Replies

I wrote: you obviously haven't read "Against Heresies", and I find it equally unlikely you have read anything else the men of the first two centuries of the common era wrote. If you actually DID read them, you would have a serious change of heart.

You wrote back: Actually, I HAVE read them, and find that the Roman Catholic religion distorts them as much as it does Scripture and the Gospel.

With all due respect, I do not believe you. ANYONE who has read even large sections of "Against Heresies" would have a difficult time showing that Irenaeus believed in "Sola Scriptura", because he repeats over and over again, AGAINST heretics, that only the CHURCH properly interprets the Scriptures.

Not only that, he defends those Christians who NEVER READ THE BIBLE - AND HE PRAISES THEM!

Not a ringing endorsement for Sola Scriptura, brother...

"To this order of the Tradition, the many people of the barbarians who believe in Christ give their assent, having salvation written in their hearts without paper or ink by the Spirit, and guarding diligently the old tradition" St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, III, 4, 2. c. 180 AD.

Ouch...

You want more? Then pick it up and read it. Or I can post you all kinds of clips where he tells us that only the Church can interpret Scriptures correctly...

Regards

With all due respect, I do not believe you.

Guess what? I don't care if you believe me or not. Roman Catholics are indoctrinated to see whatever Rome tells them to see.

ANYONE who has read even large sections of "Against Heresies" would have a difficult time showing that Irenaeus believed in "Sola Scriptura"

Firstly, that comes from a misunderstanding of what sola scriptura actually means. I suggest learning what it actually means instead of the caricature version.

because he repeats over and over again, AGAINST heretics, that only the CHURCH properly interprets the Scriptures.

Irenaeus also says that NO ONE can interpret the Scriptures to mean whatever they want them to, which is what Rome came to do. When Irenaeus spoke of the Church, he was NOT referring to the Roman Catholic religion at all, which is what Roman Catholics read into it that does not exist.