So I agree that the Holy Spirit can and does guide individual readers to grasp things from the Scriptures, but I deny that such subjective encounters issue in doctrines that are NORMATIVE for other Christians. What is it that confers normativity for others upon what the Holy Spirit leads you to see? There needs to be an ECCLESIAL guidance as well. The Holy Spirit must guide the Church as a whole in the same way it guides this or that joe.
Besides, how do you deal with the following. Either you are infallibly guided by the Holy Spirit or you are fallibly guided. If you say that you are infallibly guided, then you attribute to yourself the very attribute you deny to the Catholic Church. Why should we think that you are infallible? If you are fallibly guided by the Holy Spirit, then certainly what you discover is not normative for others, and we are back to the questions I raised to xzins in the first place.
Lastly, two people, A and B, both claim to be guided by the Holy Spirit, A says "Scripture says X" and B says "Scripture does not say X" Somebody is getting deceived unless the Holy Spirit is speaking contradictions. Now what should I do? Please don't tell me to pray and study, or we are back to where we started in teh first place.
The Mormons also believe in the burning breast means of authority..and they have added to scripture too...and they have a heavenly Mother..you guys may have more in common than ya think
The basic difficulty with Sola Scriptura is that it takes a certain real truth -- that Christ through the Holy Spirit personally teaches us in dramatic ways the meaning of Scripture for me and my life--and then turns that truth concerning my subjective relationship to the Lord into an ECCLESIOLOGICAL principle about the source of the NORMATIVITY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. From the fact that in a subjective encounter with the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit guides me to understand X, it does not at all follow that X is normative doctrine for all other Christians.So I agree that the Holy Spirit can and does guide individual readers to grasp things from the Scriptures, but I deny that such subjective encounters issue in doctrines that are NORMATIVE for other Christians. What is it that confers normativity for others upon what the Holy Spirit leads you to see? There needs to be an ECCLESIAL guidance as well. The Holy Spirit must guide the Church as a whole in the same way it guides this or that joe.
The Holy Spirit simultaneously guides the the Church Universal, the individual christian, and individual groups of christians. The degrees to which individual christians, christian groups, or the church reflect the teaching of the Holy Spirit derives from the degree that any of these is receptive and obedient to the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
Besides, how do you deal with the following. Either you are infallibly guided by the Holy Spirit or you are fallibly guided. If you say that you are infallibly guided, then you attribute to yourself the very attribute you deny to the Catholic Church. Why should we think that you are infallible? If you are fallibly guided by the Holy Spirit, then certainly what you discover is not normative for others, and we are back to the questions I raised to xzins in the first place.
The Holy Spirit's guidance is infallible. Our receptance and obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit is fallible because we are fallible. It is only to the extent that we earnestly seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit (i.e. clear our reception of all interfering agendas) that we clearly receive what the Holy Spirit communicates to us.
Lastly, two people, A and B, both claim to be guided by the Holy Spirit, A says "Scripture says X" and B says "Scripture does not say X" Somebody is getting deceived unless the Holy Spirit is speaking contradictions. Now what should I do? Please don't tell me to pray and study, or we are back to where we started in teh first place.
If two persons, A and B, both claim to be guided by tje Holy Spirit, yet A says "Scripture says X" and B says "Scripture does not say X", there are (2) possibilities. Either one of the two, A or B is mistaken about what the Holy Spirit is saying OR both are mistaken. Any deception or contradiction is on the part of the receiver(s) of what the Spirit is saying.
It is often because one (or both) is not listening closely enough or purely enough (i.e. without other egocentric agendas distorting the Holy Spirit's message).
Or, perhaps, one (or both) of those disagreeing needs additional spiritual maturity before they would be able to comprehend the truth provided by the Spirit. I believe that the Spirit teaches us only what we are ready to be taught. Perhaps we're not ready to receive the information we desire.
But, you know us. Many times, we truly do not know what we think we know. Unfortunately, too often, that doesn't keep us from declaring that which we know not.
I believe that it is much more profitable for us to humbly acknowledge our fallibility, ... to know that what we do know is by the grace of God, ... and to earnestly seek (from God Himself) what further He has for us as we grow in His grace.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.