Friday, June 22, 2012

New Resource Page on Roman Catholicism

R. Scott Clark has posted Resources on Roman Catholicism. He announced it over on the Puritanboard. He said he put this list together "In light of some recent developments." I appreciate that one of my fellow URCNA brothers is taking the time to consider Roman Catholic proselytizing.

Included on his list are a number of articles he has written, along with a few by Robert Godfrey and Michael Horton. He also includes some of the historic Reformation responses from Luther and Calvin. There are a few books that probably should not be on his list- Lorraine Boettner's Roman Catholicism for instance. I also would probably not include anything written by John Armstrong.

I did add my own comment on the Puritanboard thread:

Here's a source that has been most valuable: 

David King, Holy Scripture: The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith, Volume I: A Biblical Defense of the Reformation Principle of Sola Scriptura . This book is part of a three volume set. All three books are excellent (vol. 2; vol. 3) , but volume one is the best current treatment of sola scriptura in regard to refuting Rome's recent defenders. If I recall David King has participated on this forum. He is a virtual treasure chest of citations (with contexts!) of the church fathers.

I'm a bit biased here since I contribute to his website blog, but the live debates that Dr. James White has had with Roman Catholic apologists have also been very helpful. It's very interesting to hear an argument in an active exchange, and hear how Rome's defenders respond. They can't hide behind pages of written words in a live exchange. Dr. White has proven time and again that Roman Catholic apologetics fail when scrutinized. He was debating these guys long before the rest of us realized what was going on with their active proselytizing.

There are a number of sources that I think certainly warrant to be on any list (particularly a Reformed list) of books addressing Roman Catholicism that I wish I would've seen on Clark's list. Perhaps during the week, I'll put together my "list." What I find interesting is that those sources I think are most important did not make it on to R. Scott Clark's list. Ah well. Maybe it's a west coast thing.

11 comments:

Andrew C said...

Glad to see your inclusion of Webster & King. I've been bulking up on my RCC apologetics stuff over the past year and this set is a real gem. I've been recommending it to people left and right since I read it.

Stumbled across your blog last week. Glad to see a fellow URC-er making a concerted effort to engage the RCC. Looking forward to responding to CTC et al bit more directly in coming weeks and months.

Feel free to point me towards any other sites writing about Rome from a confessional Reformed perspective...

Andrew Compton
Christ Reformed Church (Anaheim, CA)
http://reformedreader.wordpress.com

Ken said...

Off the top of my head:

William Webster's, The Church of Rome at the Bar History.

Webster's articles at his web-site - especially those on Cyprian and the Papacy issue.

http://www.christiantruth.com/articles_roman_catholicism.php

on Penance:

http://www.christiantruth.com/articles/penancehistory.html

James White - (besides his debates, which you mentioned)

The Roman Catholic Controversy
The God Who Justifies
Mary, Another Redeemer?
Scripture Alone

Articles at aomin.org

Sola Scriptura! (Edited by Don Kistler) Soli Deo Gloria
Justification by Faith Alone, (Edited by Don Kistler) Soli Deo Gloria

Eric Svendsen's books:
Who is My Mother?
Evangelical Answers
Upon This Slippery Rock

For some reason, I had thought that Eric Svendsen's blog was removed from the internet, but I found and I am glad it is there as there is lots of good material there.
http://ntrminblog.blogspot.com/

http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2010/05/thank-you-eric-svendsen-for-ntrminorg.html

Jason Engwer and John Bugay's and Steve Hays at Triablogue


Engwer has a great compilation:

http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2010/04/historical-roots-of-reformation-and.html


You wrote a good compilation of Eric Svendsen's work earlier:
http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2010/05/thank-you-eric-svendsen-for-ntrminorg.html

Turretinfan's blog

Books on the Canon are crucial to the debate.
Canon Revisted by Michael Kruger
see Engwer's articles on the canon
and Bugay's articles on the canon and Kruger's book

Why 27? by Brian Edwards (Evangelical Press)

R. Scott Clark said...

James,

I'm in the process of retrieving and posting a lot of material and I'm adding to the bibliography as I have time. It's not a finished product.

Thanks for the suggestions and I'll take them into account as I continue to add to the bibliography.

R. Scott Clark said...

Follow up: I've added a number of the volumes suggested here and I've added notes to some of them where there might be concerns (e.g., Boettner's volume has been criticized as inaccurate).

I don't know these vols by Svendsen. Ken, can you elaborate on them a little?

James Swan said...

Eric Svendsen was very active in addressing Roman Catholic issues, probably now, about 8-10 years ago, but no longer is involved in apologetics (to my knowledge).

Svendsen, (like James White and William Webster)took on current Roman apologists- that is, the stuff that's popular on the Internet. He also did a few live debates (I recall he debated Mitch Pacwa a few times).

I have 3 of his books, all of which are valuable.

1. Upon This Slippery Rock (NY: Calvary Press, 2002). This short little book is really a primer on presuppositions. He does an excellent job with answering the "How do you know?" question that Roman apologists are so fond of.

2. Who is My Mother? (NY: Calvary Press, 2001). This book is full treat of Mariology, particularly Matthew 1:18-25.

3. Evangelical Answers: A Critique of Current Roman Catholic Apologists (NY: Reformation Press, 1999). This is just what it says it is, and covers a number of topics.

These books are valuable because they address current Roman Catholic popular apologetics, well at least current before CTC.

James Swan said...

Thanks for the suggestions and I'll take them into account as I continue to add to the bibliography

Thanks-

A number of people have been dealing with current trends in Roman Catholicism for quite a while, sort of a grass-roots movement. As mentioned, Dr. White, but also William Webster, David King, Eric Svendsen, who have books out- but there have been some other folks, that because of the Internet, have also been quite helpful (also mentioned by Ken). I've been very blessed to have known the men mentioned above. They've done a lot of work for the church on responding to Romanism, but probably will never get the credit they deserve.

On a completely different subject, I recently read Recovering the Reformed Confession, and I was greatly intrigued by much of what you said. I was particularly interested in your comments on Jonathan Edwards and the Puritans, as I've been comparing the Confessions as they moved through history. Thanks for that book.

Algo said...

I highly recommend Pastor David T. King's 6 part Lecture Series:
The Patristic Roots of the Reformation.

http://www.monergism.com/mp3/2011/12/the_patristic_roots_of_the_ref_1.php

Algo said...

The audio from Chris Arnzen's interviews of Dr. Svendsen are still available here:

http://sharpens.blogspot.com/search/label/ERIC%20SVENDSEN

ERIC SVENDSEN: "UPON THIS SLIPPERY ROCK: Countering Roman Catholic Claims to Authority"

ERIC SVENDSEN: "MARY: Her Role & Status in the New Testament & Roman Catholicism" (PART 1)


ERIC SVENDSEN: "MARY: Her Role & Status in the New Testament & Roman Catholicism" (PART 2)

Algo said...

Eric Svendsen vs. Gerry Matatics
Debate Audio

Mary's Perpetual Virginity.

It is the 12th file in this list:

http://www.mediafire.com/?dg18rcjeh8qba

Also the cross-ex from that same debate:

Eric Svendsen vs. Gerry Matatics (Cross Examination) Perpetual Virginity of Mary Debate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4QVFj4JY1k

Ken said...

Dr. Clark wrote:
I don't know these vols by Svendsen. Ken, can you elaborate on them a little?

James S. beat me to answering your question first.

Algo has also added some good resources.

R. Scott Clark said...

James,

Thanks for reading the book!