*****To my knowledge, most former Catholics that left your church left when they started studying the scriptures...**
This is nonsense. Catholics read Scripture everyday. Our liturgy is based on Scripture. Have you ever looked at the Priest’s book (Sacramentary) with the prayers that he says at Mass? You would be so surprised because most of them come straight from Scripture.
Mark you are right on this. Faith and Scripture work together.***
Remember though, the early Christians had no Scripture and yet had faith. The first Gospel wasn’t even written for 30 years after Christ Ascended. Faith can be bolstered through the reading of Scripture, sure.
The early Church did have Scripture and the Word of God. The early Church was Jewish and what we know today as the Old testament was completely available to them, as was their recent exposure to the direct ministry of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.