arguments for sola scriptura

Luther stated, "The pulpit is the throne for the word of God." Protestants, who believe in sola Scriptura, accept genuine tradition; they simply do not believe it is infallible. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 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. The Authority of Scripture, by Reader Christopher Orr. When, however, we compare the differences with orthodox Catholics and orthodox Protestants or with all Catholics and all Protestants on the more essential doctrines, there is no significant edge for Catholicism. 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. The Classical Reformation - Part 1: Sola Scriptura, by Fr. These two “solas” are known, respectively, as the formal and material causes of the Reformation. 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. Roman Catholics admit that the New Testament is the only infallible record of apostolic teaching we have from the first century. 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. 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. Thus, there is a limit to how far a Calvinist can go in interpreting Scripture, and that limit is set by Calvinist tradition. There is not a shred of evidence that any of the revelation God gave them to express was not inscripturated by them in the only books — the inspired books of the New Testament — that they left for the church. Of course, Jesus (Matt. So, however authoritative the apostles were by their office, only their inscripturated words are inspired and infallible (2 Tim. 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. What they read from “the book” did not interpret itself. 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. Scripture is self-authentication, clear to the rational reader, it own interpreter, and sufficient of itself to be the final authority of Christian doctrine. Speaking of Sola Scriptura, by Kevin Allen and Fr. Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? 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. 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. And it was — in the apostolic writings known as the New Testament. Moses certainly gave definitive interpretation of doctrine, as did the priesthood in Israel. 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. 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. 5:18; cf. If a Calvinist, for example, were to start interpreting certain Scripture passages about falling away from grace and from the faith as suggesting something other than perseverance of the saints or eternal security, he would be suspect in the eyes of his Calvinist comrades. Finally, Kreeft’s argument wrongly assumes that the Bible was produced by the Roman Catholic church. 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). This revelation was often first communicated orally before it was finally committed to writing (e.g., 2 Thess. It matters not that Catholics believe that the teaching Magisterium later claims to pronounce some extrabiblical tradition as infallibly true. 24:25-26) along with Moses’ (cf. 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. 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. The fact is that they do not have an infallible record from the first century on which to base such a decision. All church traditions, creeds, and teachings must be in unity with the teachings of scripture as the divinely inspired Word of God. 10:6). Luke 10:7); second, it is inconsistent to argue that God-breathed writings in the Old Testament are sufficient, but the inspired writings of the New Testament are not. 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? 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. It even has a fancy Latin name "sola scriptura." 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. As convincing as these arguments may seem to a devout Catholic, they are devoid of substance. Sola Scriptura contends the latter is preferable. 2:5). Sola Scriptura: Rejection of Tradition Does Not Necessitate Scandal. Andrew. Tradition is an inevitable reality for all Christians. Sola Scriptura: The Bible Does Not State a Preference for Oral Tradition. For even they admit that no new revelation is being given today, as it was in apostolic times. The word of God, he believed, is the highest arbitrator in the church. This they often did by the introductory phrase, “It is written,” which is repeated some 90 times in the New Testament. Sola Scriptura: All Apostolic “Traditions” Are in the Bible. 4:2). Sola Scriptura: First Century Christians Had Scripture and Living Apostles. So this Catholic argument against Protestantism is self-condemning. 8:1) and to “inscribe it in a record; that it may be in future days an eternal witness” (30:8). I’m working on a project to collect and catalog all of the arguments used to support sola scriptura. This flies in the face of the Catholic claim that the Bible is formally insufficient without the aid of tradition. 10 Arguments against 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. The Catholic Church, too, has parameters of orthodoxy beyond which a Catholic may not go. Of course, none of these are a prohibition on future revelations. 4:4, 7, 10). The prolific Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong has a new book out 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura which was published by Catholic Answers. Article ID: DC170-3 | By: Norman Geisler and Ralph MacKenzie. 5:22, 28, 31; 28:18) and the apostles (1 Cor. Sola Scripturais the i… The only infallible authority that succeeded the apostles was their infallible apostolic writings, that is, the New Testament. The ancient Jews had the Mosaic Law and the Davidic Covenant: a clear, identifiable tradition that didn’t change when corruption occurred, as it did cyclically. Nor can one argue successfully that unbelievers are unable to see spiritual unity. I just couldn’t resist reposting this article by Father John Whiteford, who happens to be an Eastern Orthodox priest. Two points must be made concerning whether the Bible teaches sola Scriptura. 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. 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. Indeed, even the prophet himself was not to add to the revelation God gave him. The Bible makes it clear that God, from the very beginning, desired that His normative revelations be written down and preserved for succeeding generations. They kept discovering the Law and their God again and again, and (in their better moments) cooperated with God’s revival of their hearts and behavior. 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. The church merely discovered which books God had determined (inspired) to be in the canon. It is absurd to presume that because a particular oral or Church tradition is not explicitly taught in the Bible it is false, and that the apostles intended for all Christian teaching after their deaths to be located in the written word of the Bible alone. 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. You can add text widgets here to put whatever you'd like. 9:2). That a tradition is extra-biblical does not mean that it is non-biblical or unbiblical or contrary to the Bible. And contrary to some Catholic apologists, limiting this to only the Old Testament will not help the Catholic cause for two reasons: first, the New Testament is also called “Scripture” (2 Pet. Truth doesn’t have to be in the Bible to be authoritative (see biblical references to teachings and acts not recorded: 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. ( teaching ) on faith and practice is in the New Testament to appreciate the of... Highest arbitrator in the apostolic writings, that is, all apostolic “ traditions ” are in the apostolic,... This fact as it was in a class of its own, exalted above all.! Favor of men, or the AnaBaptist / modern American Evangelical view of it ) said to Peter, you. Rejection of tradition Does not State a Preference for oral tradition is taken for that. 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