Gilt-leaf kennel

1.I see (albeit intermittently) that David Waltz has offered a pseudoresponse to Jason Engwer and me.

I almost never read his blog. For one thing, it’s only of those odd blogs that is only online between 2AM-3AM every leap year. You know the kind– “Can’t find server…can’t find server…can’t find…”

He reminds me a survivalist on his the ham radio in the hinterlands of Idaho.

2.After promising to address our objection “directly” or “head-on,” Waltz does nothing of the kind. Instead, he quotes a dated statement by Charles Hodge. Needless to say, that doesn’t begin to “directly” refute a single thing that Jason or I have said. That’s more like “tails-on” than “heads-on.”

3.Mind you, I’m gratified that Waltz finds theological inspiration in Chas Hodge. I’d encourage him to keep moving in that direction.

3.Unfortunately, Waltz still has the mindset of a cult member. Dear old Nipper…I mean…Waltz simply transferred his canine fealty from owner to another–“His Master’s Voice.” Transferred his tether from the Watch Tower to the Vatican. No doubt the Vatican has a better-appointed kennel, but a gilt leaf kennel is still a kennel.

And because he’s incapable of thinking outside his ecclesiolatrous paradigm, Waltz acts as though he’s played a trump card when he can cite Hodge’s opinion on 19C, pre-Vatican II Catholicism.

Well, Hodge is not my rule of faith. Hodge is not my pope. He’s certainly entitled to a respectful hearing. I own most of his writings. But it comes down to the argument, not the man.

4.I’d add that Hodge didn’t even speak for all American Calvinists on this score. There was a celebrated contretemps between Hodge and Thornwell on the validity of Catholic baptism:

http://tinyurl.com/y9fhxxx

5.Keep in mind, too, that Roman Catholicism is a denomination which keeps going from bad to worse.