The Beauty Dialogues, Part 5

Today Morgan Meis continues his periodic exchanges on the nature of beauty with Image founder Gregory Wolfe. Dear Greg, In your last letter, you asked me not to hesitate in taking a “real swing” at you, philosophically speaking. (Or were you suggesting that this tête-à-tête must inevitably culminate in the back of an alley somewhere?) [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/beauty-dialogues-part-5/

Preaching the End of the World

I learned the news that guitarist Chris Cornell’s death had been declared a suicide on Thursday, May 18—which also happened to be the fourth day in a row I had not managed to get over to the pharmacy to pick up my antidepressant prescription. Which meant that I had not taken my medicine for at [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/preaching-end-world/

Analogical Reasoning, and Reasoning from Plausibility

(Using the Example of my Paper, “Biblical Evidence for Marian Apparitions”) Dimensions are used as an analogy to the Holy Trinity. This is a drawing of the first four dimensions. On the left is zero dimensions (a point) and on the right is four dimensions (A tesseract). Drawing by “NerdBoy1392” [Wikimedia Commons /  Creative Commons [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/analogical-reasoning-and-reasoning-from-plausibility.html

Dialogue with a Protestant: Authority of the Jerusalem Council

The Conversion of St. Paul (1600), by Caravaggio (1571-1610) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** Joshua Scott is a Protestant who responded to my challenge to interact point-by-point with one of my articles. He chose to wrangle with the section on the Jerusalem council from my book, The Catholic Verses (2004), and some additional material [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-protestant-authority-jerusalem-council.html

Poetry Friday: “The Key”

I love this poem for its exuberance. The fat bee, “big as a blackberry,” bumping heavily against the pane. The impossibility of an acorn’s power. The very idea of “infant waterfalls.” Each vivid, particular thing of beauty from the natural world that Friman presents to us bears itself simply and humbly– yet appears remarkable when [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/poetry-friday-key/

Catholic Sinners & Corruption: the “Jesus, Paul, & Revelation” Retort

The Kiss of Judas, by James Tissot (1836-1902) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** There are about 5,100 Catholic bishops in the world. Jesus picked twelve disciples, yet one of them betrayed Him. That’s an 8% ratio of “bad apostles / bishops.” Another denied Him three times, but he repented, so (to be gracious) we [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/catholic-sinners-corruption-jesus-paul-revelation-retort.html

Conciliar Infallibility / Council of Constance & John Hus’ Execution

Jan Hus before the Council of Constance (1883), by  Václav Brožík (1851-1901) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** My Presbyterian (OPC) friend John E. Taylor started this discussion on Facebook, in relation to my paper, Why Do Protestants Reject the Notion of “One True Church”? His words will be in blue. *** Dave, the record of [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/conciliar-infallibility-council-constance-john-huss-execution.html

A Conversation with Van Gessel

By Mary Kenagy Mitchell Van Gessel has been Shusaku Endo’s primary English translator since the 1970s. He has translated eight of his novels and worked as a consultant on Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Silence. I asked him about the previously untranslated Endo story in Image issue 92, and about what Endo’s work has to say [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/conversation-van-gessel/

Veneration of Images, Iconoclasm, & Idolatry (An Exposition)

Christ and Saint Mina. 6th-century icon from Bawit, Egypt [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (11-15-02) *** The following excerpt from the Anglican Nonjuror Bishops — in 1722 (text in blue) — was taken from a web page by Anglican priest [later, Anabaptist] David Bercot [link now defunct]. Afterwards I make a general defense of the [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/veneration-images-iconoclasm-idolatry-exposition.html

Why Do Protestants Reject the Notion of “One True Church”?

Leipzig New Town Hall. The tower is a remnant of the old Pleissenburg building: where the Leipzig Disputation took place in 1519: arguably the historical origin of the Protestant doctrine of sola Scriptura. Photograph by Johannes Kazah (5-23-10). [Wikimedia Commons /  Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license] *** Recently, two Protestants (originally on my Facebook page) [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/protestants-utterly-reject-notion-one-true-church.html

Alleluia for the Easter Season

I used to find Easter a letdown. Lent is so full of the self-improvement activities of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. I typically add a midday prayer to my usual Morning and Evening Prayer. I decide what organizations I want to give alms to: a different one each week of Lent. And fasting: not from food [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/alleluia-easter-season/

Sam Shamoun: Catholic Church Murdered “50-68 Million”

Depiction (from hostile sources) of a torture chamber of the Spanish Inquisition with suspected heretics having their feet burned or being suspended with a rope from a pulley while scribes note down confessions. Engraving by B. Picart, 1722. [Wikimedia Commons /  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license] *** (April 2014) *** Sam Shamoun does great [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/sam-shamoun-catholic-church-murdered-50-68-million.html

Trump Doesn’t Know that Israel is in the Middle East?

Street art: photograph taken by Matt Brown (1-25-16) [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] *** This is the latest in the liberal media’s ongoing ultra-hostile narrative: deliberately intended to destroy President Trump’s presidency. For example (one of many such articles): “Trump Humiliates Himself By Not Knowing That Israel Is In The Middle East” (Jason Easley, [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/trump-doesnt-know-israel-middle-east.html

Inventing the Kingdom, Part 2

This post, which appears as the Editorial Statement in Image issue 92, is continued from yesterday. [Link to yesterday’s post here] “I consider myself a sort of portrait artist,” Carrère says, and his other books bear this out, but in The Kingdom most of the best portraits are of the bit players. Carrère’s rendering of Saint [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/inventing-kingdom-part-2/

Belief in One True Church: Is it “Breathtakingly Arrogant”?

Something called “my church” was built by Jesus upon St. Peter (meaning, “Rock”), who was also given “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). Saint Peter Catholic Church (Millersburg, Ohio) – stained glass, St. Peter – detail. Photograph by “Nheyob” (4-18-15) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license] *** My friend, [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/belief-one-apostolic-church-breathtakingly-arrogant.html

Inventing the Kingdom, Part 1

This post appears as the Editorial Statement in Image issue 92. When The Kingdom landed on my desk with a thud, I could tell that it would pose a challenge—that it would be a book I had to contend with. In addition to being a substantial tome, it comes with the cultural imprimatur conveyed by its [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/inventing-kingdom-part-1/

“Ad Orientem”: A Defense of Priests Facing the Altar at Mass

The Mass of St. Giles, detail, by Meister des Saint Gilles (c. 1500) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (11-20-13) *** [from a thread on Mark Brumley’s Facebook page] *** I’m not legalistic at all about this, but I think it is undeniable that ad orientem makes more sense, given what is happening in the Mass. If the prayers at Mass are [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/ad-orientem-defense-priests-facing-altar-mass.html

Poetry Friday: “The Spirit of Promise”

Memories can make good material for poetry. In “The Spirit of Promise,” Daniel Donaghy is remembering his Catholic childhood in the particular church that he’s now re-visiting. At first the poet’s memories are negative: “my grade-school nuns shaking // their heads at me”; the priest “putting down his Chesterfield / to tell me how many [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/poetry-friday-spirit-promise/

St. Joseph: Our Father? – Part 1

Fatherlessness has become an epidemic in our society:  43% of our kids grow up without fathers (US Census), approaching a catastrophe rivaling the 1918 flu pandemic when an estimated 56% of the world was infected.  Fatherlessness is devastating—legally, morally, psychologically, and spiritually. A shocking snapshot of our fatherless youth shows they comprise 63% of youth [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2017/05/st-joseph-father-part-1/

Trump and the Borgias: The Stuff of Great TV

Five hundred years from now our present political confusions, conflicts, and outrages will become the stuff of high melodrama. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would look back on this period of American history as entertainment, but they’re bound to, I expect. Not Singin’ in the Rain entertainment, but certainly something like Wall Street or [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/trump-borgias-stuff-great-tv/

Dialogue on Oral Tradition & Apostolic Succession

Jesus referred to “Moses’ seat” as the basis upon which the Pharisees had teaching authority. This is an analogy to apostolic succession. The Pharisees and the Saduccees Come to Tempt Jesus, by James Tissot (1836-1902) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** John E. Taylor is a Presbyterian friend of mine (OPC). This occurred in a Facebook [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-oral-tradition-apostolic-succession.html

Fasting for the Dead in the Old Testament (Not Unlike Praying)

Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem (1630), by Rembrandt (1606-1669) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (11-4-12) * * * * * If someone is fasting “for” the dead, they obviously think that the dead can be helped in some fashion by that act. Thus, it is the same act in essence as praying for [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/fasting-dead-old-testament-not-unlike-praying.html

The Sound of Scorsese’s Silence

By Nick Olson It’s been nearly a month since I finally saw Scorsese’s Silence, and what I remember most is the cry of cicadas and how crucial sound is to the film’s translation of Shūsaku Endō’s novel. The cicadas’ song is loud, and in Silence, they sound a sorrowful note. We hear the cicadas and [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/sound-scorseses-silence/

Reply to “CPA” on Catholic Apologists & the Biblical Canon

The Old Library at Trinity College, Dublin, which displays the Book of Kells (Ireland: c. 800) every year. Photograph by Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ (3-16-15) [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] *** (2-21-05) *** CPA’s words (he is a Lutheran professor of history) will be in green. Words of Catholics (and/or Catholic apologists – real or [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/reply-cpa-catholic-apologists-biblical-canon.html

The New Testament Canon & Historical Processes

Book of Kells (Ireland: c. 800), Folio 291v, Portrait of St. John [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (1996; from my book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism) *** In order for Protestants to exercise the principles of sola Scriptura they first have to accept the antecedent premise of what books constitute Scripture — in particular, [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/new-testament-canon-historical-processes.html

“It’s Like We’re On The Same Wavelength!” – Metaphor or Neuroscience?

We all love those moments of meeting someone, or spending time with them, and everything just “clicks.” We say the same thing at the same time, feel the same emotions, or have the same opinions. Often, we refer to this type of encounter as “being on the same wavelength” with someone. But is this statement [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2017/05/like-wavelength-metaphor-neuroscience/

Tweeting my Theology

When I went to seminary, there was concern. Friends whispered. Had I gone rogue? Or worse: been “saved”? Would I suddenly start dropping things like washed in the blood into regular conversation? Admittedly, the calling to serve the church was sudden and powerful, like lightning. I had always considered myself a Christian, even if I [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/tweeting-my-theology/

The Madding Crowd

Why is it that we so often gain courage or cowardice to do bad from other members of a group, but seldom the courage to do good? Why is it that the herd instinct kicks in mostly when the object is to tear something to shreds, like beasts? Or when we’re put in fear by [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/the-madding-crowd/

Virgin Mary = Mary Mother of Joses & James & “the Other Mary”?

Mary Magdalene and the Holy Women at the Tomb, by James Tissot (1836-1902) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** My esteemed Presbyterian friend John E. Taylor argued for this equation in my Facebook combox. I believe I demonstrated that this is untrue; including citing three very reputable Protestant scholars / scholarly works. His words will be in [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/virgin-mary-mary-mother-joses-james-mary.html

Dialogue with a Lutheran, on Lutheran-Catholic Differences

St. John’s Lutheran Church in Zanesville, Ohio [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (4-6-09) *** This is an exchange I had with a friendly Lutheran woman, on the Coming Home Network board; posted with her permission. Her words will be in blue. * * * * * Hi [name], So nice to “meet” you, and [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-lutheran-lutheran-catholic-differences.html

Church Authority & Certainty (The “Infallibility Regress”)

Church in Malta [PublicDomainPictures.Net / CC0 license] *** (July 2000; some revisions on 12-8-11) ***** Fundamental Epistemological Reasons for Accepting Catholic Principles of Authority When faith is brought in, we can have a “certainty” in the biblical or spiritual sense. But as for “absolute certainty,” I have made the same argument about Protestants (Calvinist and [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/church-authority-certainty-infallibility-regress.html

TV Interview: On Catholicism, Over Against Protestantism

Cologne Cathedral, Germany. Photograph by Vasil Kunchev (7-27-09) [Pexels.com / CC0 license] *** (5-1-99) *** This is a transcript of a May 1, 1999 interview via telephone with Dick Kelley (his words are in blue), host for a Connecticut Catholic apologetics television show called Pillar of Truth (my black-and-white mug shot appeared on the screen [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/tv-interview-catholicism-protestantism.html

Q & A on Catholicism, Over Against Protestantism (TV Interview)

Cologne Cathedral, Germany. Photograph by Vasil Kunchev (7-27-09) [Pexels.com / CC0 license] *** (5-1-99) *** This is a transcript of a May 1, 1999 interview via telephone with Dick Kelley (his words are in blue), host for a Connecticut Catholic apologetics television show called Pillar of Truth (my black-and-white mug shot appeared on the screen [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/q-catholicism-protestantism-tv-interview.html

Denominationalism and Sectarianism: An Anti-Biblical Scandal

[Max Pixel / CC0 public domain] ***  (1996) ***  [The words in blue are paraphrases of actual dialogue comments or questions from an evangelical Protestant friend] ***** What do you tell the man on the street who is looking for spiritual and theological truth: “we can’t give you any certainty, but at least we’re not [with [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/denominationalism-sectarianism-anti-biblical-scandal.html

Poetry Friday: “Rain”

The emotional landscape of motherhood can often be hard to describe and is underrepresented in genres such as poetry. As a poet and mother of a two-year old with a new baby on the way, I appreciated “Rain” by Tara Bray and found it very instructive on several levels. In this candid poem, a “family [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/poetry-friday-rain/

Livres de Dave Armstrong: Révélation !

[La traduction en français par Benoit Meyrieux s’est terminée le 13 avril 2017 et a été publiée à Lulu le même jour. 268 pages] [French translation by Benoit Meyrieux completed on 13 April 2017 and published at Lulu on the same day. 268 pages] [see information for the original 2013 English version] [conception de couverture par [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/livres-de-dave-armstrong-revelation.html

Genesis Contradictory (?) Creation Accounts & Hebrew Time

+ Refutation of a Clueless and Dumbfounded Imaginary Atheist “Biblical Contradiction” for the 3,862nd Time When a massive star exploded in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way, it left behind an expanding shell of debris (supernova remnant). NASA Hubble Telescope photograph (released on 1-22-15) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** Awadhesh Kumar [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/genesis-creation-accounts-hebrew-conception-time.html

The “Oh, There You Are” Prayer

Three egg sacs hang in suspension in the garden near my doorstep. When I look for information online, most resulting websites discuss removal, infestation, means of discarding. The spider has lived between the wall and garden for a little over a month, a strange home in the alley’s wind tunnel. Gusts waver the plants during [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/the-oh-there-you-are-prayer/

Catholicism and Evolution / Charles Darwin’s Religious Beliefs

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) in 1869. Photograph by J. Cameron [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (8-19-09) *** From exchanges on the Coming Home Network board: *** David W. Emery, fellow moderator: Catholic dogma on creation states only two things: Whatever exists came into being because of God’s creative and providential action; and Adam and Eve [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/catholicism-evolution-charles-darwins-religious-beliefs.html

Old Earth, Flood Geology, Local Flood, & Uniformitarianism

Was the Grand Canyon formed from one deposit after Noah’s Flood? Photograph by Antoine Taveneaux (4-24-11) [Wikimedia Commons /  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license] *** (5-25-04; many defunct links removed and new ones added: 5-10-17) *** I will list a host of links to articles explaining the evidences which (I believe) form a [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/old-earth-flood-geology-uniformitarianism.html

Become A Certified Catholic Counselor or Life Coach–Holy Apostles College & Seminary Offers 2 New Programs

Would you like to discover how to apply the timeless wisdom of our Catholic faith and cutting-edge insights from contemporary psychology to help the faithful lead more graceful and abundant lives? According to an American Association of Pastoral Counselors/Greenberg Survey, 34% of Catholics in the US would prefer to receive counseling from a therapist who [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2017/05/become-certified-catholic-counselor-life-coach-holy-apostles-college-seminary-offers-2-new-programs/

Become A Certified Catholic Counselor or Certified Catholic Life Coach–Holy Apostles College & Seminary Offers 2 New Programs

Would you like to discover how to apply the timeless wisdom of our Catholic faith and cutting-edge insights from contemporary psychology to help the faithful lead more graceful and abundant lives? According to an American Association of Pastoral Counselors/Greenberg Survey, 34% of Catholics in the US would prefer to receive counseling from a therapist who [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2017/05/become-certified-catholic-counselor-certified-catholic-life-coach-holy-apostle-college-seminary-offers-2-new-programs/

Quartet for J. Robert Oppenheimer

What would you think of a biography of a famous person written in the form of a poem? I don’t mean just a portrait of the person: Stephanie Strickland did this (masterfully) in her The Red Virgin: A Poem of Simone Weil. No, I mean a full, chronological biography—birth to death and reputation beyond—complete with [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/quartet-j-robert-oppenheimer/

Reply to Muslim Apologist Shabir Ally on Trinitarianism

  Dave Armstrong at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; Dome of the Rock (the third holiest spot in Islam) in the background (October 2014) *** (5-14-04) *** Critique of the full text of the paper, Was Jesus Perfect God and Perfect Man at the Same Time? (from the web page, Islam Answers Back). Mr. Ally’s words [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/reply-muslim-apologist-shabir-ally-trinitarianism.html

Review of “The Book of Non-Contradiction” (Phillip Campbell)

[Amazon image] *** The full title of this book is, The Book of Non-Contradiction: Harmonizing the Scriptures (Grass Lake, Michigan: Cruachan Hill Press, 2017). ***** Phillip Campbell has provided a very valuable service for Christians, in this defense of the inspiration of Scripture, in terms of showing how alleged biblical contradictions really aren’t contradictions at all.  Having [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/review-book-non-contradiction-phillip-campbell.html

When Your Emotions Get Derailed: Here’s How YOU Can Get Back On Track

You overslept through your alarm, you’re late for work, and—on top of that—your kids are sick… With all of this going on its easy to feel overwhelmed and out of control, which only adds to the stress of daily life, instead of helping to solve the problem. So how do we get back on track [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2017/05/emotions-get-derailed-heres-can-get-back-track/

Disturbing the Silence: Part 2

Continued from yesterday. It’s not until my husband and I return from our getaway weekend and arrive home from the cabin to the Internet, to the noise of children, to the chaos of community life creeping in, that I find the space to read Wendell Berry’s poetry. This poem, in particular, resonates with me: How to [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/disturbing-silence-part-2/

Dialogue on Sheol / Hades & the Rich Man and Lazarus

vs. Baptist “Grubb” The Descent into Hell (1568), by Jacopo Tintoretto (1518-1594) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (2-28-08) *** Grubb’s words will be in blue. The first comment I responded to (in green) was from fellow Catholic Keith Rickert, Jr. * * * * * How did God ultimately deal with the rebellion of [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-sheol-hades-rich-man-lazarus.html

Debate: How Pro-Life is the Republican Party (Esp. the Leadership)?

Embryo: 9-10 weeks. Photograph by “lunar caustic” (12-20-07) [Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 license] ***** Someone put up a meme that read: “Dems: Worshiping Moloch While Pretending Not to Worship Mammon / GOP: Worshiping Mammon While Pretending Not to Worship Moloch.” ***** It’s silly to claim that the GOP is pretending to be pro-life, seeing that [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/debate-pro-life-republican-party-leadership.html

The Common Pill That Negatively Effects Women’s Wellbeing

In the secular world, birth control is essentially represented as a worry-free form of contraception. However, new research suggests that this may not be the case. Dr Niklas Zethraeus, a scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, stated, “Despite the fact that an estimated 100 million women around the world use contraceptive pills we know [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2017/05/common-pill-negatively-effects-womens-wellbeing/

The Rapture End-Times Scenario: Catholic Refutations

Image by Ivan Cujic [Pexels.com / CC0 public domain] ***** See the following articles and audio files (Carl Olson is the man!): ***   Five Myths About the Rapture (Carl E. Olson)   Lahaying the Rapture on Thick (Carl E. Olson)   Recycled Rapture (Carl E. Olson)   No Rapture for Rome: The Anti-Catholics behind the [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/resources-refuting-rapture-end-times-scenario.html

Disturbing the Silence: Part 1

The cabin where my husband and I are having a weekend getaway is on the border of Wisconsin, on the lip of a rustic lake where two canoes stick out of the water like discolored buckteeth. They are tipped upside down at the crook of a thin tilted dock. When my husband turns one of [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/disturbing-silence-part-1/

Dialogue on the Crusades, the Inquisition[s], & Slavery

Fernando Niño de Guevara, Grand Inquisitor of Spain, 1600-02, by El Greco (1541-1614) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (1998; Addendum added on 11-2-03) *** The following is from my Apologetics/Ecumenism discussion list. My opponents’ words will be in blue: * * * There is a fairly obvious example of a moral teaching that the church, [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-crusades-inquisitions-slavery.html

The Crusades: a Lot Like World War II (Mark Shea)

Photograph by “blitzmaerker” (June 2016) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** The following exchanges took place on Steve Ray’s public bulletin board, on 28-29 February 2000. The words of a person (“Walt”) who vigorously disagreed with Mark will be in blue. Words of other persons will be in green. *** [originally edited and uploaded on [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/crusades-lot-like-world-war-ii-mark-shea.html

Is Christianity Unfalsifiable? Is Empiricism the Only True Knowledge?

Photograph by JD Hancock (5-17-09) [Flickr / CC BY 2.0 license] *** “daniel” wrote underneath my post, Cause of the Big Bang: Atheist Geologist Challenged: ***** Science is a matter of falsifiable evidence. Religious views are non-falsifiable. They are two fields of differing worlds using approaches of different vocabulary and idioms. Philosophically, Western theological proofs are [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/christianity-unfalsifiable-empiricism-true-knowledge.html

Dialogue on Samuel Appearing to Saul (Witch of Endor)

The Shade of Samuel Invoked by Saul (1857), by Nikiforovich Dmitry Martynov (1826-1889) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** This is an exchange on my paper, Dialogue: Rich Man’s Prayer to Abraham (Lk 16) & Invocation of Saints. John E. Taylor is a Presbyterian friend of mine (OPC), whom I know “in real life.” His words will [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-samuel-appearing-saul-witch-endor.html

Dialogue on Sacramentalism, Holy Objects, and Relics

Incorrupt body of St. Joaquina Vedruna de Mas (1783-1854) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (2-26-09) *** This is a follow-up post to my previous entry, “Biblical Evidence for Candles, Incense, and Related Sacramental Symbolism for Prayer and Sacrifice.” Nick, a Protestant, has been very active in the combox for that post. I wanted to interact with [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-sacramentalism-physical-items-worship-relics.html

Lutheran Pastor Bashes Prayer to Mary & Rosary (“Vain Repetition”)

From: Max Pixel / FreeGreatPicture.com [CC0 public domain] ***** Lutheran pastor R. Daniel Carlson (LCMS) wrote on another public Facebook thread (his words in blue throughout):   Vain repetitions are what the pagans would do thinking that their non-existent pagan god could hear them if they said things enough times, or what a certain church [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/lutheran-pastor-bashes-prayer-mary-rosary-vain-repetition.html

Poetry Friday: “The Aging Maria”

The prose poem is a challenging genre. After all, what distinguishes “plain prose” from “prose poetry”? Here, in Judith Ortiz Cofer’s “The Aging Maria,” I’d say it’s, first, the liberty with sentence structure. Take the opening sentence: in a prose work we’d say it’s too long, stretches in too many directions. But here, each phrase [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/poetry-friday-aging-maria/

Debate with a Lutheran Pastor on Faith and Works

Image by “geralt” (April 2017) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** [from another public Facebook thread. Lutheran (LCMS) Pastor R. Daniel Carlson’s words will be in blue] ***** You can’t take a passage like “whoever BELIEVES (has faith) in Me will not perish but have everlasting life”, which are Christ’s own words from His mouth, [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/debate-lutheran-pastor-faith-works.html

Degrees of Grace / Quantifiable Differences in Grace

Image by “HypnoArt” (February 2017) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** Human beings can offer grace to each other. This is entirely biblical. The Bible describes St. Paul acting as a “mini-mediator” of grace that originates, of course, from God. Paul distributes it to others: 2 Corinthians 4:15 (RSV) For it [his many sufferings: 4:8-12, [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/degrees-grace-quantifiable-differences-grace.html

Degrees of Grace / Quantifiable Differences in Grace

Image by “HypnoArt” (February 2017) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** Human beings can offer grace to each other. This is entirely biblical. The Bible describes St. Paul acting as a “mini-mediator” of grace that originates, of course, from God. Paul distributes it to others: 2 Corinthians 4:15 (RSV) For it [his many sufferings: 4:8-12, [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/grace-substance-degrees-quantifiability.html

Grace Alone & Necessity of Good Works: Ecumenical Agreement

Original title: Catholics and Protestants Agree on Grace Alone and the Necessity of the Presence of Good Works in Regenerate and Ultimately Saved Persons; Disagree on Faith Alone The Good Samaritan, by Théodule Ribot (1823-1891) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] ***** If works (even ones enabled, caused by, and soaked in grace from A to Z) have [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/grace-alone-necessity-good-works-ecumenical-agreement.html

Singing the Qur’an in Different Voices

I sat through the meeting distracted, nervous. I should have been at ease. After all, I was with friends—members of a Christian-Muslim interfaith group, people I’d worked with for many years, people I trusted. But I was coming down with an acute case of performance anxiety. I had asked Ismet Akcin, the Islamic Center of [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/singing-quran-different-voices/

Dialogue: Rich Man’s Prayer to Abraham (Lk 16) & Invocation of Saints

Abraham and the Angels, by Aert de Gelder (1645-1727) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** Lutheran Pastor Ken Howes (LCMS) is a friendly dialogue partner, whom I respect a lot: especially how he always conducts himself like a Christian gentleman in discussion. His congregation is very blessed to have him. These exchanges occurred on a [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/dialogue-rich-mans-prayer-abraham-lk-16-invocation-saints.html

Is God Alone Holy, According to Scripture? Or Can We Be Too?

“Light Special Effects03” by “RAJESH misra” ( [PublicDomainPictures.net / CC0 public domain] *** Lutheran Pastor Ken Howes (LCMS) wrote on a public Facebook thread: I have told this story many times, but it’s always worth the retelling. I was about six or seven years old, and I was sitting out on my back porch with [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/god-alone-holy-according-scripture.html

Pascha, the Resurrection, and Ricky Gervais

Rays of midmorning sun shone through the window and fell in molten pools across the white sheets of our bed. Lying back on my two feather pillows, I could hear and smell the burgeoning sounds of spring through my open windows—birds chirping, the scent of sweet olive, the soft susurration of car wheels on the [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/pascha-resurrection-ricky-gervais/

Communitarian Aspects of Catholic Worship at Mass

Holy Family Catholic Church (Oldenburg, Indiana). Photo by “Nheyob” (9-21-13) [Wikimedia Commons /  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license] *** (11-29-07) *** A Catholic woman asked some questions and was critical of certain statements made by CHNI (probably Marcus Grodi). Here was my response. Her words will be paraphrased and in blue. * * [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/communitarian-aspects-catholic-worship-mass.html

Catholic Converts’ Qualms: Mariology, Formal Worship, Etc.

St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague. Photo by “kirkandmimi” (9-29-16) [Pixabay / CC0 public domain] *** (2-11-04; some new recommended links added on 5-2-17) *** [Derived from actual correspondence with one such person (without violating any confidences): hence the use of first-person address] ***** If you consider yourselves actually out of the Protestant position, then I will [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/catholic-converts-qualms-mariology-formal-worship-etc.html

Endurance Test

My father held the wall to work his way from the bed to the couch, avoiding the ship’s bell protruding from the wall. He was sick—the kind of sick that meant out of work too. It was his adrenal system, or his pineal gland, or a hormonal imbalance, depending on the doctor. And it was [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/endurance-test/

Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386) vs. Sola Scriptura as the Rule of Faith

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, by Francesco Bartolozzi (1727-1815) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (8-1-03) *** For preliminaries concerning my methodology and the burden of proof for showing if a Church Father believed in sola Scriptura, see my paper, Church Fathers & Sola Scriptura. St. Cyril of Jerusalem’s’ words will be in blue. Anti-Catholic polemicist [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/cyril-jerusalem-d-386-vs-sola-scriptura-rule-faith.html

Hippolytus (d. c. 236) vs. Sola Scriptura as the Rule of Faith

Church Fathers: 11th century mosaic; lower portions: oil painting of the 18th c.  St. Sophia of Kyiv [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] *** (8-1-03) *** For preliminaries concerning my methodology and the burden of proof for showing if a Church Father believed in sola Scriptura, see my paper, Church Fathers & Sola Scriptura. Hippolytus’ words [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/05/hippolytus-d-c-236-vs-sola-scriptura.html

Passover and Government Presence

“In what ways do you experience the presence of government—city, county, state, federal—in your life, your daily life, your professional life?” That’s how we began, with that question. Asking questions, that’s the practice, isn’t it, that leads to liberation? And that’s why we were there that night, wasn’t it, to recount an experience of liberation [Read More...]

from
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2017/05/passover-government-presence/