This collection documents examples of "distinctively Catholic" theological beliefs or doctrines in the Eastern Church fathers; that is, ones in harmony with historic Catholic teaching but differing in some way from one or more strains of Protestant theology or Eastern Orthodox views. Quotations will be drawn from the "Three Holy Hierarchs" of Eastern Christian Tradition: St. Basil the Great (c. 330-379), St. John Chrysostom (c. 345-407), and St. Gregory Nazianzen (c. 330-c. 390). St. Athanasius (c. 297-373) is usually added to this list, and these are the Four Great Eastern Doctors of the Church. Additionally, the following four fathers are included: St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376-444), St. Ephraim (c. 306-373), St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-387), and St. John Damascene (c. 676-749). All eight men are "Doctors" of the Catholic Church. Quotations are drawn from public domain works and are found online at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library website.

The Mariology of Cardinal Newman is a study of Blessed John Henry Newman's journey from a cautious intellectual acceptance of limited Marian doctrines while an Anglican to his full acceptance and development of Marian doctrine as a Catholic. Newman was a master of the English language and possessed a fine intellectual mind, but at the same time, because of his deep humility, he could enter into true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Rev. Friedel draws from all of Newman's work to provide a truly masterful treatise establishing not only Newman's views to doctrine, but Newman as a devout client of our Blessed Lady. He divides the first part of the book into two periods: Newman's life as an Anglican and his developing attitude toward Mary; then his views when he became a Catholic and how this developed in his devotional life. Then, in the second part, the author examines the specific doctrine's of Mary which Newman treated on.

The Internet has increased the growth of technology to a dizzying pace. I know this technology explosion is scary to some. A well-established business can disappear overnight as some new technology disrupts the established order.

Ever hear of Kodak? Kodak was founded in 1888 in Rochester, New York. George Eastman and his successors built a multi-billion business of making cameras, film and printing paper. While the rest of the photography world worked to make digital cameras better, Kodak could not imagine a world without film. They will never be the company they once were.

If you run or manage an information or service type business such as insurance, investing or a web business, you need to see what is coming. There are new technologies now available that could dramatically improve your business. This disruptive, too some, technology will offer a great advantage to those that embrace it and ruin to those that do not see it coming.

You can now run a business with employees working from remote offices and they can be from anywhere in the world. You can dump the overhead expense of an office, save all of the commute time for you and your employees and still have better communication between staff. You can work anywhere you can find WI-Fi or through your carrier's data plan.

This book is a plan on how to get from here to there. It is a manual on the services available, mostly free, and how they compare. This tsunami is coming. The question is: "Are you going to be the disruptor or the disruptee?"

Here is what you will learn:

Learn the pros and cons of a virtual officeHow to estimate your cost savingsHow to move your office files to the cloudHow to pick your new, free cloud based office apps; Microsoft, Google or ZohoHow to communicate staff to staff with IM, audio and videoHow to have video meetings without anyone leaving their deskHow to collaborate and plan projects with free Google Sites websitesHow to optionally use Zoho CRM to track a lead to a happy customersHow to print to any printer your own using Google Cloud PrintHow to manage incoming calls with a virtual PBX, Grasshopper and othersRun your business from anywhere, anytime from your smart phone or tabletMy name is Dave Armstrong and I have been a technical trainer since 1983. I am also a business man having founded more than a dozen successful businesses since the 1970s. My purpose in writing this book is to help you understand and use the opportunities that these technological changes present. If you are one of the early adopters, you will gain a great advantage

Cardinal Newman stated "I am not a theologian" many times in his letters. In the strict "academic" or "scholarly" sense, indeed he was not. Yet in another broader sense, he certainly was one. In any event, he wrote exquisitely on theology. His personal letters were "popular" and non-technical. In effect, here he becomes a catechist and apologist. Scholars write to and for other scholars, whereas Catholic catechists, apologists, and evangelists try to reach the masses (and Catholics) with the good news of the glorious fullness of the Catholic Christian faith. Moreover, in Cardinal Newman's writing we find extraordinary prose: a feast of 19th century eloquent English style; and we encounter a saintly man. My goal is to create almost a "systematic theology" from Cardinal Newman, by use of many topical categories. This volume may be of particular usefulness for possible converts, as well as Catholics seeking to revive an uncertain or tentative personal Catholic faith. There is much precious treasure here.

To travel to Jerusalem or other places where the events of the Bible and life of Jesus took place, is not merely like any other trip. A Christian literally receives grace, and becomes closer to God as a result. This book is a type of "adventure narrative" or spiritual odyssey: a firsthand report of what it felt like for our party of five as we traveled to all these holy sites in Israel. I will also be detailing some of the exciting archaeological discoveries that have been occurring in Israel and Jordan, and almost literally revolutionizing the field of biblical archaeology, and utilizing scriptural references to relate the places we visit to biblical history; along with the occasional exposition of the text. My hope is that a lively sense of the pilgrimage can be directly conveyed to the reader. For those, particularly who may never be able to visit the Holy Land, the goal is to make our pilgrimage come alive for you: so that you can experience something of what we felt.

Many revisions of the King James (Authorized) Bible of 1611 exist; even revisions of revisions have been done (ASV to NASB / RV to RSV / KJV to NKJV, etc.). The present work is a similar "hybrid". I don't know Greek, and am therefore not qualified in the slightest to actually translate (and did not translate a single word). But I know English (as a professional author) and know the Bible (as a longtime Christian apologist) very well. This work, accordingly, isn't technically a new translation at all, but rather a "selection" or collection of what I personally felt were the best renderings that maintained the KJV style as much as possible without the archaisms. When I updated the olde English language, I sought to maintain a "high" Victorian 18th-19th century style of (British) English. This NT "selects" from the following six translations (all in the public domain): 1) KJV (1611; rev. 1769), 2) Rheims (1582; rev. 1750), 3) Young's Literal (1887), 4) Weymouth (1903), 5) 20th Century (1904), 6) Moffatt (1922).

Fourteen classic Catholic mystics and contemplatives or works, drawn from 22 books, compiled under 215 categories, chronologically by date. Authors included are St. Bernard of Clairvaux* (1090-1153), St. Bonaventure* (c. 1217-1274), Bl. John of Ruysbroeck (c. 1293-1381), Bl. Henry Suso (1295-1366), Johannes Tauler (c. 1300-1361), Walter Hilton (c. 1340/45 -1396), Julian[a] of Norwich (c. 1342-c. 1416), St. Catherine of Siena* (1347-1380), "The Cloud of Unknowing": late 14th century anonymous English work, "Theologia Germanica": late 14th century anonymous German work, Thomas a Kempis (c. 1380-1471) / "The Imitation of Christ", St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510), St. Teresa of Avila* (1515-1582), and St. John of the Cross* (1542-1591). Introduction by the Anglo-Catholic expert on mysticism, Evelyn Underhill. The collection includes five women and five Doctors of the Church (asterisked). The different orders of the Church included are Dominican (3), Augustinian (2), Carmelite (2), Franciscan, and Cistercian.

What did John Wesley think about alcohol, music, and popularity? What are his thoughts on education, free will, and joy?

From "absolution" to "zeal," Quotable Wesley is a treasury of quotations taken from Wesley's letters, sermons, tracts, and journal entries on a variety of wide-ranging topics. Here is an essential resource for teachers, Christian leaders, pastors, and laypeople fascinated by the insights of this remarkable founder of the Methodist movement.

Useful for sermon preparation, teaching, and individual reflection, this book is designed to supplement the library of anyone interested in Wesley and his work.

It seems that everyone wants to make the pope into their own image. Those outside the Church want him to be so-called "progressive" and are more than willing to project this attribute onto him, in a huge campaign of wishful thinking. But radical Catholic reactionaries, on the extreme right on the Catholic ecclesiological spectrum, become alarmed that the Church is compromising itself. A third group of obedient orthodox Catholics understand the pope's role and the nature and status of Catholic dogmas (which do not change), yet are confused by something a new pope says or does. Their concern is harmony with the existing tradition. For each "controversy" or supposed "scandal" or thing that Pope Francis said or did that has people in a confused state, I will attempt to show that the pope is in complete harmony with Catholic tradition. My hope and prayer is that my efforts will lessen the confusion of those who are sincerely seeking what the pope intends and means.

Catholic apologist and author Dave Armstrong leads the reader on a fascinating theological journey through many different aspects related to salvation and justification theology (soteriology). Special emphasis is devoted to demonstrating that Catholics do not believe in "works-salvation". It may surprise some to learn that Catholics, like Protestants, embrace Grace Alone and reject Pelagianism and also semi-Pelagianism. The overwhelming theme is the biblical evidence for Catholic soteriological positions. To that end, there are 379 biblical passages fully written out (RSV), for the convenience of the reader. The final 115 pages (out of 187): chapters 10 through 16, are devoted specifically to a critique of Calvinism (or self-described "Reformed" theology) and its beliefs with regard to the five points of what is known as "TULIP" (total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints).

The anti-Catholic is one who thinks that Catholicism is not a Christian system of theology and that to be a good Christian and get saved, one must be a bad Catholic; that is, reject several tenets of Catholicism. James White (Reformed Baptist) is the leading and most influential anti-Catholic today. He specializes in debates, preferring moderated oral debates. I prefer written debate. This book features twelve back-and-forth debates with James White and also critiques or refutations of his writings. For those who agree with me that written, back-and-forth, substantive exchanges are worthy of the name "debate," this book will be a (hopefully helpful) close examination of the flawed theology of James White and his critiques of Catholicism. I'm happy, as always, to present both sides and let the reader judge. This is the beauty of dialogue. Readers may take in the arguments and data of both proponents in a dispute and exercise critical faculties in order to decide where the truth is to be found.

My aim is to make it easier to quickly find biblical answers to theological questions that are of perennial importance. I presuppose the inspiration and infallibility of the Bible, and this book is for Christians who accept those notions. This volume provides Bible passages (usually one verse; sometimes a few together) that are (in my opinion) the very best "answers" to a large number of one-sentence questions. The format might remind one of the popular TV game show "Jeopardy," where the contestants are given a piece of information and have to come up with a question that it is the "answer" to. While compiling it, I looked at Bible passages and devised questions that the passages "answered". The book contains 18 broad categories and 200 numbered subcategories. The marvelous treasures in the Bible await all of us: inspired revelation from the Mind of God.

This volume supplements "The Quotable Newman" (Sophia Institute Press, 2012), with 136 new topics and an overlap of 39 topics. Volume II is a bit more wide-ranging and perhaps also more "fun" (in a sense) for Newman devotees. Examples of the latter aspect might include Cardinal Newman's reflections upon his own writing and books, science and Christianity, heaven and hell, and old age. The citations also tend to be relatively shorter, and to include proportionately more material from his correspondence. I found two additional volumes of "Letters and Diaries" (volumes 27 and 28): covering the years of 1874-1878. They contain a lot of excellent observations and "gems" on a variety of topics, that I was delighted to find and now to pass along, for the education and edification of the reader. Once again, theology is the overwhelming emphasis. Anyone interested in Cardinal Newman's Catholic (or Anglican) doctrinal thinking and beliefs will, I trust, enjoy and learn from what I have compiled.

Protestants and Catholics both claim that the early Church heritage of theology and broad consensus of the Church fathers favors their own view. Protestants, from the beginning, claimed to be "reformers" of the Catholic Church; that is, they felt themselves to be hearkening back to the more pure doctrines of the early Church and the Church fathers, rather than overturning historic Catholic doctrine. I shall contend in this book, by means of massive documentation, that the "historical case" for Catholicism becomes stronger as the accumulation of patristic evidence piles up. Catholics need not fear patristic data any more than they need fear the Bible. The discussion of what the Church fathers believed must be undertaken by means of historical fact, and it can be determined (fairly conclusively in most cases, I submit) what a Church father believed about various Christian doctrines. This volume surveys the beliefs of the Church fathers, particularly with regard to Catholic "distinctives."

I have sought to analyze (minus proper names, a la Trent) the premises, presuppositions, logical and ecclesiological "bottom lines" and (in a word), the spirit of a false and divisive radical Catholic reactionary strain of thought held by a distinctive and tiny sub-group of Catholics. The term "traditionalism" has been co-opted by groups and schools of thought within Catholicism that vary quite widely. It's similar to the love and adoption of the word "Christian" by many sects that are not Christian at all (since they deny the Holy Trinity or the divinity of Jesus Christ). Apologists and other observers need to differentiate groups that are using the same name, for purposes of identification and critique, and to prevent misunderstandings as to exactly what we are contending against as error. The book doesn't oppose the Tridentine Mass, or traditional liturgical practice and devotion (nor traditional morality and catechesis), but rather, far more radical ideas held by some Catholics.

The last 25 years have been a very exciting time in the Catholic world, in terms of an increasing flow of converts. Dr. Scott Hahn, a former Presbyterian minister, was received into the Church at Easter 1986, and immediately started making a splash with his exciting conversion testimony. Meanwhile, Karl Keating began publishing "The Catholic Answers Newsletter" in August 1986. Thus, that year may be regarded as the starting-date of the current "Catholic apologetics / influx of converts revival" -- with Hahn and Keating as the two founding fathers. I tell my own conversion story in Part II of this book (75 pages). Part I is devoted to various analyses of the conversion process, while Part III consists of a collection of older conversion stories that have a timeless quality: highlighting reasons for becoming Catholic. This book provides (from many different angles and approaches) explanations of "how and why" men and women convert and become Catholics or return to the Catholic Church.

The carefully selected "essays" presented here were originally written and posted on my blog between the years of 2000 and 2013. I consider them to be some of my best: the "cream of the crop" of what has not yet been published in a book. A few have been condensed down from their original dialogue formats. Per the subtitle, I'd like this collection to be more along the lines of essays per se, with less written-out Bible verses: a bit more readable and flowing, so to speak. A good deal of my apologetics writing or research is more for the purpose of reference / documentation rather than "straight reading." The 23 chapters will be organized under seven broad topics. In order, they are: 1) Observations on Catholic Apologetics, 2) Bible and Tradition / Rule of Faith, 3) Justification and Salvation, 4) Sacramentalism, 5) Purgatory, 6) Prayer and the Communion of Saints, and 7) The Blessed Virgin Mary. My sincere hope is that this book is edifying, educational, and enjoyable for the reader.

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was without question the greatest theologian in the history of the Catholic Church, and the "Summa Theologica" (1271-1274) was his masterpiece and one of the most influential theological books ever written. The goal herein is to make the thought and reasoning of this marvelous compendium of the Angelic Doctor more accessible and able to be referenced quickly. My overwhelming emphasis in collecting excerpts will be on theology itself; with far less on the topics of spirituality, ethics, and other areas. Sometimes even those of us who love Aquinas, have neither the time nor desire to read through the reasoning chain that he uses in the 3,500-page "Summa" to come to his conclusions. St. Thomas' style in the Summa is a wonderful method and fabulous teaching device, but perhaps there are a lot of people like me who would also like to see concise, easily obtainable "answers" from Aquinas. I hope you, the reader, will benefit from my true labor of love.

This volume consists of essays on 1) the distinction between the extreme radical Catholic reactionaries and mainstream "traditionalists," 2) the New (Pauline, Novus Ordo) Mass and its liturgical abuses, and 3) genuine, orthodox (not silly liberal) ecumenism. Radical Catholic reactionaries have been misled by various errors of the nature of what is called "rigorism". This recurring problem throughout Church history is seen in groups such as the Donatists, Montanists, Jansenists, and the Old Catholics who left the Church after Vatican I (1870): an error of thinking and out-of-whack perspective; an inability or unwillingness to think with the Mind of the Church, and a lack of charity. I love traditional Catholic worship, and the Tridentine Latin Mass, and have much affinity with "traditionalists." That's not what this book critiques. Rather, it criticizes fringe views that seek to "bash" the New Mass as profoundly "inauthentic" and inferior Catholic worship, and to dismiss Vatican II and true ecumenism.

The doctrine of God remains as important as ever. The Apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthians in the first century for accepting "another Jesus" and "a different gospel" (2 Cor 11:4). Denial of the deity of Christ and the Holy Trinity were no doubt among the falsehoods condemned by Paul as "doctrines of demons" (1 Tim 4:1). Christians need to know the biblical basis for these beliefs, in view of the many historic heresies and recent fashionable nonsense such as open theism and process theology. My emphasis is on a listing of many scores of relevant Bible passages (systematic theology). Additionally, I attempt to explain "theology proper" in laymen's terms, so that, with the aid of this book, soaked with Scripture, anyone will be able to defend the biblical (and Nicene, Chalcedonian) truths of the Holy Trinity, Jesus as the incarnate God, and the divinity of the Holy Spirit. The coherence and truthfulness of orthodox, biblical theology of God is evident, the more these passages are understood.

In this volume I reply to biblical arguments from John Calvin in Books I-III of his "Institutes of the Christian Religion," in instances where he takes a position that is contrary to Catholic theology. Taking on John Calvin's exegetical arguments in this fashion will, it is hoped, demonstrate the persistent fallacies and falsehoods (from the Catholic perspective) that are frequently found in his writing, and illustrate at least some ways to refute and overcome them. Catholics regard Calvinists and other Protestants as brethren in Christ, and rejoice over the many important beliefs that we hold in common. At the same time, the Catholic apologist's task is to answer objections to Catholicism that arise in these quarters, and to present what we feel are superior alternative opinions. I use the public domain translation of the "Institutes" by Henry Beveridge (Calvin Translation Society, 1845, from the 1559 Latin edition). The book includes an "Appendix of Areas of Calvinist-Catholic Agreement."