It is also self-defeating, for if sola scriptura were true, it would have to be explicitly spelled out in Scripture itself. 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. Peter exercises apostolic authority in Acts Chapter 2: The Bible explicitly teaches about a true and unchangeable apostolic Tradition. Hang with me. The … We are going to use the definition given by Wikipedia. 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. 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. As we will see in the next point, this is not the case. 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. All church traditions, creeds, and teachings must be in unity with the teachings of scripture as the divinely inspired Word of God. It is the fallacy of “argument from silence”—asserting a conclusion based on lack of evidence to the contrary. 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. All of this makes it clear that God intended from the very beginning that His revelation be preserved in Scripture, not in extrabiblical tradition. Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? 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. 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? That’s why Catholic Answers has published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. That’s why we have published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. To help see this I will. 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. 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. It should be noted that all Christian groups have some traditions, whether or not they acknowledge it. Mark 8:33). Andrew. This powerful new book contains just that Biblical arguments. 5:22, 28, 31; 28:18) and the apostles (1 Cor. Typical Arguments that Catholics & Orthodox use to trash Sola Scriptura are refuted. 2:5). 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. Because the New Testament is the only inspired (infallible) record of what the apostles taught, it follows that since the death of the apostles the only apostolic authority we have is the inspired record of their teaching in the New Testament. We can go in more depth of what Sola scriptura means, who and how it was developed, but this is a good starting point. As we have said before, so now I say again, If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed. 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, … Have nothing to do with godless and silly myths. The Catholic use of 3 John to prove the superiority of oral tradition is a classic example of taking a text out of context. Click here for the lowest price! The Bible has perspicuity apart from any traditions to help us understand it. When Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders it was not because they did not follow the traditions but because they did not “understand the Scriptures” (Matt. He rebuked the Pharisees for not accepting sola Scriptura and negating the final authority of the Word of God by their religious traditions, saying, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?…You have nullified the word of God, for the sake of your tradition” (Matt. The Bible contains much information on Scared Tradition – Scripture is unique, but it refers to an authoritative apostolic tradition apart from itself. 9:2). 15:4; 1 Cor. Sola Scriptura: First Century Christians Had Scripture and Living Apostles. One, the fact that Scripture, without tradition, is said to be “God-breathed” (theopnuestos) and thus by it believers are “competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 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. 1:7). And they read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. How to Have a Civil Discussion about Abortion, Why Do I Call Myself Good? This preached gospel stood forever as truth before it was ever encapsulated in the Bible. The Catholic case against sola scripture may be summarized by saying that sola scripture is unhistorical, unbiblical and unworkable. 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. Covenants and Sacred Tradition are perpetually binding. Moses certainly gave definitive interpretation of doctrine, as did the priesthood in Israel. Sola Scriptura: Tradition and Scripture Are Not Inseparable. Throughout the book of Acts we see Peter and Paul exercising apostolic authority and preaching—not merely handing out Bibles or mouthing (Old Testament) Scripture. 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. 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. 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. Nor can one argue successfully that unbelievers are unable to see spiritual unity. 15:3, 6). 8:1) and to “inscribe it in a record; that it may be in future days an eternal witness” (30:8). An Outline of the Catholic Case Against Sola Scriptura. It simply means that it is not explicitly contained within the letter of the Bible, though it might well be in harmony with it. That’s why Catholic Answers has published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. Christians confronted with such arguments should keep the following points in mind: Christians have never been without the Scriptures as their rule of faith. Protestants, who believe in sola Scriptura, accept genuine tradition; they simply do not believe it is infallible. So this Catholic argument against Protestantism is self-condemning. 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. First, it is not necessary to claim that these oral teachings were inspired or infallible, only that they were authoritative. 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. Nov 19. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel. What it does mean is that all apostolic teaching that God deemed necessary for the faith and practice (morals) of the church was preserved (2 Tim. Sola scriptura simply cannot be God’s plan for Christian theology. 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. (This one is mostly about what some Protestants call Solo Scriptura, or the AnaBaptist / modern American Evangelical view of it). In point of fact, Protestants seem to do about as well as Catholics on unanimity of essential doctrines with only an infallible Bible and no infallible interpreters of it! Jesus and New Testament writers used the phrase “It is written” (cf. The church merely discovered which books God had determined (inspired) to be in the canon. What is more, Jesus made it clear that the Bible was in a class of its own, exalted above all tradition. And this is precisely what these texts say. 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. Were Paul not assuming that, he would have been commanding his followers to adhere to a mistaken doctrine. 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. In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.”. Because it is plainly written that Jesus is the Word made flesh that dwelt among us according to John 1:14. A Compelling Argument AGAINST Sola Scriptura? The rule of faith of the Roman Catholic Church, therefore, is rightly Scripture and Tradition together. Third, Kreeft’s argument wrongly assumes that there was apostolic succession (see Part Four, next issue). The prolific Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong has a new book out 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura which was published by Catholic Answers. Orthodox Protestants’ differences are largely over secondary issues, not primary (fundamental) doctrines. Third, an allegiance to sola Scriptura for Luther meant that he firmly stood on the supreme authority of Scripture. Hence, their enemy is Christ! 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. If you are a Protestant like me, then you may have never even heard of the Orthodox church, I know I had not. Many Christian teachings are a necessary logical deduction of what is clearly taught in the Bible (e.g., the Trinity). Of course, none of these are a prohibition on future revelations. Who would not prefer a face-to-face talk with a living apostle over a letter from him? A Look at Virtue Signaling. This powerful new book contains just that — Biblical arguments. “only Scripture” or “Scripture alone”) has been the cause of great scandal since the sixteenth century. 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. In fact, Dave Armstrong and Catholic Answers Press gives 90 more arguments in the book, “100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura“. It even has a fancy Latin name "sola scriptura." 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. 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. It expands upon what we know from Scripture, and though it is not inspired like the Bible, its truths are every bit as revealed and infallible. Of course, Jesus (Matt. Indeed, even the prophet himself was not to add to the revelation God gave him. But oral teachings of the apostles were not called “inspired” or “unbreakable” or the equivalent, unless they were recorded as Scripture. Sola Scriptura might be thought of as the methodological doctrine of the Reformation, for Protestantism is said to be founded on Scripture Alone (as opposed to religious tradition), and its primary doctrinal teaching is Sola Fide– that salvation is by faith alone (apart from works). John is not comparing oral and written tradition about the past but a written, as opposed to a personal, communication in the present. 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. Fact is they MUST fight this notion of Sola Scriptura simply because it is their enemy! April 23, 2015 Scott Eric Alt Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Thus, there is a limit to how far a Calvinist can go in interpreting Scripture, and that limit is set by Calvinist tradition. This being the case, Kreeft’s argument that the cause must be equal to its effect (or greater) fails. It even has a fancy Latin name — “sola scriptura.” It’s time for Catholics to stop being beaten up with the Fundamentalists’ favorite question. 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. 3:15-17; Rom. Luther stated, "The pulpit is the throne for the word of God." For even many early fathers testified to the fact that all apostolic teaching was put in the New Testament. 5:18; cf. Train yourself in godliness. Even his illustration of the horse (Scripture) and the rider (tradition) would suggest that Scripture and apostolic tradition are separable. So, for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God. 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. Thus, all Christian groups, not just the Catholic Church, employ tradition to shape and curb the way their followers interpret Scripture. The Authority of Scripture, by Reader Christopher Orr. It was a main rallying cry of the original Protestant Reformers and remains so … Scripture is self-authentication, clear to the rational reader, it own interpreter, and sufficient of itself to be the final authority of Christian doctrine. 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. The only infallible authority that succeeded the apostles was their infallible apostolic writings, that is, the New Testament. Anti-Sola Scriptura Arguments Refuted: "David A. Barrett's book, World Christian … Kreeft’s argument that sola Scriptura violates the principle of causality is invalid for one fundamental reason: it is based on a false assumption. I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 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. 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. 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. 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. Two Highly Illogical Arguments for Sola Scriptura. 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