Posted on 03/31/2014 5:45:28 PM PDT by matthewrobertolson
Sola Scriptura is the Protestant doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Under it, only doctrines that are found directly within the Bible or are drawn indirectly from it by simple reasoning are allowed. (See material vs. formal sufficiency & perspicuity.)“[The Church] does not, in the conventional phrase, believe what the Bible says, for the simple reason that the Bible does not say anything. You cannot put a book in the witness-box and ask it what it really means.” – G. K. Chesterton
2 Timothy 3:16-17 is the primary passage used to defend this view, which always boggles my mind. Perhaps I need spectacles, but I do not see an “Only” at the beginning of this verse. The Church teaches (as Scripture teaches) that all Scripture is valuable. She does not, however, turn it into an idol.
Some Protestants also claim to honor other authorities, like the Church – but do they really? In a short written debate with a Protestant professor, he said, “Sola Scriptura does not even claim that there is no other authority besides the Bible; it maintains that the Bible is alone (sola) as the only infallible authority.” Some apologists concede this position, but I see no reason to, and so I responded, “The practical effect [of Sola Scriptura] is that it denies the authoritativeness of any other authority – making that authority not an authority at all.” The professor quickly changed the topic.
Sacred Tradition (capital ‘T’) is, obviously, a stumbling block for many, but it is perfectly reasonable. Not everything of relevance could fit within the Bible (John 20:30-31, John 21:25). This is evidenced by the elaborations of the Church Fathers, as well as the decrees of the Councils. And much of this has been written and can therefore even qualify as (extra canon) Scripture! Anyway, all Scripture must be interpreted “according to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church” (Origen).
Pope Francis noted, “Sacred Scripture is the written testimony of the divine Word, the canonical memory that attests to the event of Revelation. However, the Word of God precedes the Bible and surpasses it. That is why the center of our faith isn’t just a book, but a salvation history and above all a person, Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh.” (cf. CCC #108). All teaching is valuable – God is not limited to a book compiled by His Bride. On this point, the Bible is like a wedding album shared by two spouses: the husband, typically, arranges and provides for everything, while his wife fills in the details – but still, at the end of the day, it does not sum up their whole marriage.
Another great blow to Sola Scriptura is that the Bible did not put itself together, and it does not list the books that belong within it. It took the Jews thousands of years to decide on the Tanakh (their canon) and, even then, “Hellenistic” Jews preferred the Septuagint! The only reason that we know which books comprise the Testaments is that the Church has informed us. If the Church, as Her own entity, is not infallible on such doctrine, then the Bible cannot be trusted.
Many Protestants also allude that absolute truth can only be found within the Bible. If I throw an apple up into the air, it will fall. Where is that in the Bible? Of course, one could quickly retort with the idea that the Bible only necessarily contains the absolute moral truth necessary for salvation. But many Protestants do not actually believe that – just look at the large crowds of literal creationists! To be clear, the Bible is not guaranteed to be totally historically or scientifically inerrant in a literal sense. “Inerrancy extends to what the biblical writers intend to teach, not necessarily to what they assume or presuppose or what isn’t integral to what they assert.” [Catholic Answers] And if a Protestant would like to say otherwise, he must prove his position from the Bible – which he cannot do, at least not to any definite degree. Even natural law, which exists outside of the Bible, does not encompass such. Leaders like Ken Ham could be defeated with these points.
I just cannot help but despise this great heresy of Sola Scriptura, the implication of which is that the Bride of Christ does not know Her Husband.
I love the Second Vatican Council’s statement on all of this: “[T]he task of authentically interpreting the word of God, whether written or handed on, has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This teaching office is not above the word of God, but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on, listening to it devoutly, guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully in accord with a divine commission and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it draws from this one deposit of faith everything which it presents for belief as divinely revealed.” (Dei Verbum)
Let us put it this way: only trusting the Bible without the Church would be like loving “Romeo and Juliet” and hating Shakespeare’s explanation of it.
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it is reallllly simple - I asked for a quote where is says “the Bible alone” he gave me pablum.
If you think that is spit what is the spit answer he gave me?
Antichrist: The Pope. The Historic Protestant View
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=112801223644
John MacArthur’s Heresy of Catholicism series
http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?sourceonly=true&currSection=sermonssource&keyword=johnmacarthur&subsetcat=series&subsetitem=The+Heresy+of+Catholicism
Reformer’s Separation from Rome (Dr. Alan Cairn)
http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Dr._Alan_Cairns
You left out vandalizing a church door. And those indulgences that were sold . . when did that practice begin?? Is that something Jesus or the Apostles preached/practiced?? Some of your Churchs “traditions brings to mind (hope you don’t mind a Bible reference) Mark 7:9.
I gave you pablum because that is what you can digest.
The Difference is the Catholic Church has been and always will be the Sacred Repository of Scripture. Jesus Christ himself promised us that is how it will be...Peter was Given the keys to Heaven and Earth by Christ Himself he was given the Infallibility and the Promise Jesus would protect the Church teachings from the gates of Hell until the end of time.
The Catholic Pope Francis and Bishops as well as Priest have Apostolic Succession from Jesus Christ Himself beginning on Pentecost Sunday the Protestant Churches don’t have that same TRUE succession today.
Oh that one is easy. It’s when they declared Mary the queen of heaven copying the pagans. They have incorporated many pagan practices, beliefs, and vestments ever since.
Oh, you mean the word 'alone'...Fear not...The definitions for 'alone' and the phrase that John uses are identical...A sixth grader couldn't miss it...
Or not.
do you know the difference between imply and infer - you inferred it - if I wanted to I wouldn’t have implied it - I would have come out and said it.
Maybe you didn’t catch it yet, but I don’t mince words.
AMDG
How does that affect salvation?
You sure told me. Thanks for the English lesson.
yeah right I am 500 years old - I judge Luther.
First, the Catholic Church judged him and found him severely wanted and so excommunicated him.
And Luther drank judgement on himself - all by himself.
BTW, Luther for his many faults loved the Blessed Mother, crucifixes, icons, the Eucharist and the list goes on - where are all those now - they were all trashed by his successors.
For the Greater Glory of God
you put words in my mouth that I did not say.
Jews wrote the Old Testament by instruction from God...They did not include the spurious Catholic books...Jesus listed the books in the New Testament...He did not include the spurious Catholic books...So if God did not want those books and the Jews who wrote the scriptures did not want those books, why would the Protestants want those books???
Jesus never mentioned Catholic and church in the same sentence...In fact, Jesus never mentioned Catholic, ever...Are you saying Jesus was wrong???
No one ever said Romans didn’t have silver tongues.
Please show where the apostles taught the assumption of Mary.
well IS.. look it up in the original Koine Greek - your assertion is FALSE.
AMDG
I do not know where you got your bro but it is wrong. Do a search and see for yourself. They reaffirmed their anti-abortion stand in the 1970’s.
You belive in Scripture, correct?
Then why don't you believe this?
John 21: (We'll be using the KJV today to keep things on even footing): "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."
The Bible Itself declares that it doesn't contain everything.
Thus we have Holy Tradition -- straight from the Bible.
Just where are those keys by the way? How many were given out?
The Catholic Pope Francis and Bishops as well as Priest have Apostolic Succession from Jesus Christ Himself
Is that a fact? What documentation do you have? Was this "Succession" recorded? Why don't present day Popes and Bishops have the same gifts as the original Apostles if there was some kind of succession? Has Pope Francis healed the lame or blind? Raised anybody from the dead?
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