Dave Armstrong (Catholic apologist)

Dave Armstrong (born 1958)[1] is an American Catholic apologist, author, and blogger.

His blog, which includes material from his previous website, contains more than 2500 articles defending Christianity. It is award-winning and has had over two million visitors. He has written over 18 books, including The Catholic Answer Bible.

Professional background

Raised as a Methodist in Detroit, Michigan, Armstrong converted to non-denominational, Arminian evangelicalism in 1977, with strong affinities to the Jesus Movement and Messianic Judaism, and then to Catholicism in 1990, largely as a result of reading John Henry Cardinal Newman's Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine.[2][3] He was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991 by Father John Hardon, SJ. Armstrong's conversion story was one of eleven in Patrick Madrid's Surprised by Truth.

Armstrong began his website, "Biblical Evidence for Catholicism," in March 1997[4] and it was described in a magazine article in 2002 as "well-known among both Catholic and Protestant apologists, garnering an estimated 200,000 or more hits annually...a virtual Catholic Encyclopedia".[5] The site received the "Catholic Website of the Year" award from the Catholic apologetics periodical Envoy Magazine in 1998.[6]

Armstrong's website has achieved notice in the Protestant community; its C. S. Lewis links page has been cited as a further reference source in the evangelical periodical, Christianity Today.[7] Moreover, secular newspapers like the Los Angeles Times have cited the same Lewis web page.[8] In 2004, Christian History magazine lauded Armstrong's Malcolm Muggeridge links page as "...the best website from which to explore Muggeridge is hosted by Roman Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong."[9]

Armstrong's website was online for ten years (until March 2007), and his present blog (of the same name) first started operation in February 2004, eventually incorporating all of his previous website articles, and adding many additional ones (currently "more than 2500").[10] It has received over two million visitors since that time.[11]

In 2002, The Catholic Answer Bible[12] (later revised with a co-author as the New Catholic Answer Bible) was the first of Armstrong's books to be published by Our Sunday Visitor.[13] In 2003 Sophia Institute Press[14] published the first of its five Armstrong books, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism. He now has authored eighteen volumes.

Armstrong has appeared on nationally syndicated Catholic radio talk shows, including Catholic Connection with Teresa Tomeo[15] and two interviews on Catholic Answers Live.[16][17] He's also served as a staff member of The Coming Home Network as Forum Coordinator and Head Moderator of their Internet Discussion Forum, from 2007-2010.[18][19]

Personal background

He has been married to his wife Judy since October 1984, and the couple has three sons and a daughter.[20] Armstrong holds a Bachelor of Arts, Sociology (cum laude) from Wayne State University, Detroit, 1982.

Book reviews

Published works

Books
  • "Confessions of a 1980s' Jesus Freak," (pp. 241–252) in Surprised by Truth, edited by Patrick Madrid (Basilica Press, 1994). ISBN 978-0-964261-08-2
  • "The Imitation of Mary," chapter 5 (pp. 31–35) in The Catholic Answer Book of Mary, edited by Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas (Our Sunday Visitor, 2000). ISBN 0-879733-47-0
  • A Biblical Defense of Catholicism [Foreword by John Hardon, SJ] (Sophia Institute Press, 2003; originally completed in May 1996) ISBN 1-928832-95-4
  • The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants (Sophia Institute Press, 2004) ISBN 1-928832-73-3
  • The New Catholic Answer Bible (co-author, Dr. Paul Thigpen, Our Sunday Visitor, 2005; 44 of 88 apologetics inserts; NAB version; revised 2011 with revised NAB) ISBN 978-1-592761-86-9
  • The One-Minute Apologist: Essential Catholic Replies to Over Sixty Common Protestant Claims (Sophia Institute Press, 2007) ISBN 978-1-933184-23-4
  • The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips & Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton (Saint Benedict Press / TAN Books, 2009) ISBN 978-1-935302-19-3
  • Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths: A Source Book for Apologists and Inquirers (Sophia Institute Press, 2009) ISBN 978-1-933184-57-9
  • 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura (Catholic Answers, May 2012) ISBN 978-1-933919-59-1
  • The Quotable Newman: A Definitive Guide to His Central Thoughts and Ideas [Foreword by Joseph Pearce] (Sophia Institute Press, 12 October 2012) ISBN 978-1-933184-84-5

Articles

References
  1. "Titles List (Library of Congress Online Catalog)". Catalog.loc.gov. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  2. An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845 / rev. 1878)
  3. "Dave Armstrong: Catholic Apologetics' 'Socratic Evangelist'," Tim Drake, Envoy Magazine, Spring 2002, volume 5.6, 8-9.
  4. "See the oldest available archived front page of "Biblical Evidence for Catholicism"". Archived from the original on March 1, 2000. Retrieved 2012-10-14.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link).
  5. "Dave Armstrong: Catholic Apologetics' 'Socratic Evangelist'," Tim Drake, Envoy Magazine, Spring 2002, vol. 5.6, 8-9.
  6. January/February 1999 issue, p. 10
  7. "C. S. Lewis Superstar," by Bob Smietana and Rebecca Barnes, issue of December 2005, Vol. 49, No. 12: "Still hungry for more? You'll probably never have the time to read everything linked at the C.S. Lewis Mega-Links page."
  8. "Times Pick" on 24 November 1998.
  9. "'St. Mugg' and the Wrestling Prophets," by Chris Armstrong; posted online 8 August 2008.
  10. "Dave Armstrong (Author of The Catholic Verses)". Goodreads.com. 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  11. "Biblical Evidence for Catholicism". Sitemeter.com. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  12. Visitor, Our Sunday (2002). The Catholic Answer Bible - Our Sunday Visitor - Google Books. ISBN 9781931709606. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  13. United States. "Our Sunday Visitor". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  14. Elisabeth Leseur. "History and Mission | Sophia Institute Press". Sophiainstitute.com. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  15. "100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura": 22 June 2012 (from 14:30 to 31:00 on the audio file)
  16. "Communion of Saints: A Cloud of Witnesses (26 June 2006)". Archived from the original on 25 December 2006. Retrieved 2016-09-30.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. "Why we Need More than the Bible (10 October 2003)". Archived from the original on 25 December 2006. Retrieved 2016-09-30.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. "See The Coming Home Network International Newsletter, September 2008, p. 5" (PDF). Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved 2012-10-14.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  19. "See The Coming Home Network International Newsletter, September 2010, p. 8" (PDF). Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved 2012-10-14.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. "Dave Armstrong (Author of The Catholic Verses)". Goodreads.com. 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
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