(Martin Luther, in the year 1532; from Protestant Luther biographer Roland H. Bainton, Studies on the Reformation [Boston: Beacon Press, 1963], p. 26; primary source: WA [Werke, Weimar edition in German], XXX, 552)
*
*
*
THE INDEFECTIBILITY OF THE CHURCH
“Could the Catholic Church Go Off the Rails?” (Indefectibility) [1997]
Anti-Catholic Orthodox Claims of Exclusive Apostolic Succession [Nov. 1998; revised in 2004]
Indefectibility: Does God Protect His Church from Doctrinal Error? [11-1-05; abridged and reformulated a bit on 2-14-17]
“The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail” Against the Church [11-11-08]
Indefectibility of the One True Church (vs. Calvin #9) [5-16-09]
Indefectibility & Apostolic Succession (vs. Calvin #10) [5-18-09]
Dialogue with a Lutheran on Ecclesiology & Old Testament Indefectibility Analogies [11-22-11]
The Bible on the Indefectibility of the Church [2013]
Michael Voris’ Ultra-Pessimistic Views Regarding the Church [7-3-13]
Critique of Three Michael Voris Statements Regarding the State of the Church [7-3-13]
Indefectibility, Fear, & the Synod on the Family [9-30-15]
Quasi-Defectibility and Phil Lawler vs. Pope Francis (see also more documentation of Lawler’s reactionary leanings, on the Facebook thread) [12-28-17]
Salesian Apologetics #1: Indefectibility of the Church [2-4-20]
Reply to a Despairing Catholic Seminarian (Indefectibility) [6-26-21]
APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY
*
RULE OF FAITH (BIBLE + CHURCH + TRADITION)
*
Vatican II Defended Against Reactionary (and Some Traditionalist) Charges [4-25-14; expanded and re-edited: 1-23-17]
“Novelties” of Vatican II (Religious Liberty & Ecumenism)? [2-10-17]
*
Bp. Schneider Evokes Luther’s Disdain for Councils [7-17-20]
Is Vatican II Analogous to “Failed” Lateran Council V? (Reply to Timothy Flanders) [8-11-20]
Defense of Vatican II vs. Oliveira Leonardo’s Attacks [10-13-22]
*
**
A Response to Archbishop Viganò’s Letter about Vatican II (Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM., Cap., The Catholic World Report, 8-13-20)
Vatican II and “weaponized ambiguity” (Dr. Pedro Gabriel, Where Peter Is, 10-1-20)
*
Karl Keating is More Concerned About My Classifying Kwasniewski as a “Reactionary” Than About His Serious Errors, Including Rejecting Both Vatican II and Vatican I [Facebook, 12-3-20]
*
Steve Skojec Casually Rejects Vatican I [One]; Cares Not a Thing About Existing Dogmas [Facebook, 9-15-21]
*
*
Dialogue on the Logic of Catholic Infallible Authority [6-4-96]
Pope Silvester and the Council of Nicaea (vs. James White) [August 1997]
Conciliar Infallibility: Summary from Church Documents [6-5-98]
Infallibility, Councils, and Levels of Church Authority: Explanation of the Subtleties of Church Teaching and Debate with Several Radical Catholic Reactionaries [7-30-99; terminology updated, and a few minor changes made on 7-31-18]
Eastern Orthodoxy, Councils, & Doctrinal Development [2000]
The Analogy of an Infallible Bible to an Infallible Church [11-6-05; rev. 7-25-15; published at National Catholic Register: 6-16-17]
Cdl. Newman, Vatican I & II, & Papal Infallibility (Clarification) [12-10-05]
The Bible on Papal & Church Infallibility [5-16-06]
Galileo Affair: No Disproof of Catholic Infallibility (vs. Ken Temple) [5-18-06]
Protestant Historian Philip Schaff: The Church Fathers Believed in Conciliar Infallibility Based on the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) [Facebook, 10-8-07]
Infallibility: Dialogue with a Traditional Anglican [10-6-08]
Papal Participation in the First Seven Ecumenical Councils [4-22-09]
Popes & Early Ecumenical Councils (vs. Calvin #16) [6-15-09]
Authority and Infallibility of Councils (vs. Calvin #26) [8-25-09]
Catholic Development of Doctrine: A Defense (vs. Jason Engwer; Emphasis on the Canon of the Bible & Church Infallibility) (+ Pt. II / Pt. III / Pt. IV) [1-15-10]
Dialogue with an Atheist on the Galileo Fiasco and its Relation to Catholic Infallibility (vs. Jon Curry) [8-11-10]
Books by Dave Armstrong: Biblical Proofs for an Infallible Church and Papacy [2012]
“Reply to Calvin” #2: Infallible Church Authority [3-3-17]
*
*
*
*
Dialogue on the Logic of Catholic Infallible Authority [6-4-96]
Church Authority & Certainty (The “Infallibility Regress”) [July 2000; some revisions on 12-8-11]
Ecclesiological Certainty (?) & the “Infallibility Regress” [5-22-03 and 10-7-08]
Does Church Infallibility Require Infallible Catholics? [6-8-10]
“How Can we Find a List of Infallible Catholic Doctrines?” [12-15-18]
*
CLERICAL CELIBACY
Clerical Celibacy & the Principle of Asceticism in Catholicism (Louis Bouyer) [1997; Facebook]
Mandatory Celibacy of Priests & Religious (Dialogue) [1997-1998]
Why Peter’s Marriage Doesn’t Disprove Catholicism: A Dialogue [January 1999]
Clerical Celibacy: Hostile Protestant Commentary & Catholic Replies [2-21-04]
Martin Luther & Antipathy Towards Clerical Celibacy [2-21-04]
Dialogue w a Baptist on Required Clerical Celibacy [7-2-06]
Objections to Clerical Celibacy: In-Depth Dialogue [7-12-06]
Unbiblical Rejection of Priestly Celibacy (vs. Calvin #31) [9-15-09]
Clerical Celibacy: Dialogue with John Calvin [9-17-09]
Mandatory Celibacy of Catholic Priests in the Western / Latin Rite: A New (?) Argument [11-16-12]
Further Reflections on Mandatory Priestly Celibacy [8-2-14]
The Fruitfulness of the Eunuch Devoted to God (Isaiah 56) (Paul Seberras) [Facebook, 2-7-17]
Consecrated Virginity & Catholic “Both / And” [9-13-17]
Priestly Celibacy: Ancient, Biblical and Pauline [National Catholic Register, 9-18-17]
Priestly Celibacy: Garden-Variety Objections Debunked [9-18-17]
Married Bishops (1 Tim 3) & Catholic Celibacy: Contradiction? [9-18-17; expanded on 6-20-18]
Q & A with a Critic of Priestly Celibacy [National Catholic Register, 2-4-19]
Thoughts on Fr. Jonathan Morris’ Laicization Request [5-21-19]
Madison vs. Jesus #5: Cultlike Forsaking of Family? [8-5-19]
Pope Francis: Strong Defender of Priestly Celibacy [1-14-20]
Priestly Celibacy as a Discipline: Steve Skojec’s Ignorance [3-20-20]
St. Peter’s Marriage and Priestly Celibacy [National Catholic Register, 4-9-20]
Dialogue: Are More Married Catholic Priests Desirable? [1-13-22]
On Whether Required Celibacy is “Biblical” (vs. Lucas Banzoli) [9-24-22]
Objection to Mandatory Priestly Celibacy Based on Married Bishops (1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9) [Facebook, 9-24-22]
Clergy Celibacy: Back-and-Forth with Lucas Banzoli [11-16-22]
Priestly Celibacy: Explicit and Undeniable Biblical Proof [Catholic365, 11-6-23]
*
TITLE OF CATHOLIC
Catholic or Roman Catholic? (Proper Titles) (w J. Akin) [1996]
Catholic Christian Implies a Non-Catholic Ecclesiology? [3-23-06]
Objections to the Reactionary Epithet Neo-Catholic [3-9-07]
In What Century Did the Title, “Catholic Church” Begin? [7-22-07]
On the Use of Traditionalist Preceding the Name of Catholic [7-3-13]
On the Use of the Titles Catholic & Roman Catholic [10-20-17]
Jame’s White: Hypocritical Use of “Roman Catholic Church” [11-11-19]
GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
Is Catholicism Half-Pagan? [1999; revised in one section on 2-22-06]
Is Catholicism Half-Pagan, & a Blend of Gospel & Lies? [2007]
Biblical Evidence for Expensive Church Buildings [3-18-08]
Why Is the Catholic Church Singularly Despised & Hated? [7-7-08]
Biblical Evidence Against Tithing [2-4-09]
Biblical Evidence for Holy Days [9-21-09]
Mandatory Tithing: Further Thoughts [11-1-09]
“Leaven” of the Pharisees: Hypocrisy or False Doctrine? (vs. Nathan Rinne) [11-3-11]
Reply to Robin Phillips’ “Why I’m Not a Catholic” [1-31-12]
Dialogue on the Renaissance: Good or Bad Thing? [3-20-13]
Discussion of the Met Gala, in Which Catholicism was Mocked in Some of the Costumes [Facebook, 5-8-18]
Take Heart: Notre Dame Will be Rebuilt: Better Than Ever! [4-16-19]
“Who is My Mother?”: Beginning of “Familial Church” [8-26-19]
*
ST. TERESA OF CALCUTTA (MOTHER TERESA)
Mother Teresa on Love & Theology [9-5-16]
Malcolm Muggeridge & Mother Teresa: A Blessed, Fruitful Meeting [9-6-16]
The Holy Collaboration of Mother Teresa and Malcom Muggeridge [National Catholic Register, 6-20-18]
***
*
***
*
Practical Matters: Perhaps some of my 4,600+ free online articles (the most comprehensive “one-stop” Catholic apologetics site) or fifty-five books have helped you (by God’s grace) to decide to become Catholic or to return to the Church, or better understand some doctrines and why we believe them.
Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. I’m always in need of more funds: especially monthly support. “The laborer is worthy of his wages” (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a full-time Catholic apologist, and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog.
PayPal donations are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. Here’s also a second page to get to PayPal. You’ll see the term “Catholic Used Book Service”, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing (including Zelle), see my page: About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong / Donation Information. Thanks a million from the bottom of my heart!
*
Last updated on 25 March 2024