 / Excel "Deluxe" Hyper-Linked Version (Zip file) ($5.00)
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Church Fathers

SHORTER PAPERS

Were the Church Fathers Closer to Protestantism Than to Catholicism?

Unanimous Consent" of the Church Fathers (Steve Ray)

LONGER PAPERS

The Witness of the Church Fathers With Regard to Catholic Distinctives (With Examples of Protestant Corroboration of Catholic Doctrines or Clear Contradiction of Patristic Consensus)

Answers For An Inquiring "Bible Christian" on Bible and Tradition Issues (Particularly St. Augustine's Position)

Dialogue on Whether the Church Fathers Were Closer to Protestantism Than to Catholicism (Dave Armstrong vs. Ken Temple)

Refutation of David T. King Regarding St. John Chrysostom & St. Irenaeus as Alleged Sola Scriptura Advocates (+ Discussion)

"Live Chat" Dialogue on Patristic Consensus (Particularly, Mariology) (Dave Armstrong vs. James White)

General

SHORTER PAPERS

The Layman's Use of Greek Bible Reference Books

Summaries of Old Testament Books

LONGER PAPERS

Apologetics-Oriented Biblical Commentary on Philippians and Colossians (RSV)

Alleged Biblical Contradictions and Difficulties

[see also related papers in the Atheist & Agnostic section]

SHORTER PAPERS

Jesus' "Three Days and Three Nights" in the Tomb: Is it a Biblical Contradiction?

Alleged "Bible Contradictions"

"How Can God [in the OT] Order the Killing and Massacre of Innocents?" [Amalekites, etc.] (+ Discussion)

Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah as Actual Historical Figures: the Biblical Evidence and Catholic Agreement With It (+ Discussion)

Catholics and the Historicity of Jonah the Prophet (+ Discussion)

Who Wrote the Book of James? / James the Lord's "Brother" (I.e., Cousin)

St. Peter's Denials and the Cock's Crows: A Biblical Contradiction?

Did Moses (and God) Sin In Judging the Midianites (Numbers 31)?

Genealogies of Jesus Christ: Do Matthew and Luke Contradict? (Catholic Resources)

The Lord's Prayer (Our Father): Is "Debts" or "Trespasses" the More Accurate Translation?

LONGER PAPERS

Refutation of Atheists' Alleged Biblical "Contradictions" Concerning Salvation and Supposed Annihilationism and Universalism (Dave Armstrong vs. Dr. Ted Drange)

Supposed Contradiction Between 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 (God or Satan as Cause?)

On the Alleged Contradictions of 2 Samuel 24, and 1 Chronicles 21 and 27 (Dave Armstrong vs. the atheist "DagoodS")

Alleged Contradictions Regarding the Twelve Disciples of Jesus (+ Discussion) (Dave Armstrong vs. "DagoodS")

Supposed Contradictions in the Gospel Accounts of Jesus' Calling of the Disciples (edited and compiled by Dave Armstrong)

Reply to Alleged Biblical Contradictions Concerning Judas and His Death (vs. Dave Van Allen and Dr. Jim Arvo) (+ Discussion)

External Links

The Bible, Revised Standard Version, with the Apocrypha
The WWW Bible Gateway (incl. NIV, KJV, NKJV, NASB)
Blue Letter Bible
World Wide Study Bible
Many Online Bible Commentaries ("God Rules.net" - GREAT!)
A Catholic Bible Commentary (Dr. Jerome Dominguez)
Catholic Scripture Study
Nice Summary and Collection of Catholic Biblical Commentary (David Jensen)
Jerome H. Neyrey: Catholic Biblical Scholar (press the dot to the left of the articles for the full online text)
The Old and the New: A Dual Commentary on Genesis and Matthew (purchase) (Dr. Jay Olaguer)

Last updated on 26 June 2009

Orthodoxy & Citation Permission

To the best of my knowledge, all of my theological writing is "orthodox" and not contrary to the official dogmatic and magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church. In the event of any (unintentional) doctrinal or moral error on my part having been undeniably demonstrated to be contrary to the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church, I will gladly and wholeheartedly submit to the authority and wisdom of the Church (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Timothy 3:15).

All material contained herein is written by Dave Armstrong (all rights reserved) unless otherwise noted. Please retain full copyright, URL, and author information when downloading and/or forwarding this material to others. This information is intended for educational, spiritual enrichment, recreational, non-profit
purposes only, and is not to be exchanged for monetary compensation under any circumstances (Exodus 20:15-16).

Discussion Policy, Socratic Philosophy, Dissings & Rah-Rahs

Thoughts on Amiable and Constructive Dialogue

Purely Slanderous Posts

Where there is much desire to learn, there of necessity will be much arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making.

--- John Milton

I Peter 3:15: "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect".

Most people I've had discussions with on this blog have been and continue to be very kindly . . . even though we have dissenting views. I appreciate it from everyone and continue to thank Dave for hosting this and welcoming us Protestants. . . . We often have extremely differing views, but I've rarely been treated harshly. I thoroughly enjoy coming here and discussing stuff with y'all.

--- "Grubb" (evangelical Protestant regular on this blog), 12-11-06 and 2-13-07

There isn't any way this guy should be taken seriously as a professional apologist. He's a guy sitting behind a computer, somewhere in Michigan.

--- John Q. "Deadhead" Doe (anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant), 17 April 2007

I keep coming back here, because conversation at other Catholic-Protestant discussion blogs tends to get venomously anti-Catholic [with] ad hominem attacks on anyone who doesn't agree with the blogmaster and his pool of apparatchiks, whether the dissenter is Catholic OR Protestant. Cor ad cor loquitur is something of an internet anomaly: we engage in virtually ANY discussion without being censored and yet still manage for it not to get profane, something I rarely (if ever) see anywhere else on the net.

--- "Jon" (Catholic)

I find your site very refreshing and very informative . . . It's nice to find people who realize that being ecumenical doesn't mean ignoring important differences in doctrine, but rather means celebrating all that we have in common, while holding fast to all dogma. Your defenses of Catholicism are very well-written and very thought-provoking.

--- Baptist seminary student

I guess then we can see how sincere you are about wanting to discuss scripture. That is, not at all.

--- "Hilasterion" (anti-Catholic Protestant)

Dave Armstrong writes me really nice letters when I ask questions. As someone ridiculed by the arsonists [Phil Johnson's blog], I have to have a liking for the guy. Really, his notes to me are always first class and very respectful and helpful. . . . Dave Armstrong has continued to answer my questions in respectful and helpful ways. I thank the Lord for him.

--- Michael Spencer (evangelical Protestant), aka "The Internet Monk", on the Boar's Head Tavern site, 27 and 29 September 2007

. . . even Dave Armstrong’s blog has had some basically good posts . . .

--- Steve (aka "St. Worm": Anglican), on Tim Enloe's blog, 10 June 2009

8 years. Wow! I can’t even imagine putting up with the apologists for that long. Now, I pity you. :-) Even as a Catholic, I’ve gotten into it with Bryan Cross and Dave Armstrong, both of which are completely frustrating to have a dialog with. Just going at it with the two of them made we want to stay away forever. Bryan, at least I can say is a good guy and truly does mean well; even if he does have amazing powers of sophistry – and he has an odd sense of “unity” and “ecumenism”. Armstrong on the other hand…. I’m still speechless.

--- Mark (Catholic) [link], on Frank Ramirez' ("kepha's") blog, fides quarens intellectum, 6 November 2008 [link]

Dave . . . rises to any challenges against the Catholic faith coming his way. He's exhaustive, punctilious and for most of his adversaries, quite aggravating. He's the Catholic that no one can seem to shut up, and this grates on the nerves of anti-Catholic controversialists, whether of the scholarly kind, or of demagogues, bigots, and sophists. Dave will perform a real analysis of their postulates, atomize their arguments into individual thought components, and judge every single one individually on its merits, and also within their literary context. Anti-Catholics lose patience very quickly under this kind of scrutiny; many of them escape it by attacking Dave personally. Yet the man is completely unassuming, a simple soul, living simply with no pretensions at anything. I would say that his is a monastic life of work, prayer, and vast amounts of writing.

--- Pedro Vega (Catholic), 11 June 2005 on his blog, after we met [link]

. . . not interested in serious argument . . . handwaving and pseudo-philosophical mumbo-jumbo . . . hysterics . . . martyr . . . immaturity . . . [like] fundamentalists at the Pizza Parlor . . . arrogant, smug, pseudo-philosopher . . . behave like an ass . . . braying . . . crybaby . . . no understanding [of] basic philosophical method . . . logical fallacies and valueless tautologies . . . smug assertions . . . name-calling . . . hollow ridicule . . . baseless accusations . . . [no] substance . . . [doesn't understand] science or logic . . . closed mindedness . . . ignorance . . . lack of mental prowess . . . laziness.

---several scientific materialists in a November 2002 thread about same (This is my favorite set of personal insults of all time, and a source of endless amusement :-)

Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

--- Matthew 5:11-12

But no human being can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so.

--- James 3:8-10

What a special blessing it was yesterday and today to have as my guests Dave and Judy Armstrong . . . Judy Armstrong is a loving brown-eyed beauty, the kind of wife and mother many families could only dream of having. When she and Dave look at each other, their bond is obvious, a long history of shared crosses and blessings with a respected partner and an attraction which still has plenty of sparks and sparkle. Together, they are rearing terrific children and supporting each other in ministry. What a blessing it was to have hours of private conversation with Dave and Judy . . . Who is this Dave Armstrong? What is he really like? Well, he is affable, gentle, sweet, easily pleased, very appreciative, and affectionate . . . I was totally unprepared for the real guy. He's a teddy bear, cuddly and sweet. Doesn't interrupt, sits quietly and respectfully as his wife and/or another woman speaks at length. Doesn't dominate the conversation. Just pleasantly, cheerfully enjoys whatever is going on about him at the moment and lovingly affirms those in his presence. Most of the time he has a relaxed, sweet smile.

--- Becky Mayhew (Catholic), 9 May 2009, on the Coming Home Network Forum

Dave Armstrong . . . isn’t just a narcissistic little jerk. He’s actually evil.

--- Steve Hays (anti-Catholic reformed Protestant apologist and polemicist), 13 April 2009

Let me just say a word here for Dave Armstrong. Despite his tendency to unload hundreds of pages and somewhat excessive self-promotion, he is a former Protestant Catholic who is in fact blessedly free of the kind of "any enemy of Protestantism is a friend of mine" coalition-building we've been discussing . . . Maybe he went through a 'I despise all of my past' stage at one point in his life, but at least now, he's pro-Catholic (naturally) without being anti-Protestant (or anti-Orthodox, for that matter).

---"CPA": Lutheran professor of history [see his site]: unsolicited remarks of 12 July 2005

Dave Armstrong is not merely closing the comments section of his apologetic blog -- he's getting out of the apologetic blog business entirely!

--- Dr. Eric Svendsen (anti-Catholic Protestant apologist), 4 January 2005

Thanks again for the great work you're doing for Christ and His Church.

--- Dr. Scott Hahn (Catholic apologist)

Usually the foaming at the mouth stuff is reserved for the Dave Armstrongs of the world. Get a real job Dave. Maybe you can debate people and lose for a living.

--- Bret L. McAtee (anti-Catholic Reformed Protestant pastor)

You are one of the most thoughtful and careful apologists out there.

--- Dr. Edwin Tait (Anglican Church historian)

I am reading your stuff since I think it is the most thorough and perhaps the best defense of Catholicism out there.

I have had many run-ins with Dave via email and he has been nothing but respectful and kind to me. He has shown me great respect despite knowing full well that I disagree with him on the essential issues.

--- Sam Shamoun (Reformed apologist who specializes in outreach to Muslims)

DA will use anything to attack the truth.

--- Right Reverend Bishop James White (anti-Catholic Reformed Baptist apologist), 28 March 2004

As for the body of your work generically considered, I think that certainly there must be some things of great value in your work . . . I do like your stuff on Lewis and Tolkien and “mythopoeics”. No doubt your materials on Mormonism and other counter-cult issues are valuable, too. I’ve read a few of your blog posts about abortion, and yes, those have been truly outstanding. Clearly you’re not some fringe kook just blabbing on a blog; you have a serious purpose in God’s Kingdom, and I’m glad for it. I have erred, I suppose, in not telling you when I found things of yours to be good, and so for that I ask your forgiveness.

--- Tim Enloe (Reformed Protestant apologist and controversialist)

Dave Armstrong is part of that narrow, clustered source of a body of anti-traditional Catholic thought . . . I feel safe enough saying that I think they have a hand in the destruction of the Faith . . . in general terms, I believe that they do immense damage to the Church.

--- "Emerald" ("traditionalist" Catholic)

I can testify to [Dave's] friendship with non-Catholic Christians personally; we built a good friendship when I was Anglican. He has always treated me with respect, never was he arrogant, triumphalistic or anything like that.

--- Bret Bellamy (Catholic)

. . . a moron . . . arrogant . . .

--- Brian Mershon ("traditionalist" Catholic)

I genuinely appreciate those few, like Dave . . . who are interested in the discussion in terms of both explaining their own views well and thoroughly and pushing people to do the same with their own. Based on my experience in this case, forming a dialogue successfully is like pulling teeth, no matter how sincere your motives. Of course, that just makes what Dave and others do (and the amount of effort it requires) look all the more impressive!

--- Jonathan Prejean (Catholic apologist)

When I was in a similar position -- i.e., when a lot of people thought the microwave had been going for long enough and I was about to pope any second -- a lot of Catholic e-pologists annoyed me to no end, badgering me about when I was going to take the plunge, etc., which only made my ornery nature want to stay away. Dave Armstrong was the Catholic who showed the most respect for my position. He asked questions, but he never badgered.

--- Greg Krehbiel (Catholic)

I admire, as ever, your fantastic and penetrating work.

--- Patrick Madrid (Catholic apologist)

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The Bible, Church, Tradition, & Canon (Index Page)

Apostolic Succession Based on Biblical Data / Supposed "Prooftexting" & Protestant Reluctance to Discuss Bible Text Interpretations With Catholics (+ Discussion)

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