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Who is to Blame for Svendsen's Book?
In response to this post (link) promoting a freely-downloadable mp3 related to Eric Svendsen’s book, “Upon this Slippery Rock: Countering Roman Catholic Claims to Authority,” Mr. Bellisario provided the following commentary, which I intersperse with my comments: MB: “Wow. If Sola Scriptura is so simple and easy to get, then why do all of these…
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Marveling at God's Creation
There has been discovery made of a bacteria that apparently obtains its energy without the use of oxygen (link). Of course, this will be used by scoffers to assert the evolutionary hypothesis, but it is an interesting specimen for legitimate scientific purposes as well. If the bacteria can produce energy without oxygen, this could pave…
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Jeeves' Job
Steve Hays at Triablogue has a provocative post that lures in his readers (while ruffling their feathers) with this opening line: “Watching Catholic laymen defend Catholicism is like watching a dutiful butler put his drunken master to bed.” (link) Since some of my most thoughtful readers (whose comments I much appreciate, even when I do…
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Ponter's Last Stand Part II
Continued from part I (link) … Before I continue, I should point out that I had mentioned in my last post that “It’s not really clear whether Ponter understands what non-speculative hypothetical universalism is.” The expression “hypothetical universalism” is a technical term of theology that has itself had a range of meanings. I had suspected…
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Ponter's Last Stand
Ponter seems to be unable to justify his position with respect to Bullinger and has reduced himself to simply insulting those with whom he disagrees. (link to insult-riddled post)Leaving aside the barrage of insults, I’ll summarize his points (implicit and explicit), and explain why they don’t avail him any support. 1) Mischaracterization of the Criticism…
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Rebuttals to Armstrong's Ten-Step Program Against Sola Scriptura
Today, someone directed me to an article by Dave Armstrong entitled: “A Quick Ten-Step Refutation of Sola Scriptura.” (link to article) I’ll provide his points, and the brief rebuttal: 1. Sola Scriptura Is Not Taught in the Bible The briefest rebuttal is to simply respond: yes, it is taught in the Bible. Mr. Armstrong should…
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Response to Comments/ Objections – Children Punished for Parents' Sins
I have received a few comments regarding yesterday’s post on Original Sin (link). In some cases, I’m not sure whether they are intended simply as comments or as objections. Nevertheless, I’ve tried to address each, below. Anonymous states:You never dealt with a very important passage, Ezek. 18. I dealt with that passage at some significant…
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Children Punished for a Parent's Sins
Introduction Some folks who hold to a nearly dogmatic form of rugged individualism do not like the idea of federal headship, especially when it comes to punishments. I much more rarely hear people complain that they will be judged righteous for the deeds of their federal head. It is when guilt and punishment are concerned…
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The Real Turretin and Pictet on: Christ's Righteousness
Turretin writes: Such is the perfection of the atonement, that it corresponds to the justice of God revealed in the Word, to the demands of the law, and to the miseries and necessities of those for whom it was made. Had it been in its own nature deficient, and derived its sufficiency only from God’s…
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Where's the Catholic Church?
Richard (aka “Mary’s Son”) provides us with an example of two logical fallacies in one (source): Richard writes: “You can say Roman all you want to try to confuse the term Catholic; but go out on any street in the world and ask for directions to the nearest Catholic church: you’re not going to end…