BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian
Beliefs
- Buddhist
- Catholic
- Contemplative
- Evangelical
- General Christian
- Hindu
- Jewish
- Latter-day Saint
- More Voices
- Muslim
- New Visions
- Pagan
- Progressive Christian
Topics
- Religion News
- Food and Religion
- Sports and Religion
- Religious Art
- Religious Music and Entertainment
- Religious Events
- History and Religion
- Style and Religion
- Politics and Religion
- Women in Religion
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion
- Business Finance and Religion
- Careers Workplace and Religion
- Education and Religion
- Family Parenting and Religion
- Health Fitness and Religion
- Home and Religion
- Relationships and Religion
- Technology and Religion
- Travel and Religion
Columnists
- Buddhist Columnists
- Business Finance and Religion Columnists
- Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists
- Catholic Columnists
- Contemplative Columnists
- Education and Religion Columnists
- Evangelists Columnists
- Family Parenting and Religion Columnists
- General Christian Columnists
- Health Fitness and Religion Columnists
- Hindu Columnists
- History and Religion Columnists
- Home and Religion Columnists
- Jewish Columnists
- More Voices Columnists
- Latter Day Columnists
- Muslim Columnists
- New Visions Columnists
- Nonreligious Columnists
- Pagan Columnists
- Politics and Religion Columnists
- Progressive Columnists
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists
- Relationships and Religion Columnists
- Religion News Columnists
- Religious Art Columnists
- Religious Events Columnists
- Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists
- Sports and Religion Columnists
- Style and Religion Columnists
- Technology and Religion Columnists
- Travel and Religion Columnists
- Women in Religion Columnists
Resource Library
- 2026 Calendar
- Library of World Religions
- The 100 Most Holy Places on Earth
- Patheos Answers
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Faith Leaders Database
- Anglican Episcopalian
- Bahai
- Baptist
- Buddhism
- Christianity
- Confucianism
- Eastern Orthodoxy
- Hinduism
- Holiness and Pentecostal
- ISKCON
- Islam
- Judaism
- Lutheran
- Methodist
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- New Age
- Paganism
- Presbytarian and Reformed
- Protestantism
- Religion Behind the Scenes
- Roman Catholic
- Scientology
- Shia Islam
- Sikhism
- Sufism
- Sunni Islam
- Taoism
- Zen
- See all religions
Research Tools
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
Follow Patheos 
- Trending:
- Forgiveness
- |
- Marriage
- |
- Consciousness
- |
- Death Penalty
- |
- Election
- |
- Halloween
-
About
-
Catholic Apologetics
-
Church History
-
Great Apologists
-
Christian Worldview
-
Protestantism & Misc.
- Home
- Catholic
- History and Religion
2026-06-06T00:43:23-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Purgatory in the Bible (vs. Calvin #60)
Last updated on: June 6, 2026 at 12:43 am By Dave Armstrong
This is an installment of a series of replies (see the Introduction and Master List) to much of Book IV (Of the Holy Catholic Church) — and some portions of Books I-III — of Institutes of the Christian Religion, by early Protestant leader John Calvin (1509-1564). I utilize the public domain translation of Henry Beveridge, dated 1846, from the 1559 edition in Latin; available online. Calvin’s words will be in blue. All biblical citations (in my portions) will be from RSV unless otherwise noted. Related reading from yours... Read more
2021-01-15T17:13:44-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Star of Bethlehem: Reply to Obnoxious Atheist Aaron Adair
Last updated on: January 15, 2021 at 5:13 pm By Dave Armstrong
Plus Further Related Exchanges with Aaron and a Few Others in an Atheist Combox Aaron Adair is an atheist physicist, who wrote the book, The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View (2013). He initially wrote me a cordial letter after seeing a few of my recent posts on that topic, and I responded in kind, at considerable length. But — sadly — it quickly descended to the usual anti-theist atheist insults. My reply below under an absolutely atrocious, abominable put-down post... Read more
astronomy & the star of Bethlehem
atheists & the star of Bethlehem
The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View
2021-01-21T13:55:21-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Bible Commentaries & Matthew 2:9 (Star of Bethlehem)
Last updated on: January 21, 2021 at 1:55 pm By Dave Armstrong
Atheist Jonathan MS Pearce takes the position that the star of Bethlehem can only reasonably be interpreted (according to the biblical text, which they of course don’t believe in) as a supernatural occurrence, as opposed to a natural one (conjunction, supernova, or comet being the three most suggested possibilities): as I have argued. Moreover, he claims that this “star” specifically shone down on (to identify) the “house” where Jesus was, even though the biblical text (Matthew 2:9) never states this and... Read more
astronomy & the star of Bethlehem
atheists & the star of Bethlehem
2021-01-13T13:00:31-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Star of Bethlehem: Natural or Supernatural?
Last updated on: January 13, 2021 at 1:00 pm By Dave Armstrong
I assert that the star of Bethlehem was (most plausibly) a conjunction when the wise men first saw it, and a bright Jupiter, when they saw it in Jerusalem and over Bethlehem: without ruling out the possibility that it may have been a supernatural manifestation, as I have made clear in my other recent papers on the topic. I think the natural interpretation can be harmonized with a straightforward reading of Scripture (as well as astronomical data on conjunctions, provisionally... Read more
astronomy & the star of Bethlehem
atheists & the star of Bethlehem
2021-01-11T20:30:01-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Steve Skojec’s De Facto Schism is Complete: By His Own Report
Last updated on: January 11, 2021 at 8:30 pm By Dave Armstrong
All of the following verbal diarrhea took place on his Twitter page, on 1-11-21: ***** Steve Skojec says that he doesn’t “profess the same faith as Francis” and that if a Catholic must profess the same faith as the supreme head of the Church, then, by golly, he’s “not in communion with him.” And he’s not because the pope is not “in communion with the Church.” He thinks the pope is “a heretic.” He pontificates that the pope “doesn’t adhere... Read more
Traditionalism vs. Radical Catholic Reactionaries
Radical Catholic Reactionaries
2026-06-05T23:57:30-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Pearce’s Potshots #12: Supernatural Star of Bethlehem?
Last updated on: June 5, 2026 at 11:57 pm By Dave Armstrong
Biblical View of Astronomy, Laws of Nature, and the Natural World Atheist anti-theist Jonathan M. S. Pearce is the main writer on the blog, A Tippling Philosopher. His “About” page states: “Pearce is a philosopher, author, blogger, public speaker and teacher from Hampshire in the UK. He specialises in philosophy of religion, but likes to turn his hand to science, psychology, politics and anything involved in investigating reality.” His words will be in blue. ***** I am replying to the following portion of Jonathan’s article,... Read more
astronomy & the star of Bethlehem
atheists & the star of Bethlehem
2026-06-05T23:57:29-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Pearce’s Potshots #11: 28 Defenses of Jesus’ Nativity
Last updated on: June 5, 2026 at 11:57 pm By Dave Armstrong
Featuring Confirmatory Historical Tidbits About the Magi and Herod the Great Atheist anti-theist Jonathan M. S. Pearce’s “About” page states: “Pearce is a philosopher, author, blogger, public speaker and teacher from Hampshire in the UK. He specialises in philosophy of religion, but likes to turn his hand to science, psychology, politics and anything involved in investigating reality.” His words will be in blue. ***** I am replying to Jonathan’s article, “Mental Contortions Required of Christians to Believe the Nativity Accounts” (12-23-19). Although he likely has... Read more
2021-01-13T15:45:21-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Summary Thoughts of a Trump Supporter (Jan. 6-7, 2021)
Last updated on: January 13, 2021 at 3:45 pm By Dave Armstrong
***** 6 January 2021, 9:07 AM ET: * Dems in Georgia (at 9:26 AM ET the next morning) are still rounding up enough dead and multiple voters to eke out a “victory” of “0.1%” for Ossoff, so they can control the Senate. [it turned out to be 0.8%: so I was 0.7% off . . . ] Warnock “won” by “50.8%” to “49.2%.” * Remember, Biden “won” in Georgia “49.5%” to “49.3%” against [legitimate] President Trump. Trump beat Billary... Read more
Political & Ethical & Moral Issues
2026-06-06T00:43:23-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Vatican I on Papal Infallibility: “Ultramontanism”?
Last updated on: June 6, 2026 at 12:43 am By Dave Armstrong
[see book and purchase information] *** When Catholics merely assert the dogma of papal infallibility, stated in its final form at Vatican I, many Protestants see that as automatically outrageous and arrogant and triumphalistic. It is not charitable ecumenism to demand that the other guy has to give up the very dogmas that his belief-system (by its very nature) will not allow him to give up. If a Catholic has to renounce the papacy as he understands it to even... Read more
Traditionalism vs. Radical Catholic Reactionaries
2021-01-04T19:49:29-04:00
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Seidensticker Folly #69: “Difficulties” Aren’t Contradictions
Last updated on: January 4, 2021 at 7:49 pm By Dave Armstrong
Atheist and anti-theist Bob Seidensticker runs the influential Cross Examined blog. He asked me there, on 8-11-18: “I’ve got 1000+ posts here attacking your worldview. You just going to let that stand? Or could you present a helpful new perspective that I’ve ignored on one or two of those posts?” He added in June 2017 in a combox: “If I’ve misunderstood the Christian position or Christian arguments, point that out. Show me where I’ve mischaracterized them.” Delighted to oblige his wishes . . . Bob (for the record) virtually begged and pleaded with... Read more
"Difficulties" aren't contradictions
alleged biblical contradictions
Follow Us!
TAKE THE
Religious Wisdom Quiz
What was the name of Moses' sister?
Select your answer to see how you score.
Rachel Deborah Rebekah Miriam
Books by This Author Books by Dave Armstrong
Browse Our Archives
Select a Category & Last Things About Me Anti-Catholicism Atheism & Agnosticism Baptism and Sacramentalism Bible and Tradition Blessed Virgin Mary Books by Dave Armstrong C. S. Lewis Calvinism & General Protestantism Catholic Apologetics Catholic Apologists Catholic conversion Catholic converts Christmas Church (Ecclesiology) Church History Conversion and Converts Development of Doctrine Eastern Orthodoxy Ecumenism & Christian Unity Eucharist & Liturgy Fathers of the Church French Translations G. K. Chesterton Hell Hell & Satan Hell & Satan & Last Things Heresies & Comparative Religion Holistic Health Inquisition & Crusades & Scandals James White Jews & Judaism & Old Testament John Calvin John Henry Newman Liberal / Modernist Theology Life Issues Literary Resume Lutheranism Mariology Martin Luther Music Orthodoxy Papacy & Infallibility Personal Page Philosophy & Science Political & Ethical & Moral Issues Protestant Persecution & Intolerance Protestantism Purgatory Purgatory & Penance Romantic & Imaginative Theology Saints & Purgatory & Penance Salvation Salvation & Justification Satan & Last Things Sexuality and Gender Issues Spanish Translations Traditionalism vs. Radical Catholic Reactionaries Traducciones al español / tradução para português Trinitarianism & Christology Uncategorized Videos
Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 April 2010 March 2010 December 2009 October 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 March 2009 February 2009 October 2008 September 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 May 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 October 2005 June 2005 April 2005 February 2005 July 2004 May 2004 April 2004
TRENDING AT PATHEOS Catholic
Elevation Worship Visits St. Jude, Gifts Concert Tix
Spooky Spirituality: The World is Stranger Than We...
How do you like your spirituality? Most of us prefer it to...
When a Bad Dating Experience Makes You Want...
What if one of the biggest obstacles to finding a good relationship...
Detroit Archbishop calls Voter Suppression an Affront to...
In what America Magazine called it “a sobering reminder about the importance...
When Leaders Don't Practice What They Preach
Our reading this week confronts a troubling contradiction when leaders exhibit a...
Existential Health: Being Available, Engaged and Present
Sometimes we need help carrying reality. And as author Jim Palmer explains,...
view all Catholic blogs
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
- About Us
- 2026 Calendar
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Library of World Religions
- Faith In Media Tracker
- Advertise With Us
- Write for Us
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Do Not Sell My Data
- Contact Us
- Radiant Digital
- Manage Newsletter Subscriptions
- Unsubscribe From Notifications
- Sitemap
Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.
Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In
Follow Patheos