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Refutation of Protestant Polemicist William Webster's Critique ofCatholic Tradition and Newmanian Development of Doctrine  Dave Armstrong  vs. William Webster  William Webster is a prolific opponent of the Catholic Church and author of  many papers and published books along these lines. This is a response to his Internet essay,  Rome's New and Novel Concept of Tradition: Living Tradition (Viva Voce - Whatever We Say) A Repudiation of the Patristic Concept of Tradition, which is reproduced in its entirety and thoroughly answered. The subject headings are my own. Mr. Webster's words will be in blue.  TABLE OF CONTENTS(hyper-linked)I. Protestant Historians on Church...

Saintly Scissors The Cutting Away of Unwanted Revelation Just as God spoke to Moses on the mountain, the LDS Church claims that God personally appeared to Joseph Smith and directed him to establish "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30). LDS revelations are usually written with Biblical sounding words like "thus saith the Lord." However, Brigham Young's 1847 revelation is the last section added to the D&C with that wording.There have been three additions to the Doctrine and Covenants dated after 1847 but they do not include the words...

Chapter 9 Of Free Will 1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil.a2. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God;b but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it.c3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation:d so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that...

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Apostle James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study on the life and ministry of Christ, and is considered by most Mormons as the authoritative treatise on Savior’s mission and message, compounding all scriptures in one on the various aspects of the life of our Redeemer. CHAPTER 10, IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS At a time definitely stated as the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome, the people of Judea were greatly aroused over the strange preaching of a man theretofore unknown. He was of priestly descent,...

Why do Christians believe in the Trinity? Is it not hard enough to believe that God exists without having to add the puzzle about God being “one and three?” There are some today who would not be upset if we dropped the Trinity. For one thing, they would say, it would help dialogue with the Jews and Muslims, who profess faith in a God who is strictly one. The answer is that Christians believe that God is triune because they believe that God is love! If God is love, then he must love someone. There is no such thing as...

The theory of translation that seeks to represent the original text by translating in a word-for-word paradigm, rather than a thought-for-thought paradigm. Formal Equivalence translations would include, among others, the KJV, NASB, ESV, and RSV. Also see Dynamic Equivalence

Martin Luther, Augustinian, to his friend, Herman Tulich, Greeting 1.1 Like it or not, I am compelled to learn more every day, with so many and such able masters vying with one another to improve my mind. Some two years ago I wrote a little book on indulgences, which I now deeply regret having published. For at the time I still clung to the Roman tyranny with great superstition and held that indulgences should not be altogether rejected, seeing they were approved by the common consent of men. Nor was this to be wondered at, for I was then engaged...

Last summer, I received an essay from a friend—a leading Evangelical intellectual—who said that the label Protestant should fade out in favor of the label Evangelical because, in part, Protestant was “negative.” In many people’s minds, it certainly is. It sounds like it is about dissent and disagreement. It evokes images of picketers carrying poorly made signs back and forth in front of a factory. Indeed, it sounds disagreeable. More recently, another friend published an engaging account of his exploration of Catholicism. The book is Jon Sweeney's Almost Catholic, and you can read an excellent review of it on my...

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Apostle James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study on the life and ministry of Christ, and is considered by most Mormons as the authoritative treatise on Savior’s mission and message, compounding all scriptures in one on the various aspects of the life of our Redeemer. CHAPTER 9, THE BOY OF NAZARETH Joseph, Mary, and her Son remained in Egypt until after the death of Herod the Great, which event was made known by another angelic visitation. Their stay in the foreign land was probably brief, for Herod did not long survive the babes he had slain...

Chapter 8 Of Christ the Mediator 1. It pleased God, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man,a the Prophet,b Priest,c and King,d the Head and Savior of his church,e the Heir of all things,f and Judge of the world:g unto whom he did from all eternity give a people, to be his seed,h and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.i2. The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance...

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Apostle James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study on the life and ministry of Christ, and is considered by most Mormons as the authoritative treatise on Savior’s mission and message, compounding all scriptures in one on the various aspects of the life of our Redeemer. CHAPTER 8, THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM THE BIRTH OF JESUS Equally definite with the prophecies declaring that the Messiah would be born in the lineage of David are the predictions that fix the place of His birth at Bethlehem, a small town in Judea. There seems to have been no difference...

In the beginning of the church (first ten years) all the believers were Jews. The church began and was established in Jerusalem where Jesus did a good portion of his preaching and was crucified and raised. The gospel went out from Jerusalem "you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" Acts 1:8 Luke 24:47-48 that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (see Acts 10:36-37) It wasn’t until years later that the gospel went to the Gentiles...

Chapter 7 Of God’s Covenant with Man 1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.a2. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works,b wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity,c upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.d3. Man, by his fall, having made himself...

CHAPTER 7 - GABRIEL'S ANNUNCIATION OF JOHN AND OF JESUS JOHN THE FORERUNNER Associated with the prophecies of the birth of Christ are predictions concerning one who should precede Him, going before to prepare the way. It is not surprising that the annunciation of the immediate advent of the forerunner was speedily followed by that of the Messiah; nor that the proclamations were made by the same heavenly ambassador -- Gabriel, sent from the presence of God. About fifteen months prior to the Savior's birth, Zacharias, a priest of the Aaronic order, was officiating in the functions of his office...

I have been following and participating in these Protestant/Catholic debates for a while now, and there is something that is bothering me. Time after time, we get into dogfights with the people we are trying to debate. What is bothering me is the fact that we (myself included) are, more often that I would like to admit, responsible for starting these dogfights. While the official rules may not prohibit little snide comments, they only harm our cause. If we are going to speak the truth of Christ, it would be expedient of us to behave in a manor that is...

Dr. Pusey on the Worship of Mary in the Church of Rome by C. H. Spurgeon From the January 1866 "Sword and Trowel Spurgeon" According to promise, we have summarized the detailed account of the idolatrous worship of Mary by the Papists as exposed in full by Dr. Pusey in his new work. As his statements are not made at random, but are supported by quotations from Romish writers of recognised authority, they will be valuable to those who are met by the crafty denials of Romanists whenever they expose the genuine doctrines of Popish faith. Amid all the mischief...

Q. If the Catholic Church has such good reasons for calling Mary the Mother of God then why did the Protestants stop using this title?A. It is not known when the Protestant churches dropped this title for Mary or by what authority they did so since all of the principle reformers vigorously affirmed and defended this doctrine. Martin Luther: “In this work whereby she was made the Mother of God, so many and such good things were given her that no one can grasp them…Not only was Mary the mother of Him who is born in Bethlemem but of...

Chapter 6 Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof 1. Our first parents, being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit.a This their sin, God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory.b2. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God,c and so became dead in sin,d and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body.e3. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this...

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Apostle James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study on the life and ministry of Christ, and is considered by most Mormons as the authoritative treatise on Savior's mission and message. CHAPTER 6, THE MERIDIAN OF TIME Unto Moses, with whom the Lord spake "face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend," the course of the human race, both as then past and future, was made known; and the coming of the Redeemer was recognized by him as the event of greatest import in all the happenings to which the earth and its inhabitants would...

This morning, as I was reading the scriptures, a passage popped out at me that made me reflect upon what's been happening lately here on FR. I don't usually post Caucus or Devotional threads, but I will in this case. My hope is that all of us will reflect on an important passage or passages from both ancient and modern prophets, that tie together a principle of the mission of the Savior. Let this be strictly for edification and enlightenment, thus the Devotional title. I'll begin. First Nephi, then Isaiah. 2 Nephi 2: 6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through...

Pastor John Hagee of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, wrote a letter of apology to the Catholic community. ...In so far as some of my past statements regarding the Roman Catholic Church have raised concerns in your community, I am writing in a spirit of respect and reconciliation to clarify my views. Out of a desire to advance greater unity among Catholics and Evangelicals in promoting the common good, I want to express my deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful. After engaging in constructive dialogue with Catholic friends and leaders, I now have an improved...

May 13 - Homily - Fr Bonaventure: Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Fatima speaks of our modern times and the many errors that would be spread. Listen as Fr. Bonaventure outlines the fulfillment of this prophesy in the many modern errors, especially communism, and what is needed for the triumph of the Immaculate Heart. Ave Maria! This is a 31 minute video and it is excellent! http://www.airmaria.com/?sn=080513&vp=1448&prefx=hmly&plyrnb=1&ttl=Homily

Vatican, May. 12, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Humanae Vitae (doc), the landmark encyclical of Pope Paul VI "became a sign of contradiction" because it upheld the Church's traditional condemnation of contraception, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) told a Roman audience on May 10. The encyclical was a significant show of courage, the Holy Father told participants in a conference held by the Pontifical Lateran University to prepare for the 40th anniversary of the document's release. The passing years have helped to underline the importance and power of the encyclical. "The truth expressed in Humanae Vitae does not change," Pope Benedict...

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Apostle James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study on the life and ministry of Christ, and is considered by most Mormons as the authoritative treatise on the life and mission of the Savior. CHAPTER 5, EARTHLY ADVENT OF THE CHRIST PREDICTED The coming of Christ to earth to tabernacle in the flesh was no unexpected or unheralded event. For centuries prior to the great occurrence the Jews had professed to be looking for the advent of their King; and, in the appointed ceremonials of worship as in private devotions, the coming of the promised Messiah was...

Chapter 5 Of Providence 1. God the great Creator of all things doth uphold,a direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things,b from the greatest even to the least,c by his most wise and holy providence,d according to his infallible foreknowledge,e and the free and immutable counsel of his own will,f to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.g2. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the First Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly;h yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to...

Chapter 4 Of Creation 1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,a for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness,b in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.c 2. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female,d with reasonable and immortal souls,e endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image;f having the law of God written in their hearts,g and power to fulfill it:h...

This is the second in the series; and if you haven’t already read the one on Creation, I would encourage you to do so before moving on to this post. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the East, and there he placed the man whom he had formed. – Genesis 2:8 Immediately after his account of God’s creation of the world, Moses goes on to describe the creature in whom would be centered God’s design for creation, namely, the man whom he had formed; and likewise he describes the place in which the fulfillment of this...

Apostasy [uh-pos-tuh-see] Gr. apo (away, apart) stasis (standing) When a person commits a formal desertion, denouncement, or rejection from one’s religion, namely Christianity. A person who commits apostasy is called an apostate. The Bible is replete with warnings against and examples of, apostasy. [cf. Heb 6:4-6, Forsaking the Lord, Jer. 2:17]. Jesus himself spoke of a day called The Great Apostasy [Matt. 24:9-12] at which point will consummate with the end; a.k.a, The Day of The Lord [2 Thess. 2:2-3

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Apostle James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study on the life and ministry of Christ, and is considered by most Mormons as the authoritative treatise on the life and mission of the Savior. CHAPTER 4 - THE ANTEMORTAL GODSHIP OF CHRIST It now becomes our purpose to inquire as to the position and status of Jesus the Christ in the antemortal world, from the period of the solemn council in heaven, in which He was chosen to be the future Savior and Redeemer of mankind, to the time at which He was born in the flesh....

New technology has always played a part in religious polemics and in the sense of identity generated through the heated exchange of opinion - such as we see in cyberspace today. The invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century has been credited by Reformation scholars as an important factor behind the success of sixteenth-century Church reformers. The impact of the new technology was nowhere more apparent than in the career of Martin Luther. In the aftermath of the indulgence controversy of 1517 that ultimately led to his rejection of Roman authority, Luther published numerous tracts that flew across...

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Apostle James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study on the life and ministry of Christ, and is considered by most Mormons as the authoritative treatise on the life and Mission of the Savior. CHAPTER 3 THE NEED OF A REDEEMER We have heretofore shown that the entire human race existed as spirit-beings in the primeval world, and that for the purpose of making possible to them the experiences of mortality this earth was created. They were endowed with the powers of agency or choice while yet but spirits; and the divine plan provided that they be...

Chapter 3 Of God’s Eternal Decree 1. God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass:a yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,b nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.c 2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions,d yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to...

DID I REALLY LEAVE THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH? The Journey into Evangelical Faith and Church Experience William Webster This article was first published by Moody Press in the book titled, Roman Catholicism: Evangelical Protestants Analyze What Divides and Unites Us in 1994. In light of the recent reversion of Francis Beckwith to Roman Catholicism I felt that perhaps the testimony of one who was Roman Catholic and is now a convinced evangelical Protestant might prove helpful to some. The arguments presented here as to why I could never become a Roman Catholic, based on the truth of Scripture and the...

A Roman Catholic Dogma Originating with Heretics and Condemned as Heretical by 2 Popes in the 5th and 6th Centuries. By William Webster The Roman Catholic doctrine of the assumption of Mary teaches that she was assumed body and soul into heaven either without dying or shortly after death. This extraordinary claim was only officially declared to be a dogma of Roman Catholic faith in 1950, though it had been believed by many for hundreds of years. To dispute this doctrine, according to Rome’s teaching, would result in the loss of salvation. The official teaching of the Assumption comes from...

< Traditional Holy Mass Propers Dominica Pentecostes ~ Pentecost Sunday (Whit Sunday) Missa Spíritus Dómini replévit orbem terrárum ~ The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole earth 04 May 2008 Anno Dómini "....the the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you....." "Nothing is so consoling, so piercing, so thrilling, so overcoming, as the Mass, said as it is among us. I could attend Mass forever, and not be tired. It is not a mere...

How to become a Catholic by James Akin Becoming a Catholic is one of the most profound and joyous experiences of life. Some are blessed enough to receive this great gift while they are still infants, and over the course of time they grow into a recognition of the enormous grace that has been bestowed upon them, of the dignity and wonder of their identity as Catholics. Others come into the Catholic fold while they are older children or adults. In these cases it is necessary for people to have a grasp of the joyful process by which one becomes...

Christology [kris-taw’-luh-jee] The discipline within Christian theology that deals with the nature of Jesus Christ, particularly focusing on how the human and divine co-exist in one person. Christology also seeks to explain the saving work of Christ, though is generally less concerned with the details of Jesus’ life. In systematic theology it logically precedes soteriology (the doctrine of salvation). However, in church history soteriology preceded Christology, because the belief in Jesus’ saving role led to the subsequent claims about who he was.

Chapter 2 Of God, and of the Holy Trinity 1. There is but one only,a living, and true God,b who is infinite in being and perfection,c a most pure spirit,d invisible,e without body, parts,f or passions;g immutable,h immense,i eternal,k incomprehensible, l almighty,m most wise,n most holy,o most free,p most absolute;q working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will,r for his own glory;s most loving,t gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;u the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;w and withal, most just, and terrible in his...

The Bible Elfriede Wilde's grandfather gave her was nearly destroyed half a dozen times. That it survived is a story much like those the Bible itself tells -- a story of faith lost and found. For as long as she can remember, Wilde has been schooled in the history of her family's Bible -- a 1686 German edition translated by Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation whose much-admired translation is still heard today. A native of Germany now living in Texas, Wilde recently donated the 322-year-old tome to Mars Hill College, a small Baptist school 16 miles north...

They were not the most confident lot, this group of early followers of the One who was crucified and then raised from the dead. Even though they had seen Him defeat the final enemy, death, they were afraid as they gathered in that upper room. Right before He ascended He had promised that He would not leave them orphans but would send another comforter once He returned to the Father. He told them they would receive power from on high and be able to continue His work on earth until He returned. In that Cenacle, along with His mother, they...

Vigil of the Pentecost and Whitsunday   The Vigil of Pentecost is traditionally a day of fasting. This requirement has been done away with in the most recent Code of Canon Law, but many traditional Catholics fast anyway. The Feast itself -- a day also known as "Whitsunday" -- is considered a sort of "birthday" for the Church and marks the beginning of the week known as Whitsuntide. Vestments on Whitsunday are red, but the name "Whitsunday" comes from "White Sunday" because, at one time, those who entered the Church at Easter would once again wear their white robes today....

[This article by Jim Akin is a good companion to the previous post about Arch-Tame Wuerl. Jim is director of apologetics and evangelization at "Catholic Answers" and is a contributing editor of This Rock. --PP] Abortion Is the Black Hole of Moral Issues A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia but votes...

Come Unto Christ By President Henry B. Eyring The words “come unto Christ” are an invitation. It is the most important invitation you could ever offer to another person. It is the most important invitation anyone could accept. From the beginning of the Restoration of the gospel in this dispensation, it has been the charge given by Jesus Christ to His representatives. Their charge has been “to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ.”1Every member of the Church, upon accepting the baptismal covenant, becomes a disciple who has promised to stand as a witness...

Chapter 1 Of the Holy Scripture 1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable;a yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation.b Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church;c and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the...

Anthropomorphism [an’-thruh-puh-mor‘-fiz’-um] (Greek anthropos, “human” and Greek morphe, “shape” or “form”) The ascription of human attributes to inanimate objects, animals, forces of nature, and others. With respect to Christian theology, the authors of the Bible assign certain emotions, actions or physical features of man to God. For example, in Exodous 3:20 we have God “stretching out His hand.” Without anthropomorphism we would not have a framework from which to begin to understand God, since he is invisible and immaterial (cf. 1 Tim 1:17). The purpose is to describe God in terms more understandable to humans.

Preface In 1643, during a period of civil war, the English "Long Parliament" (under the control of Presbyterian Puritans) convened an Assembly of Divines (mostly Puritan ministers, including a few influential Scottish commissioners) at Westminster Abbey in London. Their task was to advise Parliament on how to bring the Church of England into greater conformity with the Church of Scotland and the Continental Reformed churches. The Westminster Assembly produced documents on doctrine, church government, and worship that have largely defined Presbyterianism down to this day. These documents included a Confession of Faith (1646), a Larger Catechism (1647), and a Shorter...

Chapter 6The Temple "The order of the house of God has been, and ever will be, the same, even after Christ comes; and after the termination of the thousand years it will be the same; and we shall finally enter into the celestial kingdom of God, and enjoy it forever. - Joseph Smith1Although it was not mentioned in Chapter 4, the ordinance of baptism for the dead is performed by the Latter-day Saints in buildings they call temples. Various other ordinances, notably the Endowment and marriage for eternity, are also performed there, both for the living and the dead. Therefore,...

Another online attack by PZ Myers' thuggish fans. They're voting down the positive reviews for an anti-atheism book on Amazon.com: The Delusion of Disbelief: Why the New Atheism is a Threat to Your Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of HappinessIf you've got an Amazon account, please mark up the "helpful" rating of the favorable reviews and mark down the rating for negative reviews. Thank you!

The Catholic Church teaches that once a Catholic priest has consecrated the wafer of bread during communion, or “Eucharist” as it is called by Catholics, it turns into the literal and real body, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. It is no longer a piece of bread. It is Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread, and is therefore worthy of worship and adoration. This process of consecration followed by a literal change from a mere wafer to the body of Christ is called transubstantiation. The following paragraphs are taken from the Catholic Catechism. Paragraph 1374, page 383 “In the...

Machen (1881-1937) was Professor of New Testament, first at Princeton Theological Seminary, and afterwards at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Published in God Transcendent (1949). ________________________________________________________ "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). These words were not spoken by Jonathan Edwards. They were not spoken by Cotton Mather. They were not spoken by Calvin, or Augustine, or by Paul. But these words were spoken by Jesus. And when put together with the many other words...