Col 2:8 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (NIV) "
Do you think that someone grounded in their faith is going to go against what scripture says by the writings of old church fathers, some of them writing more than 300 years after Christ? Unless you can show some proof that these men had anymore insight into the bible than say a Biily Graham your argument is foolish. The early church fathers and the scholars of today have one thing in common. They are fallible men. The time of their birth in relationship to the birth of Christ has nothing to do with their knowing the truth.In all due respect, you would be better off studying the scriptures that were inspired by God instead of looking for writings of men that have the same error in doctrine that you do.
Basically your argument is that these men prove what you believe. The Mormons do this, they can point you to Joseph Smith as proof of their beliefs. The JW,s and all the rest do the same thing.
We believe you are wrong and no matter how many writings from infallible men you point us too doesn't change that.
Narrow is the gate... few find it (Paraphrase). Heresy does not become a truth because of the number of people who believe it.
One last thought. Augustine wrote that we should believe nothing that can't be backed by scripture. Do you agree with him on this? I find it funny that I never hear this mentioned about this cornerstone of Christian belief.
There are writings by the Apostles themselves, so you mean to say that for one moment they wrote the inspired word of God and the next minute they were completely clueless?
Curious that so many of them, some of them direct disciples of the Apostles, wrote the same thing.
If you have the entire thing on CD, why don't you try reading it? Doesn't sound to me that you have. If you had, then at the very least you would understand the Catholic position because it is the same today as it was from Pentecost.
If these holy men had not stood up and defended truth, it would have been awash years ago. The evidence of that is the many heresies which they crushed throughout the centuries.
Hopefully we can agree on that point.