But you asked: "Wouldn’t you rather trust your own reasoned interpretation of Scripture rather than that of any other man?" I think we assign authority differently. I would posit that the authority of Christ's Church has His authority, whereas you and Calvin do not.
Salvation, though is a much simpler matter. Accept Christ and get it; reject Him and be damned. It requires no more to be saved.
According to your interpretation, or yours and those whose you accept. So, my question still applies, you are choosing to accept on your own authority within your own limited means and capacity rather than those of the Apostles and Apostolic successors, the Doctors of the Church. They discussed and debated all the major questions of the Christian faith in Ecumenical Councils and left us with the foundations of doctrines and creeds of the Catholic Church.
Of course, we each make our choices on soteriology. Catholics look at it as following Christ as the head of His Church, and His authority is vested in His Church with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
With this in mind, you can understand that Calvin or Luther or your interpretations and teaching on salvation have no authority. They may be interesting to discuss, and many of the particulars were discussed and debated long ago as the Church developed doctrine and creeds, but they are not given the weight of real authority.
I say this to explain where we come from in viewing other's individual views and interpretation, not to demean or insult your own personal search for truth.
Thanks for your courteous reply.
Of course, we each make our choices on soteriology. Catholics look at it as following Christ as the head of His Church, and His authority is vested in His Church with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
See, this is where the basic disagreement is. Protestants simply do not accept that the Pope is more than a man, or that the Church has that kind of authority, as the Pope, or the College of Cardinals, or papal commissions are men, maybe filled with the Holy Spirit, maybe not. But let us face it; there have been a number of Popes that would not qualify for the word "Christian" in any but the most formal sense. Been a few Baptist preachers like that, too, and I DO NOT want to mention the choir directors.