[OLD REGGIE]

I got you beat by 680 yrs!

Clement of the Scotch Church was condemned as a heretic by a council at Soissons in March 744. He was condemned for preaching"no councils, writings, decisions of the church that are contrary to Scripture have authority over Christians."

I agree I wasn't aware of Clement. However my postings from St. Augustine predate Clement by 300 years. Of course it wasn't yet a crime. :)

[Petronski]

Your postings from St. Augustine don't say sola scriptura.

[wmfights]

However my postings from St. Augustine predate Clement by 300 years. Of course it wasn't yet a crime. :)

It's an interesting study how differences became crimes especially when it was a question of authority.

I believe Christianity has gone through four stages in the west. The early church was decentralized and the congregation was in charge. The second stage, the RCC era of dominance was the development of a hierarchy and control of the secular state through the claimed authority to control salvation and truth. The third stage was the rise of protestant churches that initially sought the protection of the princes and gave some authority to the princes in order to gain that protection. The fourth stage, independence from the state and freedom of worship. I think the last stage is a move back to the first stage as more congregational control is evident in the churches that are growing.

What I think is so encouraging is no matter which stage Christians were in there has always been those that believe all earthly authority should be governed by Scripture as the final authority.