Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: Mad Dawg; pgyanke
Guess where I read Augustine on how Jesus was the Rock in the quote we always argue about...IN my Breviary. The second reading from the Office of Readings for Saint Pius V, whose memorial is today.

Not the compost pile.


In this we agree. You were not among those who tore the skin off my posterior when I claimed the RCC did not teach that the Church was built on Peter.

However, where are the many writings of Augustine where he clearly notes the supremecy of Scripture? In the "secret" archives?

1,333 posted on 04/30/2008 11:18:40 AM PDT by OLD REGGIE (I am most likely a Biblical Unitarian? Let me be perfectly clear. I know nothing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1311 | View Replies ]


To: OLD REGGIE
However, where are the many writings of Augustine where he clearly notes the supremecy of Scripture?

Where are they indeed... please post one for us to discuss.

I proffer one for you:

"As regards our writings, which are not a rule of faith or practice, but only a help to edification, we may suppose that they contain some things falling short of the truth in obscure and recondite matters, and that these mistakes may or may not be corrected in subsequent treatises. For we are of those of whom the apostle says: “And if you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” Such writings are read with the right of judgment, and without any obligation to believe. In order to leave room for such profitable discussions of difficult questions, there is a distinct boundary line separating all productions subsequent to apostolic times from the authoritative canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. The authority of these books has come down to us from the apostles through the successions of bishops and the extension of the Church, and, from a position of lofty supremacy, claims the submission of every faithful and pious mind. If we are perplexed by an apparent contradiction in Scripture, it is not allowable to say, The author of this book is mistaken; but either the manuscript is faulty, or the translation is wrong, or you have not understood. In the innumerable books that have been written latterly we may sometimes find the same truth as in Scripture, but there is not the same authority. Scripture has a sacredness peculiar to itself. In other books the reader may form his own opinion, and perhaps, from not understanding the writer, may differ from him, and may pronounce in favor of what pleases him, or against what he dislikes. In such cases, a man is at liberty to withhold his belief, unless there is some clear demonstration or some canonical authority to show that the doctrine or statement either must or may be true. But in consequence of the distinctive peculiarity of the sacred writings, we are bound to receive as true whatever the canon shows to have been said by even one prophet, or apostle, or evangelist. Otherwise, not a single page will be left for the guidance of human fallibility, if contempt for the wholesome authority of the canonical books either puts an end to that authority altogether, or involves it in hopeless confusion."

Clearly, he respects the Authorship and Sacredness of Holy Scripture. It is without error as it is the Word of God. One way to view this controversy is to recognize Scripture as a love letter from the Bridegroom to the Bride. The children are better to read the letters under the understanding of the Bride than on their own where much could be misunderstood... St Augustine also suggests, with more or less weight, in De Doctrina Christiana, and various places in De Trinitate that Scripture are divinely-given signs whose interpretation is entrusted to the Church.

1,341 posted on 04/30/2008 11:40:35 AM PDT by pgyanke ("Huntered"--The act of being ignored by media and party to prevent name recognition)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1333 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson