It has been asserted that the (one true infallible) Catholic Church is that standard, and does not need any external authority to validate it any more than God does.
That was me, in a private mail (we had a good thread locked and continued privately).
I only have a few minutes today, it's Ann + Alex's wedding anniversary number twenty.
The brief answer is: it is a matter of faith. Like any faith, it has a basis in history and is conforms with the Holy Scripture. But ultimately, I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church by the same mechanism by which I believe in One Lord Jesus Christ eternally begotten from the Father, and the rest of the Creed. That mechanism is the gift of faith that I received at confirmation.
Thus you were pinged, though it seems timing was bad.
I only have a few minutes today, it's Ann + Alex's wedding anniversary number twenty.
Now the mystery is solved as to what meaneth ann-alex. Congrats.
The brief answer is: it is a matter of faith. Like any faith, it has a basis in history and is conforms with the Holy Scripture. But ultimately, I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church by the same mechanism by which I believe in One Lord Jesus Christ eternally begotten from the Father, and the rest of the Creed. That mechanism is the gift of faith that I received at confirmation.
A sincere reply, thanks, but it is a given that salvific faith, if it salvific, is a gift of God, and a Mormon will claim the same basis for his assurance of the LDS being the OTC. But faith has an instrumental means, for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
Once what the word of God is has been established, then truth claims will be based upon that. But upon what basis is the Word of God established as being so, and it as testifying to Rome being the one true church?
Thus it seems to go back to the premise that even on the basis of historicity and writings merely being reliable historical documents then Rome is shown to be the historical steward of Divine Truth, which renders her to be the assuredly correct authority on it (not merely a church with a history), and thus her interpretation of Scripture, history and tradition is correct in any conflict, and upon that premise of assured veracity then you have assurance of Truth.