And they read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. I just can’t believe it anymore.’ I could not get her past that one issue. The Bible makes it clear that God, from the very beginning, desired that His normative revelations be written down and preserved for succeeding generations. But they do apply to the point of difference between Protestants and Catholics, namely, whether there are any authoritative normative revelations outside those revealed to apostles and prophets and inscripturated in the Bible. There are many more that we didn’t point out. It begs the question, however, for Roman Catholics to claim that this supports their belief that the church of Rome still has infallible authority outside the Bible today. Sola Scriptura: The Principle of Causality Is Not Violated. And it was — in the apostolic writings known as the New Testament. There may be relatively more of these, but the restrictions are not different in kind from Protestant restrictions on dogma, hermeneutics, and exegesis. It should be noted that all Christian groups have … Every human opinion and ecclesiastical voice must yield to whatever the Bible teaches. Further, Jesus and the apostles constantly appealed to the Bible as the final court of appeal. And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. Article ID: DC170-3 | By: Norman Geisler and Ralph MacKenzie. If a Baptist pastor or theologian adopted a belief in infant baptism, he would be told that he doesn’t see the clear evidence of Scripture for an adult, believer’s baptism, and would probably soon be out of a job—and so on. As stated above, and contrary to a rather wide misunderstanding by Catholics, perspicuity does not mean that everything in the Bible is absolutely clear but that the main message is clear. This flies in the face of the Catholic claim that the Bible is formally insufficient without the aid of tradition. This is just an example shown for the theme preview. The Reformation principle of sola scriptura (lit. Posted by Jim. Likewise, “Samuel next explained to the people the law of royalty and wrote it in a book, which he placed in the presence of the Lord” (1 Sam. 15:3, 6). “Moses then wrote down all the words of the Lord” (Exod. Even his illustration of the horse (Scripture) and the rider (tradition) would suggest that Scripture and apostolic tradition are separable. 3:15-17). Kreeft’s argument that sola Scriptura violates the principle of causality is invalid for one fundamental reason: it is based on a false assumption. Of course, none of these are a prohibition on future revelations. What the Catholic must prove, and cannot, is that the God who deemed it so important for the faith and morals of the faithful to inspire the inscripturation of 27 books of apostolic teaching would have left out some important revelation in these books. Thus, all Christian groups, not just the Catholic Church, employ tradition to shape and curb the way their followers interpret Scripture. Second, early New Testament believers did not need further revelation through the apostles in written form for one very simple reason: they still had the living apostles to teach them. Authoritative interpretation of the Law was required in ancient Israel. It’s the support of friends like you that enables CRI to to post new articles on subjects of interest and continue our weekly podcast. It is true that the New Testament speaks of following the “traditions” (=teachings) of the apostles, whether oral or written. 8:1) and to “inscribe it in a record; that it may be in future days an eternal witness” (30:8). It has to be apostolic and to have always been held implicitly or explicitly by the Church universal: Jude 3: I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. Since both Catholics and Protestants agree that there is no new revelation beyond the first century, it would follow that these texts do support the Protestant principle of sola Scriptura. Sola scriptura is not as much of an argument against tradition as it is an argument against unbiblical, extra-biblical and/or anti-biblical doctrines. It matters not that Catholics believe that the teaching Magisterium later claims to pronounce some extrabiblical tradition as infallibly true. Now there is a certain irony in taking apart Sola Scriptura via the scriptures but you have to stay within a certain framework when dialoging with others. The … The fact is that they do not have an infallible record from the first century on which to base such a decision. In his sermon in the upper room (Acts 2) and in other recorded sermons, St. Peter gives an authoritative New Covenant interpretation of salvation history, interpreting the Old Testament messianically and “Christianly.” It was binding and equally authoritative and inspired before it became “inscripturated” because it was from an apostle. Second, the traditions (teachings) of the apostles that were revelations were written down and are inspired and infallible. Fourth, as J. I. Packer noted, “the real deep divisions have been caused not by those who maintained sola Scriptura, but by those, Roman Catholic and Protestant alike, who reject it.” Further, “when adherents of sola Scriptura have split from each other the cause has been sin rather than Protestant biblicism….”14 Certainly this is often the case. The full PDF may be viewed by following the link below the excerpt. Second, the Bible does teach implicitly and logically, if not formally and explicitly, that the Bible alone is the only infallible basis for faith and practice. Sola scriptura, often noted as the formal cause of the Reformation, the doctrine that the Scriptures are the unique, final, magisterial authority for the Christian faith and the Christian life and, in that sense, alone was crucial to the process of Luther’s Reformation breakthrough, particularly in the years 1518–21.4 When he declared at Worms that his conscience was captive to the Word of God, he was only repeating in public what he had begun to say in correspondence and what he had been implying at Leipzig in 1519. Sola Scriptura: Tradition and Scripture Are Not Inseparable. It even has a fancy Latin name "sola scriptura." For Jesus declared: “This is how all [men] will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). John Whiteford. 10:6). 1:7). Because it is plainly written that Jesus is the Word made flesh that dwelt among us according to John 1:14. But it is utterly presumptuous to assert that what fallible human beings pronounce is clearer than what the infallible Word of God declares. Indeed, since Catholic scholars make a comparison between the Old Testament high priesthood and the Roman Catholic papacy, this would seem to be a very good analogy. This is because they were living authorities set up by Christ (Matt. The rule of faith of the Roman Catholic Church, therefore, is rightly Scripture and Tradition together. The Authority of Scripture, by Reader Christopher Orr. We can go in more depth of what Sola scriptura means, who and how it was developed, but this is a good starting point. You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men” (cf. You can buy that book here to read all 100. This preached gospel stood forever as truth before it was ever encapsulated in the Bible. She refused to hear any counter-argument; she refused to apply the same standards to Rome she was applying to the Bible and Protestant churches. You can buy that book here to read all 100! Luther stated, "The pulpit is the throne for the word of God." In fact, Dave Armstrong and Catholic Answers Press gives 90 more arguments in the book, “100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura“. April 23, 2015 Scott Eric Alt Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! This leads to another important point. Kreeft’s claim that Scripture and apostolic tradition are inseparable is unconvincing. Sola Scriptura, the formal principle of the Protestant Reformation, is essential to genuine Christianity, for it declares that the Bible is the inspired word of God, the church’s only rule of faith and practice. Corruption didn’t wipe out the Law anymore than David’s sin wiped out the Davidic Covenant, or Paul’s or Moses’ or Peter’s sin made them incapable of writing inspired Scripture and being leaders of their people. Sola Scriptura contends the latter is preferable. Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons … If you put these instructions before the brethren, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed. Catholics understand the difference between authoritative and infallible, since they make the same distinction with regard to noninfallible statements made by the Pope and infallible ex cathedra (“from the seat” of Peter) ones. Why? For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. This fact negates the value of the alleged infallible teaching Magisterium of the Roman Catholic church. 9:2). Sola scriptura simply cannot be God’s plan for Christian theology. It should be noted that all Christian groups have some traditions, whether or not they acknowledge it. But a certain kind of Protestant hears “extra-biblical” and immediately equates that with “fallible traditions of men that are obviously contrary to Scripture.” And yet it is this idea that is contrary to Scripture, not the notion of tradition per se. Yet it is not. That a tradition is extra-biblical does not mean that it is non-biblical or unbiblical or contrary to the Bible. That’s why we have published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. It is also self-defeating, for if sola scriptura were true, it would have to be explicitly spelled out in Scripture itself. John is not comparing oral and written tradition about the past but a written, as opposed to a personal, communication in the present. Indeed, to assume that oral traditions of the apostles, not written in the Bible, are necessary to interpret what is written in the Bible under inspiration is to argue that the uninspired is more clear than the inspired. While acknowledging the existence of apostolic tradition, J. D. N. Kelly concluded that “admittedly there is no evidence for beliefs or practices current in the period which were not vouched for in the books later known as the New Testament.” Indeed, many early fathers, including Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Chrysostom, and Augustine, believed that the Bible was the only infallible basis for all Christian doctrine.12 Further, if the New Testament is the only infallible record of apostolic teaching, then every other record from the first century is fallible. While the scriptures' meaning is mediated through many kinds of subordinate authority, such as the ordinary teaching offices of a denominated church, the ecumenical creeds, the councils of the catholic church, … Instead, I hope to see you soon when we can talk face to face” (3 John 13). 5:22, 28, 31; 28:18) and the apostles (1 Cor. A bad hermeneutic (method of interpreting Scripture) is more crucial to deviation from orthodoxy than is the rejection of an infallible tradition in the Roman Catholic church. Thank you for your help. You can add text widgets here to put whatever you'd like. 4:4, 7, 10) over 90 times, stressing the importance of the written word of God. He answered them, “And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?”. Nov 19. Finally, to borrow a phrase from St. Paul, the Bible constantly warns us “not to go beyond what is written” (1 Cor. Dear fellow Catholics and separated brethren: I need your help. Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? originally posted 06-06-96 on James White's Sola Scriptura mailing list. Because it is dangerous. In other words, the only reason Jesus and the apostles could appeal to an authority outside the Bible was that God was still giving normative (i.e., standard-setting) revelation for the faith and morals of believers. That is, all doctrines essential for salvation and living according to the will of God are sufficiently clear. Hang with me. For if there is no normative revelation after the time of the apostles and even the prophets themselves were not to add to the revelations God gave them in the Scriptures, then the Scriptures alone are the only infallible source of divine revelation. Many Christian teachings are a necessary logical deduction of what is clearly taught in the Bible (e.g., the Trinity). Before we make arguments refuting Sola Scriptura, it would be best to define it as many people have defined it in different ways. 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