[wmfights]

MB: Scripture does not self-authenticate. It was written by the Church, ordered by the Church, the text was selected and the book was printed and disseminated. The interpretation of the Bible rests alone with the folks who wrote it and their successors.

If what you are saying is true it leaves the church of Rome on the outside looking in. You never had an ecumenical council that was binding on all member churches that declared the canon. Scripture was written by Apostles, or those that were closely associated with the Apostles.

During the Apostolic Era in which these people lived they called themselves Christians. The Roman hierarchy that came to dominate Christianity until the Reformation only emerged later.

[MarkBsnr]

***If what you are saying is true it leaves the church of Rome on the outside looking in. You never had an ecumenical council that was binding on all member churches that declared the canon.***

Really?

So the Council of Hippo, followed by Carthage, Trent and a second Carthage (over which Augustine presided) weren’t binding?

***During the Apostolic Era in which these people lived they called themselves Christians***

The term Catholic first is documented about 100 AD. The early Christians called themselves a lot of things. They most certainly didn’t call themselves Baptists or Presbyterians or Anglicans or...