There are not over 30,000 protestant sects -- that number grows with every telling! Note also that there are various sects and rites with Catholicism -- the Jesuits, Dominicans, etc. Many of them disagree with each other on certain minor points just as most of the points on which protestants disagree are minor.
2.)How are you to find the ONE correct interpretation if you have only the Bible to rely upon.
You obviously don't know what sola scripture means. Tradition is important, but only to the point that it doesn't contradict scripture. When tradition contradicts scripture, scripture must win out.
Note also that there are still disputes within Catholicism as to certain theological points.
3.)How do you reconcile the fact that the books in the bible were chosen by the Catholic Church hundreds of years after Christ?
They were chosen by God and delivered to the Church. Peter refers to Paul's writings as scripture. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for elevating their traditions above the scripture.
4.) How do you reconcile the fact that most of the Early Christians did not have the New Testament written down?
So? It wasn't that long ago that very few people had ever owned a Bible. The letters and Gospels were passed from church to church.
5.)Where in the Bible does it say that we are to rely on the Bible alone. In fact, doesn’t one of the Gospels say that there was much more to Jesus’ story than could be written in that book.
Of course, there was more than could be written. The Gospel of John, to which you refer, says that it was written in order that we might believe.
How do you explain the many quotes of the early Church fathers supporting the idea that we should rely upon written scripture alone to determine matters of faith and morals? I've already posted some but would be happy to provide you many, many more.
1.)If we are to rely only on scripture to find the ONE church that Jesus instituted, why are there over 30,000 protestant sects that believe in sola scriptura?
There are not over 30,000 protestant sects -- that number grows with every telling! Note also that there are various sects and rites with Catholicism -- the Jesuits, Dominicans, etc. Many of them disagree with each other on certain minor points just as most of the points on which Protestants disagree are minor. _____________________________
//////Yes, that is true about our disagreements being minor. I do believe that as Christians we should focus more on what keeps us together rather than the things that tear us apart. But the point is that with sola scriptura the possibilities are endless. I’m sure there are some groups which we both would disagree with their interpretations of scripture. Regardless, the rites within Catholicism agree on all the points of faith and morals because they have Rome, Tradition and the Bible holding them together. If they do not agree on all these issues, they should.
2.)How are you to find the ONE correct interpretation if you have only the Bible to rely upon.
You obviously don't know what sola scripture means. Tradition is important, but only to the point that it doesn't contradict scripture. When tradition contradicts scripture, scripture must win out.
Note also that there are still disputes within Catholicism as to certain theological points. ______________________________________
///////First, where do you get the answer when it is not in scripture? Second, what do you do when scripture contradicts itself? As flawed and sinful humans, I believe that we can rely on the Church that Jesus left for us on earth to help us know the Truth. Please tell me which thelogical points that faithful Catholics agree upon. After all, we all know that some Catholics believe that abortion is OK, when the Church teaches the truth that it is not.
3.)How do you reconcile the fact that the books in the bible were chosen by the Catholic Church hundreds of years after Christ?
They were chosen by God and delivered to the Church. Peter refers to Paul's writings as scripture. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for elevating their traditions above the scripture. _______________________________________
////Why do you allow the Catholic Church to choose your Bible, but do not allow it to speak on other matters?
4.) How do you reconcile the fact that most of the Early Christians did not have the New Testament written down?
So? It wasn't that long ago that very few people had ever owned a Bible. The letters and Gospels were passed from church to church. _______________________________
////So you base your religion on a great game of ‘telephone’, where one word could change the whole meaning of everything. I think God, in his perfect knowledge, had a better plan. We need the Church to be a unifying force and spread the unchanging word of God. Do you not understand the importance of holding on to the tradition in the church as the world around us changes with every new trend.
5.)Where in the Bible does it say that we are to rely on the Bible alone. In fact, doesn’’t one of the Gospels say that there was much more to Jesus’’ story than could be written in that book.
Of course, there was more than could be written. The Gospel of John, to which you refer, says that it was written in order that we might believe.
How do you explain the many quotes of the early Church fathers supporting the idea that we should rely upon written scripture alone to determine matters of faith and morals? I've already posted some but would be happy to provide you many, many more. __________________
///////How do we know what was left out of the Bible? I’m sorry I am not familiar with the quotes that you refer to. But I can’t imagine that the early church fathers were insisting that Christians adhere to a book that had not been yet written.