A Biblical Defense Of Catholicism

Author David Armstrong shows that the Catholic Church is the "Bible Church par excellence," and that many common Protestant doctrines are in fact not Biblical.

Dave Armstrong here explains 95 key Bible passages that confound all who would use Scripture to criticize the Church.

If you want quick, substantive answers to the most common (and even several uncommon) claims that Catholic beliefs and practices aren’t biblical, then Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical is the book for you. In these pages, veteran apologist Dave Armstrong carefully walks you through the key teachings of the Church, revealing how each is rooted in Scripture. He begins with several essays on tradition before moving into Ecclesiology, explaining the basis of a single Church, why priests are called “father,” and whether Church councils are more authoritative than the pope. Armstrong then justifies priestly celibacy before moving into the theology of salvation. He illuminates the Church’s teaching on predestination, what “believing” in Jesus really means, and the relationship between faith and good works. He continues by explaining purgatory and penance, the ritualism of the Holy Mass, the Rosary, the Communion of Saints, Mary as Queen of Heaven, papal infallibility, annulments, contraception, the necessity of Hell, and even the development of Church doctrine. All told, he offers here 80 powerful essays that make sense of so many Catholic beliefs and practices that puzzle non-Catholics and cradle Catholics alike. Read this book, and you’ll come to see that not only is the Catholic Faith thoroughly biblical, it is the only Christian religion in full conformity with Scripture.

Over 2,000 Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths! Contrary to what many believe, Catholic doctrine is not made up by popes and theologians but is derived entirely from revelation, as this book shows. In it, veteran Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong gathers in one place countless passages from Holy Scripture that point directly to the teachings of the Catholic Church. This galaxy of more than 2,000 passages from the Bible is overwhelming evidence that on every side Catholic teachings are confirmed by Scripture. Indeed, these passages show that the Catholic Church has a more complete grasp of the meaning of Scripture than those who try to use Scripture to discredit the Church. That’s because Catholic teaching is based not on selective readings of Scripture but on understanding and veneration of the whole Bible in its organic interrelatedness. Catholic doctrines are not distilled from single passages quoted in isolation or out of context; they arise from an encounter with the whole of Scripture, wherein passages on the same theme are read in light of each other, so that together they lead the mind to a complete picture of the truth. That’s why Dave Armstrong has gathered here under 115 thematic headings all the passages in Scripture relating to key Catholic doctrines. This arrangement makes it easy for readers to consider systematically — as the Church does — all the parts of the Bible that relate to any particular Catholic belief. Whether you’re a Protestant seeking to understand Catholicism, or a Catholic wanting to defend Catholic teaching or learn more about its biblical basis, this is the one book you need.

In Defense of the Faithful-The Scriptural Truth of Catholicism was written as an aggressive defense of the Catholic Faith. It explores the foundations and historic origins of Catholic doctrine from an evangelical, fundamentalist, and reformed Protestant point of view. It offers the teachings of the Church in common language then defends the position with scriptural quotations from throughout the Holy Bible. It then quotes the Catechism (formal teaching doctrine) of the Catholic Church offering a factual presentation of what the Church actually teaches rather than what many people think it teaches. In doing so it is critical not only of Protestantism but some aspects of Catholicism (in practice) as well. It credits and praises both groups of Christians as being believers dedicated to Jesus and the Trinity while pointing out the mutual failures of both groups. It is a thought provoking examination of Catholic doctrine, practice, theology, and ethics from a biblical viewpoint and is not afraid to point fingers at all parties involved in greater Christianity.

Hosts of helpful Catholic apologetic books currently exist; however, a concise treatment that specifically targets all the major Protestant objections in an easily accessible manner is hard to find. Anderson's fourth volume offers such. It provides readers with salient counterpoints for each objection, and most often from the very source Protestants use to deny important aspects of the faith: the Bible. Thus, without even realizing it, Protestants implicitly accept the Catholic faith as they accept the very texts the faith provided them. Important issues such as these are pointed out throughout the book. It is a must-read for Catholics seeking to address Protestant questions, and for Protestants desiring to understand why Catholicism claims to be biblical through and through. This work cogently articulates how Catholicism is biblical, and just how often Protestant positions are untenable.

Catholic in response to Protestant attacks against the Catholic Church's teaching on faith and justification in more than 100 years! As never before, the Catholic Church has been called upon to be the defender of Scripture and preserver of truth in modern times. Not by Faith Alone will set the biblical and historical record straight. But more important, as you learn the real truth about salvation and all that it embraces, this book will offer you the means to come to one of the deepest relationships with God that you have ever experienced. Faith alone? Is it justifiable? Not biblically, and Robert Sungenis shows why. Imprimatur.