Books by Dave Armstrong: Cardinal Newman: Q & A in Theology, Apologetics, and Church History

 [in progress]


Introduction


Facebook Excerpts


On the "Argument from Longing" [10 May 1828]

On the "Rule of Secrecy" ("Disciplina Arcani") and Development of Doctrine [26 Jan. 1834]

On How the Indwelling Holy Spirit Works in Us [29 Jan. 1835]

Prayer for the Dead is as Well-Attested in the Early Church as the Canon of Scripture [16 May 1838]

No Fundamental Difference Between Written and Oral Tradition [23 May 1838]


Table of Contents[tentative and in progress; the following is from 2-19-15, with the book 65 pages long]

Dedication 
Introduction
Bibliographical Sources
I. Apologetics (p. 15)
Does Proclaiming Theological Truth Offend Some People?Does the “Argument from Longing” Suggest that Heaven Exists?How is Faith Related to Apologetic Inquiry?Is Apologetics the Same as Proselytyzing?
II. Philosophy of Religion
What is “Philosophical Theology”?Does Certainty Derive from Demonstration or Probabilities?Is the Epistemology of Religion Primarily Subjective?Must Christianity Necessarily be Proven, to be Rationally Held?What is Rationalism and its Fundamental Deficiency?
III. Church History
IV. Development of Doctrine
What is the Rule of Secrecy, or “Disciplina Arcani”?Does Development of Doctrine Tend to Lead One to Rome?
V. Anglicanism
Do Anglicans Regard Themselves as a Species of Protestantism?Are the 39 Articles “Protestant” in Nature?What Was the State of Anglicanism in 1835?Has Anglicanism Unnecessarily Discarded Catholic Elements?
VI. Ecumenism
Can a Person Have Faith Without Having Heard the Gospel?Can a Good Man in Another Religion Espouse Christianity?
VII. Lay Participation
VIII. Bible, Tradition, and Authority
How Fundamental is Revelation to Religious Truth?Does Revelation Tend to be Unpredictable By its Very Nature?What is the Relationship Between Revelation and Faith?Does Revelation Have Rational Evidences in its Favor?How Do We Come to Best Understand Scripture?Are Church and Tradition Necessary to Understand the Bible?Is the Canon of Scripture Based on Tradition Only?Is Sola Scriptura(“Scripture Alone”) a True Principle?Does Prior Bias Influence Scriptural Interpretation?Should we Memorize Scripture?In What Sense is the Authority of Scripture Supreme?Is the Bible Materially Sufficient for Salvation?Is the Bible Formally Sufficient for Salvation?Does the New Testament Preclude Oral Tradition?Is Oral Tradition Superior to Written Tradition?Are Oral and Written Tradition Fundamentally Different?How Should we Regard Extrabiblical Tradition?What are Creeds?Did the Jews Pass Down the Notion of Tradition to Christians?Were the Apostles Ignorant of Tradition Until Pentecost?Can One Possibly be Saved by Conscience Without Revelation?Is Conscience an Autonomous Authority?
IX. Doctrine of the Church (Ecclesiology)
Is There Such a Thing as a Visible, Institutional Church?Is the Church Infallible in Her Dogmas?Is the Church Indefectible?How Did Church Government Originate? What are the Shortfalls of Contradictory Religious Opinions?Who Tends to Jettison Orthodoxy in Order to Foster “Unity”?How Shall we Regard Denominationalism and Sectarianism?Should the Presence of Sinners in the Church Alarm Us?Does the Bible Teach the Concept of Excommunication?Is Excommunication a “Spiritual” Thing?
Is Christianity Difficult and a “Narrow Way”?What is the Principle of Unity in the Church?Must Bishops Always be Obeyed?
X. Theology of Salvation (Soteriology)
Are we Saved by Verbal or Creedal Professions Only? How Do we Prove that we Have a Genuine Faith?What are the Fruits and Objects of Faith?What is “Fiducial Faith” or “Faith in Faith”?Can we Obtain Absolute Assurance of Salvation?How Can we Discern Another Man's Spiritual State?How Important are Good Works According to Scripture?How Close Is Anglican Justification to St. Robert Bellarmine's?How Should Evangelists Approach Dying Persons?What is Antinomianism, or “Cheap Grace”?Is Preaching a Primary Instrument of Saving Faith?What is the Goal of Preaching?
XI. Jesus Christ (Christology)
How Central is “Christ Crucified” in Christianity?
XII. God the Father (Theology Proper)
How Shall we Regard God's “Superintendence”?
XIII. The Holy Spirit (Pneumatology) and Trinitarianism
How Does the Indwelling Holy Spirit Work in Us?How Does the Holy Spirit Interact with Christians?
XIV. The Blessed Virgin Mary (Mariology)
XV. Angels and the Communion of Saints
How Eminent is Rome as a Place of Saints and Martyrs?Was Prayer for the Dead an Apostolic Practice?Was Prayer for the Dead Well-Attested in the Early Church? Is Prayer for the Dead a Biblical Teaching?
XVI. Purgatory
Are There Experiences in This Life Analogous to Purgatory?
XVII. Penance and Asceticism
Should All Clergymen be Celibate?Is Celibacy a “Higher” Calling?
XVIII. The Holy Eucharist
Is the Holy Eucharist Necessary for Salvation?What Did Newman Believe About the Real Presence in 1834?
XIX. The Sacrifice of the Mass
What Does it Mean to Say That the Mass is a Sacrifice?
XX. Devotions, Liturgy, and Worship
What is the Relation of Faith and Emotions?How Shall we Prevent Formal Prayers from Becoming Trite?Are Shorter Form Prayers Preferable to Longer Ones?What Makes The Lord's Prayer so Unique and Special?How Relatively Important are Sermons for the Clergyman?How Does Kneeling Help Us to Receive Christian Truths?How Much Does Scripture Teach About Public Worship?
XXI. The Sacrament of Baptism
What is the Relation of Baptism to the Church?How is Baptism Related to the Holy Spirit and Justification?
XXII. Sacraments and Sacramentals
How Do We Define a “Sacrament”?What is the Relationship of Preaching to Sacraments?What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?Is the Sign of the Cross Permissible?
XXIII. Heaven and Hell
XXIV. Marriage, Divorce, and Annulment
Should Unbaptized Persons be Married by Christian Clergymen?What Did the First Protestants Think of Polygamy?
XXV. Education
XXVI. Atheism, Agnosticism, Liberalism, and Secularism
What is Philosophical and Theological Liberalism?How Should We Regard Theological Liberalism?Are There Jewish Analogies to Christian Theological Liberals?What is the Result of Resisting Theological Liberalism? Where Does Accommodation to the “Spirit of the Age” Lead? Is Atheism Fundamentally Bigoted Against Christianity?Do Skeptics Assume Certain Premises Hostile to Christianity?Will Atheism Satisfy the Deepest Longings of the Soul?
XXVII. Conversion (to Catholicism)
What Was Newman's View of the Catholic Church in 1834?How Far Was Newman from the Catholic Church in 1837?
XXVIII. Science
XXIX. Miscellaneous
How Should Christians Regard Great Riches?
Is Exorcism a Legitimate Christian Practice?