Well, that's my understanding of sola scriptura.
What it does mean however, is that the Scriptures are our only ultimate authority for faith and practice. The Scriptures are our final authority and they are infallible.
Agreed that Scripture is infallible.
All other authorities (including Tradition), even though they may also be valid, are subordinate to the Scriptures and are fallible. If Tradition violates the teaching of Scripture, then I must follow Scripture.
And that's where we diverge...but just a bit.
They (scriptures) may not contain ALL truth...
I wish that I'd hear that just a bit more from others.
but they contain the TRUTH which is necessary and sufficient for our salvation.
I can understand how and why you'd say that. I'd be hard pressed to disagree.
I believe God has given us the Church as a blessing. I've learned much from tradition, which very often, has illuminated and enriched my faith and prayer life.
I am glad to read this about your feelings for the Church. I'm equally glad to hear you say this about tradition (and I note, with great appreciation, that you distinguished between big "T" Tradition and little "t" tradition. That is a distinction that most Protestants don't tend to make.
But all too often, I've found traditions that seem to run counter to and have distracted me from, or even made me doubt, the clear meaning of Scripture.
When you talk little "t" traditions, I actually agree with you. There are a lot of little "t" traditions that I've run into that I do not, in any way, agree with.
In these situations, I must consider Scripture as my final authority.
And I can fully understand your statement there.
Flo, your position sounds (no offense) basically like the Catholic position. Really and truly there is very little between the two of them.
Tradition (big "T"), properly understood, cannot contradict Scripture. (God is not a man that He should lie). The Scriptures, properly understood, cannot contradict Tradition. The two go hand in hand.
John 21:25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
2 Th 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.
2 Jn 12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. (Note that the author wishes to communicate face to face by word of mouth, rather than merely by written word)
3 Jn 13-14a I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face...
etc...
Tradition "big T" captures that oral history from the apostles and passed down from generation to generation.
As opposed to tradition "little T" that may or may not be fallible.
The Catechism states:
80 "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move towards the same goal." Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own "always, to the close of the age".. . . two distinct modes of transmission
81 "Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit."
"and [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching."
For my purposes, Sacred Scripture is the wellspring from which the Holy Spirit primarily speaks to me. However, Our Lord did much and taught much. The majority of which (Jn 21:25) that was not captured in the Gospels. Likewise the Holy Apostles were uniquely inspired, first by their witness to the Word of God Incarnate, but also by the Holy Spirit. Our Lord commanded the apostles to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Mt 28:19). What did they say? Were the only words uttered all recorded in Scripture? Look at those quotes from St. John's epistles. Twice we read that he would rather communicate face-to-face rather than by writing it down. What did he communicate?
That's where Sacred Tradition comes in (again, big "T" vice little "T"). Those teachings are essential in the understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures. It helps me understand some of the 'how' and 'why' that are, at times, not addressed in the written Word.
Can a person receive salvific grace from the Scriptures alone? Absolutely. Millions have. I pray millions more will.
Can a person receive the fullness of the revelation of God from Scriptures alone? IMO, no. Much of the revelation, yes. All. no.
Flo, your post truly moved me. Thanks for stating it as well as you did.
Greetings to both of you.
I saw Flo’s post after I stumbled through trying to state my thoughts in my answer to Salvation a few posts above. I too concure that Flo’s answer was brilliant and summed up my blathering into a much better format. That’s essentially my viewpoint as well...which I think many RCC’r’s would be surprised to see from us wild and crazy “Proddies” ;-)
Blessings to both of you!
In Christ
Flo, your position sounds (no offense) basically like the Catholic position. Why should I be offended? I may have many theological disagreements with Catholicism, but Catholics are my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, and I cannot be offended when being told I share a position with a fellow believer. I think I should be praising God instead!!
I hope the following isn't too far off topic, but in these days of anonymous Internet postings, it’s easy to forget how our words can affect others. I just happened to stumble upon this excerpt from a sermon of John Wesley’s. As we scramble through these theological battlegrounds, maybe we can all learn something. (By the way, ol' John Wesley thought tradition was pretty important...just NOT as important as Scripture...okay, I'll stop now.. :)
Are you persuaded that you see more clearly than me? It is not unlikely that you may. Then treat me as you would desire to be treated yourself upon a change of circumstances. Point out to me a better way than I have yet known. Show me it is so, by plain proof of Scripture. And if I linger in the path I have accustomed to tread, and am therefore unwilling to leave it, labour with me a little; take me by the hand, and lead me as I am able to bear. But be not displeased if I entreat you not to beat me down in order to quicken my pace: I can go but feebly and slowly at best; then, I should not be able to go at all. May I not request of you, further, not to give me hard names in order to bring me into the right way. Suppose I were ever so much in the wrong, I doubt this would not set me right. Rather, it would make me run so much the farther from you, and so get more and more out of the way.
For God’s sake, if it be possible to avoid it, let us not provoke one another to wrath. Let us not kindle in each other this fire of hell; much less blow it up into a flame. If we could discern truth by that dreadful light, would it not be a loss rather than gain? For, how far is love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth itself without love! We may die without the knowledge of many truths, and yet be carried into Abraham’s bosom. But if we die without love, what will knowledge avail? Just as much as it avails the devil and his angels!
The God of love forbid that we should ever make the trial. May he prepare us for the knowledge of all truth, by filling our hearts with all his love, and with all joy and peace in believing!
Blessings to you all