Dr. John H. Armstrong

A Soul Friend and My Journey to Catholicity
March 12, 2007 by John H. Armstrong
The writer of Ecclesiastes puts it simply: "Two are better than one" (4:9). He states that this is true because two "have a good return for their labor" and "if they fall down, they can help each other up." But, the ancient writer also says, "pity those who fall and have no one to help them up" (10). And he concludes: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves."

What Is an Evangelical Roman Catholic?
March 26, 2007 by John H. Armstrong
Many conservative evangelicals would consider the question this article poses as the pursuit of fool’s gold. There simply cannot be such a thing as an "evangelical Roman Catholic." The two are mutually exclusive, at least in theory. No true Catholic can be a true evangelical and no true evangelical, could ever become a true Roman Catholic. I would have numbered myself among those who believe this way about ten to fifteen years ago. I have changed my thinking, and this has caused considerable interest and opposition. I want to explain, in a rather succinct way, why I believe that there are evangelicals who are Roman Catholics and why I think this question matters. I can still hope more and more evangelicals will agree with me.

Why Being an Evangelical Catholic Matters
April 2, 2007 by John H. Armstrong
I do not expect every Roman Catholic to agree with me in how I am making a case for using the term evangelical in conjunction with Roman Catholicism. I am convinced, however, that the use is not only appropriate but quite desirable. I believe renewal is really taking place around the world, and in many different Christian settings, and I further believe that what drives this renewal movement is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is restoring the centrality of Jesus to the church’s life and faith and giving us back a great confidence in the good news of the gospel. This, at its core, is what the term evangelical really means and why it can be a useful term for expressing this new kind of ecumenism.