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More Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: Companion to a Biblical Defense of Catholicism

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Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong's great book "More Biblical Evidence for Catholicism" is clear, concise, and readable, with easy-to-understand language. The Protestant vs. Catholic dialogues culled from Armstrong's Internet debates do a good job of showing Protestant fallacies and supporting Catholic claims. Armstrong uses very sound logic throughout the book. The Apocrypha, or Deuterocanon, is mentioned in Appendix Three (see below), but does not have a chapter of its own. Here are the contents of the chapters, and then the appendices:

Chapter One defines the Gospel, defends sacramentalism from a Biblical perspective, and argues that the Catholic view of justification (infused, actual, internal, and transformational) is correct, as opposed to the Protestant view (extrinsic, imputed, forensic, and external).
Chapter Two contains three short dialogues concerning Sola Scriptura, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and penance.
Chapter Three denies the claim that Catholicism is half-pagan, borrowing rituals and practices from pre-Christian Romans, Babylonians, and Persians, with attention paid specifically to holidays like Christmas and Easter, and devotional practices such as praying the Rosary.
Chapter Four refutes the notion that sin and sinners in the Catholic Church disprove its ecclesiological authority.
Chapter Five points out that, unlike early Protestantism, Protestant Christians today often take a "quasi-relativistic" and "unbiblical" view that key doctrinal differences are "not only permissible but healthy and to be expected."
Chapter Six explains why Catholicism is neither Pelagian (believing that humans have no original sin and can be righteous merely using free will) nor Semi-Palagian ("the first steps towards the Christian life were ordinarily taken by the human will and that Grace supervened only later").
Chapter Seven defends the thesis that the Eucharist is indeed Biblical and correct exegesis leads to transubstantiation.
Chapter Eight explains why the Catholic Mass is not idolatry, and why Mass is radically different from the Israeli worship of the golden calf in Exodus.
Chapter Nine shows why the Protestant doctrine of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) is unbiblical and unhistorical.
Chjapter Ten debunks the claim that the Catholic Church historically has suppressed Bible reading and opposed translations like an "avowed enemy of Holy Scripture."
Chapter Eleven demonstrates why Sola Scriptura is illogical, inconsistent, impractical, and improbable.
In Chapter Twelve Armstrong argues against the Protestant notion of a "perspicuous Apostolic message," pointing out that Protestants can't agree on TULIP, baptism the Eucharist, church government, regeneration, sanctification, whether Catholics are Christians, women clergy, divorce, the utility of reason, etc.
Chapter Thirteen argues that Catholic Church infallible authority is ultimately necessary and unavoidable. It argues against the Protestant dichotomy between Church authority and Biblical authority.
In Chapter Fourteen, Armstrong argues that Purgatory has a Biblical basis and that it does not deny the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross. He examines the nature and duration of Purgatory.
In Chapter Fifteen Armstrong argues that it is not at all farfetched to say that Mary was without original sin (the Immaculate Conception) and was sinless for the rest of her life, is the Queen of Heaven, and is the Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix. Armstrong dissects Protestants' alleged Biblical disproofs of Mary's sinlessness, etc.
Chapter Sixteen defends the thesis that Catholic Mariology is in fact Christo-centric, and points out that the "Co" in Co-Redemptrix means cooperative and not having equal function, a common misinterpretation. The chapter quotes from the Lumen Gentium, stating, that Mary's role "neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and efficacy of Christ the One Mediator." The chapter refers to Mary as a Blessed Virgin, but does not go into detail about why the Bible says she is a perpetual virgin.

In Appendix One Armstrong affirms his deep respect for Protestants.
Appendix Two is a transcript of a radio interview in which Armstrong talks about his conversion from evangelical Protestantism to Roman Catholicism.
Appendix Three lists 150 reasons to be Catholic as opposed to Protestant, backed up with over 300 Biblical citations. He undermines Protestantism, mentioning its "absurdly late appearance," lack of a way to definitively settle doctrinal issues (partly due to the lack of a definitive teaching authority), lack of priesthood, the false dichotomies it creates (e.g. between the Bible and Christian Tradition), false doctrine of Sola Scriptura, the intercession of saints, etc. He mentions many theological, moral, and spiritual strengths of Catholicism.
Appendix Four compares and contrasts Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy regarding ecclesiology, the papacy vs. caesaropapism, ecumenical councils, doctrinal development, modernity, contraception, and divorce.

I am a non-denominational Christian. I think it will take me at least a year's worth of thorough research to definitively decide which is true: Catholicism or Protestantism. However, this book, which should be a part of the libraries of both Catholics and Protestants, has given me a jump-start. I look forward to reading more of Dave Armstrong's work.

From the Introduction of More Biblical Evidence for Catholicism:
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"Once again my purpose is to accumulate biblical arguments in support of distinctively Catholic doctrinal positions, with Protestant readers particularly in mind (as well as Catholics not overly familiar with the Bible)."
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Dave Armstrong's books are simply the best for explaining the Biblical foundations of Catholicism, especially to Protestants considering conversion or simply wanting to understand how Catholics read scripture and for preparing Catholics to deal with Protestant objections to their faith.

I would recommend first "A Biblical Defense of Catholicism" then follow up with this book. Dave's website is a great resource as well: ...

This book is a follow-up to the first book by Armstrong titled "Biblical Evidence for Catholicism". In this book Armstrong has continued to provide his readers with more of the same. Of course "the same" would be a good, rational argument on the Biblical nature of Catholicism.

The only thing this book lacks is more arguments that admit that not everything in the Catholic faith can explicitly be "proven" by the Bible. But, Armstrong has certainly met the goal that he set out to accomplish. That is to show that the Bible and Catholicism are not contradictory, but rather complimentary.

I recommend this book along with his first book, especially the debates that Armstrong has provided us with.

"A reader" implies that Mr. Armstrong's book, plus the works of Karl Keating and others are in opposition to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I challenge "A reader" to come up with point in this book, "More Biblical Evidence.." or in any of Karl Keatings works that are refuted in the CCC.

For that matter, I challenge anyone to come up with this kind of contradiction. My email address is rjskrobola@yahoo.com. I'm willing to stand behind my words and opinions with my identity and with reasoned and documented argument. What about you?

My reading of Mr. Armstrong's works brings me to the conclusion that they are well-thought out, well researched, and perfectly orthodox, unlike some of the works of Raymond Brown. Fortunately for the Church, Raymond Brown never had a magisterial voice, though folks like "A reader" would have you think otherwise, due to his presence on the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Lots of folks have been on lots of commissions, and that doesn't make their writings any more magesterial than.. Dave Armstrong's. However, Mr. Armstrong's writings are at least faithful and Orthodox in considering the most important aspects of Catholicism, and showing their clear biblical and/or historical basis.

Mr. Armstrong's discussion of the Church's attitude toward Scripture is a case in point. In showing clearly that the Church believes and has always believed Scripture to be both inerrant and inspired, he quotes Pope Leo XIII, Vatican II, and many Protestant historians. He quotes a similiar range of folks in showing that the Church has always promoted learning of Scripture, and quotes Protestant historians again in debunking ill-used facts about the Church chaining up the Bible. He shows clearly that there were places this happened, and that this was to protect valuable manuscripts. Indeed, he shows that the churches of the Reformers adopted this practice.

I could go on, but you get the picture. Mr. Armstrong has hardly engaged in some kind of Funda-Catholic screed here. His liberal quoting of such "traditionalist/fundamentalist" documents as "Dei Verbum" and "Lumen Gentium" (the documents of Vatican II), should convince any reader that such accusations are unfounded.

Go to Mr. Armstrong's website and read a chapter for yourself. Then buy his book. It's about real Catholicism.

This edition is very useful to catholics and non catholics alike because it helps generate discussions and more understanding about what Catholic Believe. I would rather have a book that deals in any Religion Truthfully and disagree with it honestly, than have a book paint a broad brush and leave the reader "Wandering" about for the "Real Answer". We all need to be honest with eachother and that is how greater respect in eachother starts!

Dear brothers in Christ: I love Raymond E. Brown's work. I have some 15 books he wrote and he was really a loved servant in the catholic church, John Paul II knew perfectly well why he elected him to be for second time a member of the Biblical Commission. If we are faithful to the Magisterium we must accept that fundamentalism is an "intelectual suicide" as the latest document on the Bible says (yes the comission's president was Joseph Ratzinger, Benedictus XVI). If I want to read a good commentary on the Passion Narratives I go to Brown, but it's a shame that he didn't write a commentary saying NO to the protestant errors, even tough the fact that he never became protestant and some lines of his works let us see something very clear: he was a catholic who disagreed with important and distintive protestant features. But I have to call Dave Armstrong when it comes to refute directly the heresies of the protestantism. To be catholic is to recognize de virtues of our brothers Raymond and Dave. I used to be an Elvis fan and it was hard for me to accept the Beatle's music. Now I am a human being who is not an Elvis fan anymore, and I enjoy Elvis AND the Beatles (if the lyrics are right). That's better. Jesus is Alive. May Jesus bless you both. Buy Dave's books and go to his great website. He will help you to defend better the Faith of the Ancient Church, the Apostolic One.