[cover design by Dave and Judy Armstrong]
INTRODUCTION
The carefully selected “essays” presented here were originally written and posted on my blog between the years of 2000 and 2013. I consider them to be some of my best: the “cream of the crop” of what has not yet been published in a book. A few have been condensed down from their original dialogue formats. Per the subtitle, I’d like this collection to be more along the lines of essays per se, with less written-out Bible verses: a bit more readable and flowing, so to speak. A good deal of my apologetics writing or research is more for the purpose of reference / documentation rather than “straight reading” .
I make no attempt to be systematic, and no necessary relation exists between one chapter and the next. This is, after all, a collection of diverse articles. But I think each one stands up on its own and has enough specific content and substance to warrant being included. Throughout, I presuppose in readers an above-average interest in apologetics and a certain amount of basic theological knowledge. Some particular chapters may not interest individual readers, and can be skipped over.
As always, my goal is to present writing that is characterized by the “three E’s”: edifying, educational, and enjoyable. By God’s grace, I hope I succeed, and I’d like to thank each reader from the bottom of my heart, for allowing me the privilege of sharing and defending the truths of the Catholic faith. Thanks especially to those who have followed my work for some time, and have purchased and read one or more of my books. You’ll never know how much I appreciate that, but rest assured that I do, very much so. All glory to God!
DEDICATION
Dedication (p. 3) [read above]
Introduction (p. 5) [read above]
1. Internet Apologetics and Practical Advice Regarding Evangelism (p. 11)
2. A Defense of Lay Catholic Apologetics a la Chesterton and Lewis (p. 39)
3. Luther’s Lie: Was the Bible Utterly Obscure Before His Translation? (p. 67)
4. Did St. Athanasius Believe in Sola Scriptura? (p. 79)
5. Does Extensive Use of Biblical Arguments Reduce to Sola Scriptura? (p. 89)
6. Private Judgment vs. Catholic Epistemology (p. 101)
7. Is Private Judgment Inconsistently Applied in Accepting Catholicism? (p. 111)
8. Justification is Not by Faith Alone and is Ongoing (p. 119) [read similar and expanded version online]
9. St. Paul’s Use of “Gift” and Infused Justification (p. 129)
10. St. Augustine’s Acceptance of Seven Sacraments (p. 139)
11. Sacramentalism, Relics, and the Pious Use of Physical Items in Worship (p. 147)
12. Does the Catholic Mass Re-Sacrifice Jesus? (p. 155)
13. John Wesley’s View of Purgatory: a Classic Case of Ironic and Inadvertent Approximation of the Very Catholic Teaching Ostensibly Being Opposed (p. 161)
14. Martin Luther’s Assertion That Purgatory is “Quite Plain” in 2 Maccabees (p. 173) [read online]
15. Biblical Evidence for Prayers of the Righteous Having More Effect and Power (p. 179) [read online]
16.Does the Bible Forbid All “Talking to Dead Men”? Lazarus and the Rich Man as a Counter-Argument (p. 189)
17. “Vain, Repetitious Prayer”: Jesus Illustrates What This Does Not Mean (p. 195)
18. Should we Invoke Mary at Our Death, and Does This Minimize Jesus? (p. 201)
19. Catholic Mariology and its Biblical Basis: Reply to a Lutheran Scholar (p. 209) [read original dialogue]
20. The Annunciation: Proof that Mary was Already in a Sublime State of Grace? (p. 219)
21. The Perpetual Virginity of Mary: Argument from the Analogy to “Holy Ground” (p. 223)
22. A Biblical Defense of the “Our Lady of Perpetual Help” Devotion (p. 227)
23. Theosis and God’s Role for the Blessed Virgin Mary (p. 231)
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