Hi Lutero
You said:
The primary Catholic argument against sola scriptura is that the Bible does not explicitly teach sola scriptura.
Without meaning disrespect, the primary Catholic argument is that sola scripture is not in Scripture at all. The secondary argument is that sola scriptura contradicts Scripture. And third, that sola scripture logically contradicts itself.
Catholics argue that the Bible nowhere states that it is the only authoritative guide for faith and practice. While this is true,
Thanks for that admission.
Catholic Teaching.
Still Catholic Teaching.
We also know that God does not change His mind or contradict Himself. So, while the Bible itself may not explicitly argue for sola scriptura, it most definitely does not allow for traditions that contradict its message.
Agreed. Absolutely true. And sola scriptura contradicts the Bible message. Because, the Bible says we have many guides for faith and practice. Three of which are inerrant and infallible. Tradition, Scripture and the Catholic Church which Jesus Christ established and within which He deposited His Truth.
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.
Since I can produce verses which contradict sola scriptura and you can’t produce any verse which supports sola scriptura, sola scriptura remains one of the anti-biblical doctrines.
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.
Jesus Christ established a Church and deposited His Word in that Church, by example and by word. He did not write one letter in Scripture. The Church (inspired of God) revealed the Bible.
We can know, beyond the shadow of any doubt, that Scripture is true, authoritative, and reliable.
We only know that because the Church told us. Without the Catholic Church, you wouldn’t even know which books are canonical.
The same cannot be said of tradition.
You don’t. But we do. The same Church which brought us the Scriptures infallibly, brings us the Traditions infallibly as well.
The Word of God is the only authority for the Christian faith.
That is correct. And the Word of God comes to us in Tradition, as well as Scripture.
Traditions are valid only when they are based on Scripture and are in full agreement with Scripture.
That is true. And INTERPRETATIONS of Scripture are only valid when they are in conformity to the Traditions of the Catholic Church.
Traditions that contradict the Bible are not of God and are not a valid aspect of the Christian faith.
Agreed. That invalidates the tradition of sola scripture.
Sola scriptura is the only way to avoid subjectivity and keep personal opinion from taking priority over the teachings of the Bible.
Quite the contrary. Sola scripture is a formula for subjectivity and personal interpretation of Scripture. Scripture can’t argue and Scripture can’t admonish heretics when they interpret it incorrectly. The Church can, however. And the Church has done so for 2 millennia.
The essence of sola scriptura is basing your spiritual life on the Bible alone and rejecting any tradition or teaching that is not in full agreement with the Bible.
If that were the case, you would eliminate sola scripture straightway, as it contradicts the Bible.
2 Timothy 2:15 declares, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” God says “Study …” a direct explicit command.
Amen! But it doesn’t say, “Study the Scripture alone.” In point of fact, we can see that the Bible primarily teaches one to study the example and faith of the elders in our faith:
Hebrews 13:7 King James Version (KJV)7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
Sola scriptura does not nullify the concept of church traditions. Rather, sola scriptura gives us a solid foundation on which to base church traditions. There are many practices, in both Catholic and Protestant churches, that are the result of traditions, not the explicit teaching of Scripture. It is good, and even necessary, for the church to have traditions. Traditions play an important role in clarifying and organizing Christian practice. At the same time, in order for these traditions to be valid, they must not be in disagreement with God’s Word.
All true and Catholic Teaching.
They must be based on the solid foundation of the teaching of Scripture. The problem with the Roman Catholic Church, and many other churches, is that they base traditions on traditions which are based on traditions which are based on traditions, often with the initial tradition not being in full harmony with the Scriptures.
Now, we have come to the point where the tire meets the road. Name one Catholic Tradition which is not in harmony with Scripture. Remember that you have not been able to produce any verse which teaches sola scripture. And I have produced several which contradict sola scripture. Now, please provide one Catholic Tradition which you claim contradicts Scripture and we shall examine the Scriptures to see if that is true.
That is why Christians must always go back to sola scriptura, the authoritative Word of God, as the only solid basis for faith and practice.
That is an illusion. Protestants go back to their personal interpretation of the Scripture. Not to the Scripture itself.
Whereas, the Catholic Church goes back to the authentic interpretation of the Scripture which is only found in the Traditions of Jesus Christ because they are the FOUNDATION of the Scripture. Jesus Christ established Tradition and the Catholic Church wrote the New Testament based upon that Tradition.
On a practical matter, a frequent objection to the concept of sola scriptura is the fact that the canon of the Bible was not officially agreed upon for at least 250 years after the church was founded. …. How does the concept of sola scriptura handle these issues?
The problem with this argument is that it essentially says that Scripture’s authority is based on its availability. This is not the case. Scripture’s authority is universal; because it is God’s Word, it is His authority. The fact that Scripture was not readily available, or that people could not read it, does not change the fact that Scripture is God’s Word.
That is a non sequitur. Scripture is God’s Word. But if one has no way of learning God’s Word, it is of no avail. That is the reason for the Great Commission.
Further, rather than this being an argument against sola scriptura, it is actually an argument for what the church should have done, instead of what it did.
Hm? The Church did precisely what Jesus instructed. Teach His Commands.
The early church should have made producing copies of the Scriptures a high priority.
They did.
While it was unrealistic for every Christian to possess a complete copy of the Bible, it was possible that every church could have some, most, or all of the Scriptures available to it.
I don’t know what to say to that, except to repeat what Scripture says:
Romans 10:14?How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Romans 10:14?How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
As far as I know, the Church had a very high priority on writing the Scriptures. But resources were not plentiful and very primitive. I also was of the impression that every Church had at least one set of Scriptures. That is the reason why Bibles were chained down in the Church. So people wouldn’t take them home to study and deprive the rest of the faithful of the Written Word of God.
Early church leaders should have made studying the Scriptures their highest priority so they could accurately teach it. Even if the Scriptures could not be made available to the masses, at least church leaders could be well-trained in the Word of God. Instead of building traditions upon traditions and passing them on from generation to generation, the church should have copied the Scriptures and taught the Scriptures (2 Timothy 4:2).
That verse says:
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
Which argues against Sola Scriptura. Since Preaching the Word is the essence of passing down the Word of God by Tradition.
Again, traditions are not the problem. Unbiblical traditions are the problem.
Very good.
The availability of the Scriptures throughout the centuries is not the determining factor. The Scriptures themselves are the determining factor. We now have the Scriptures readily available to us. Through the careful study of God’s Word, it is clear that many church traditions which have developed over the centuries are in fact contradictory to the Word of God.
Ever since the Protestant Revolution. True.
This is where sola scriptura applies. Traditions that are based on, and in agreement with, God’s Word can be maintained.
Amen! Because they are in fact, God’s Word.
Traditions that are not based on, and/or disagree with, God’s Word must be rejected.
Double amen!
Sola scriptura points us back to what God has revealed to us in His Word. Sola scriptura ultimately points us back to the God who always speaks the truth, never contradicts Himself, and always proves Himself to be dependable.
Wrong. It points us back to the personal opinion of that person who has rejected the Church and the Teaching of the Apostles and decided to place himself in authority over the Word of God.
Further, the basis of all truth is God’s Holy Word. Jesus affirms this in John 17:17.
Amen! And Jesus Christ did not write one word of Scripture. He passed down Tradition and commanded the Church to pass down His Tradition.
Sincerely,
De Maria
De Maria
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