Thus, he appears to take for granted that which many Protestants have the hardest time grasping and accepting. 3:16-17; cf. But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! To help see this I will. Only when one chooses to compare things like the mode and candidate for baptism, church government, views on the Eucharist, and other less essential doctrines are there greater differences among orthodox Protestants. But that is not what oral tradition gives. Further, it is unreasonable to insist that words of the apostles that were not written down are more clear than the ones they did write. Sola scriptura is a theological doctrine held by some Protestant Christian denominations that the Christian scriptures are the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. 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. Posted by Jim. 3:16-17, emphasis added) supports the doctrine of sola Scriptura. Kreeft’s claim that Scripture and apostolic tradition are inseparable is unconvincing. Finally, Kreeft’s argument wrongly assumes that the Bible was produced by the Roman Catholic church. 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. These two “solas” are known, respectively, as the formal and material causes of the Reformation. 5:22, 28, 31; 28:18) and the apostles (1 Cor. Sola Scripturais the i… Because it is dangerous. Sola Scriptura: Rejection of Tradition Does Not Necessitate Scandal. If a Lutheran (Missouri Synod) pastor started asserting that the Eucharist and baptism were purely symbolic, he would be in big trouble, since confessional, orthodox Lutheranism holds to the Real Presence—consubstantiation—and baptismal regeneration. When Catholic apologists claim there is significantly more doctrinal agreement among Catholics than Protestants, they must mean between orthodox Catholics and all Protestants (orthodox and unorthodox) — which, of course, is not a fair comparison. 3:15-16; 1 Tim. The Social Dilemma and What it Means for Christians, The Historical Uniqueness of Jesus Christ Among the Founders of the World’s Major Religions, Do I Drink Virtuously? He would not be allowed to interpret the Bible in such a way within his circle of fellow Calvinist believers—sola scriptura or no, perspicuity of Scripture or no, supremacy of conscience and private judgment or no. Sola Scriptura is not even taught in the Bible. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Tradition, like the Bible or the Word of God, is presented as immutable in Scripture: delivered “once for all” to the saints. The Authority of Scripture, by Reader Christopher Orr. It even has a fancy Latin name — “sola scriptura.” It’s time for Catholics to stop being beaten up with the Fundamentalists’ favorite question. If you are a Protestant like me, then you may have never even heard of the Orthodox church, I know I had not. Thus, all Christian groups, not just the Catholic Church, employ tradition to shape and curb the way their followers interpret Scripture. They comprise the New Testament. As for all the claims the Catholic church makes regarding their argument that "Sola Scriptura… 9:2). "Sola Scriptura is an invention of 16th century Protestants." Indeed, John closed the last words of the Bible with the same exhortation, declaring: “I warn everyone who hears the prophetic words in this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words in this prophetic book, God will take away his share in the tree of life…” (Rev. Sola Scriptura could hardly be stated more emphatically. Romans 16:17: Take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. This is because they were living authorities set up by Christ (Matt. Sola scriptura simply cannot be God’s plan for Christian theology. 2:15). 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. We do not pretend that the private judgment of Protestants is infallible, but only that when exercised in a humble, believing spirit, it always leads to a competent knowledge of essential truth. That's why Catholic Answers has published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. Nov 19. We can go in more depth of what Sola scriptura means, who and how it was developed, but this is a good starting point. So this Catholic argument against Protestantism is self-condemning. The fact is that they do not have an infallible record from the first century on which to base such a decision. 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. A Christian Perspective, Bespoke Religiosity and the Rise of the Nones: a review of Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World by Tara Isabella Burton. "There are 30,000 denominations that use sola Scriptura. It is true that the New Testament speaks of following the “traditions” (=teachings) of the apostles, whether oral or written. If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ. The Catholic case against sola scripture may be summarized by saying that sola scripture is unhistorical, unbiblical and unworkable. Sola Scriptura (Latin ablative, “by Scripture alone”) is the Protestant Christian doctrine that the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of doctrine and practice. I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. Fact is they MUST fight this notion of Sola Scriptura simply because it is their enemy! For even many early fathers testified to the fact that all apostolic teaching was put in the New Testament. I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. Kreeft’s argument that sola Scriptura violates the principle of causality is invalid for one fundamental reason: it is based on a false assumption. You can buy that book here to read all 100. Matt. The only way to know for sure what God expects of us is to stay true to what we know He has revealed—the Bible. Sola Scriptura: The Bible Is Clear Apart from Tradition. In fact, God determined the canon by inspiring these books and no others. It is important to note that Jesus did not limit His statement to mere human traditions but applied it specifically to the traditions of the religious authorities who used their tradition to misinterpret the Scriptures. Were Paul not assuming that, he would have been commanding his followers to adhere to a mistaken doctrine. 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. The apostolic deposit—the body of theological and moral doctrine received from Jesus, passed on to the apostles, and passed down by them—is not “secondary” material. The fact that apostles sometimes referred to “traditions” they gave orally as authoritative in no way diminishes the Protestant argument for sola Scriptura. 2 Thessalonians 3:14: If any one refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 10 Arguments against Sola Scriptura! Not necessarily so, as long as the denominations do not deny the essential doctrines of the Christian church and true spiritual unity with other believers in contrast to mere external organizational uniformity. Paperback, 9781933919591, 1933919590 That is, all doctrines essential for salvation and living according to the will of God are sufficiently clear. 11:2) and “stand fast in them” (2 Thess. Roman Catholics admit that the New Testament is the only infallible record of apostolic teaching we have from the first century. 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by Dave Armstrong No belief is more central to Protestantism than sola Scriptura, which says the Bible is the only infallible, authoritative source of Christian faith and practice. Two points must be made concerning whether the Bible teaches sola Scriptura. There is a direct parallel with the religious traditions of Judaism that grew up around (and obscured, even negated) the Scriptures and the Christian traditions that have grown up around (and obscured, even negated) the Scriptures since the first century. In the Bible, good (apostolic) Tradition is contrasted with bad traditions of men – The bottom (biblical) line is not “tradition versus no tradition,” but rather, “true apostolic tradition versus false traditions of men.” The Bible often expressly distinguishes between the 2. I just can’t believe it anymore.’ I could not get her past that one issue. The Catholic use of 3 John to prove the superiority of oral tradition is a classic example of taking a text out of context. 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). Of course, Jesus (Matt. 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. Thank you for your help. 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. How is the argument for the necessity of a visible judge, derived from the diversities ofsects and doctrines among Protestants, to be answered? But oral teachings of the apostles were not called “inspired” or “unbreakable” or the equivalent, unless they were recorded as Scripture. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. 15:4; 1 Cor. Josh. Truth doesn’t have to be in the Bible to be authoritative (see biblical references to teachings and acts not recorded: Matt. 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. Before we make arguments refuting Sola Scriptura, it would be best to define it as many people have defined it in different ways. 3:15-17; Rom. The Classical Reformation - Part 1: Sola Scriptura, by Fr. 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. But I wonder if it could be made into a deductive argument… So, however authoritative the apostles were by their office, only their inscripturated words are inspired and infallible (2 Tim. You can buy that book here to read all 100! 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. 9:1). Third, orthodox Protestant “denominations,” though there be many, have not historically differed much more significantly than have the various “orders” of the Roman Catholic church. However, they do not seem to appreciate the significance of this fact as it bears on the Protestant argument for sola Scriptura. Furthermore, “Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made statutes and ordinances for them… which he recorded in the book of the law of God” (Josh. Sola Scriptura: First Century Christians Had Scripture and Living Apostles. A Look at Virtue Signaling. Dear fellow Catholics and separated brethren: I need your help. Sola scriptura does not deny that other authorities govern Christian life and devotion, but sees them all as subordinate to and corrected by the written word of God. The word of God, he believed, is the highest arbitrator in the church. Sola Scriptura: The Bible Does Not State a Preference for Oral Tradition. Mark 8:33). Article ID: DC170-3 | By: Norman Geisler and Ralph MacKenzie. For prophets were not infallible in everything they said, but only when giving God’s revelation to which they were not to add or from which they were not to subtract a word. Who would not prefer a face-to-face talk with a living apostle over a letter from him? Kreeft’s claim that the rejection of the Roman Catholic view on infallible tradition leads to the scandal of denominationalism does not follow for many reasons. 15:3, 6). It should be noted that all Christian groups have … (This one is mostly about what some Protestants call Solo Scriptura, or the AnaBaptist / modern American Evangelical view of it). Every human opinion and ecclesiastical voice must yield to whatever the Bible teaches. Nehemiah 8:7–8: Also Jesh’ua, Bani, Sherebi’ah, Jamin, Akkub, Shab’bethai, Hodi’ah, Ma-asei’ah, Keli’ta, Azari’ah, Jo’zabad, Hanan, Pelai’ah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men” (cf. That’s why Catholic Answers has published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. 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 Bible does teach implicitly and logically, if not formally and explicitly, that the Bible alone is the only infallible basis for faith and practice. He wrongly assumes, unwittingly in contrast to what Vatican II and even Vatican I say about the canon, 13 that the church determined the canon. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. John Whiteford. Because it is plainly written that Jesus is the Word made flesh that dwelt among us according to John 1:14. It even has a fancy Latin name — “sola scriptura.” It’s time for Catholics to stop being beaten up with the Fundamentalists’ favorite question. First, the essential Bible of the early first century Christians was the Old Testament, as the New Testament itself declares (cf. 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. Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Typical Arguments that Catholics & Orthodox use to trash Sola Scriptura are refuted. Many Christian teachings are a necessary logical deduction of what is clearly taught in the Bible (e.g., the Trinity). It was a foundational doctrinal principle of the Protestant Reformation held by the Reformers, who taught that authentication of Scripture is governed by the discernible excellence of the text as well as the personal witness of the Holy Spirit to the heart of each man. It is the fallacy of “argument from silence”—asserting a conclusion based on lack of evidence to the contrary. It even has a fancy Latin name — “sola scriptura.” It’s time for Catholics to stop being beaten up with the Fundamentalists’ favorite question. 1st. How to Have a Civil Discussion about Abortion, Why Do I Call Myself Good? Tradition is an inevitable reality for all Christians. 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. 10:6). In fact, Dave Armstrong and Catholic Answers Press gives 90 more arguments in the book, “100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura“. 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. I’m working on a project to collect and catalog all of the arguments used to support sola scriptura. The only infallible authority that succeeded the apostles was their infallible apostolic writings, that is, the New Testament. 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. Orthodox Protestants’ differences are largely over secondary issues, not primary (fundamental) doctrines. Have nothing to do with godless and silly myths. 2:20). So, for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God. Sola Scriptura: All Apostolic “Traditions” Are in the Bible. Kreeft’s argument that sola Scriptura violates the principle of causality is invalid for one fundamental reason: it is based on a false assumption. Click here for the lowest price! Of course, none of these are a prohibition on future revelations. We all know from experience that this is not so. Why? Two Highly Illogical Arguments for Sola Scriptura. 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. John is not comparing oral and written tradition about the past but a written, as opposed to a personal, communication in the present. Indeed, it is not plausible that He would have allowed succeeding generations to struggle and even fight over precisely where this alleged extrabiblical revelation is to be found. Sola Scriptura (Latin ablative, sōlā scrīptūrā, meaning "by Scripture alone") is upheld by Lutheran and Reformed theologies and asserts that scripture must govern over church traditions and interpretations which are themselves held to be subject to scripture. 8:1) and to “inscribe it in a record; that it may be in future days an eternal witness” (30:8). I… For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. This does not necessarily mean that everything the apostles ever taught is in the New Testament, any more than everything Jesus said is there (cf. Jesus used this phrase three times when appealing to Scripture as the final authority in His dispute with Satan (Matt. However, there is a whole set of practical presuppositions that the doctrine of sola scriptura makes, every one of which provides not just an argument against the doctrine, but a fatal blow to it. As we will see, each of the Roman Catholic arguments against the Protestant doctrine of sola Scriptura fails, and they are unable to provide any substantial basis for the Catholic dogma of an infallible oral tradition. 1:7). April 23, 2015 Scott Eric Alt Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! A Compelling Argument AGAINST Sola Scriptura? That is, all apostolic tradition (teaching) on faith and practice is in the New Testament. Jon Braun. John 10:35). “only Scripture” or “Scripture alone”) has been the cause of great scandal since the sixteenth century. 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. You shall not add to the revelation God gave him to his contemporary Jeremiah Dan. As it was a main rallying cry of the Catholic use of 3 John 13.! 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