Catholic and Protestant methodology

1. Hi John,  You said:I must admit, I don’t think I could have possibly asked for a better response to my posts….. We’re talking about what is the ultimate standard, and as such, there can only possibly be circular reasoning on the issue! I will freely admit that I start with God and his word as my foundation, and I end with God and his word as my foundation. Completely circular, and happily accepted as such.
   I’ll have to challenge you on two points you made there.
   1. That appealing to an ultimate standard must be by way of circular reasoning.
   There is more than one way to appeal to an ultimate authority.
   a. The Protestant methodology is circular. It is me and my Bible. If a Protestant is asked a question, the answer is invariably, “The Bible tells me so.”
   b. Whereas Catholic methodology is many and varied. It can be circular, inductive or deductive, depending upon the situation.
   i. Circular reasoning is not necessarily wrong. It is simply not persuasive when it is the only type of reasoning employed.
   ii. Inductive reasoning is reasoning from the specific to the general.
   iii. While deductive reasoning is reasoning from the general to the specific.
   The Catholic methodology is robust and persuasive than the Protestant methodology because we don’t rely upon Scripture alone. But upon Sacred Tradition, Scripture and Magisterium.
   So, to contrast the Catholic situation with the Protestant. A Protestant will say, “the Bible tells me so.” Whereas a Catholic will say, “The Bible tells me so and that is confirmed in Sacred Tradition and in the Teaching of the Church (Magisterium). In addition, the Catholic methodology also admits historical and archaeological evidence. In fact, all branches of science are admissible in the Catholic court.
   2. That you begin with God and his word as my foundation, and I end with God and his word as my foundation.
   In practice, you don’t. You begin with your own understanding and end with your own understanding. That is why Protestants accuse Catholics of checking their brain at the door of the Catholic Church.
   Let’s compare the Protestant and Catholic methodology again.
   Say to Christians have a dispute upon what it says in Scripture. If they are Protestant, they debate. If neither is persuaded by the other, they simply go their way.
   If two Catholics dispute about Scripture, they go to the Church for an authoritative decision. The Church tells them which is right and which is wrong. This is confirmed historically. See the debates between St. Athanasius vs Arius; and St. Augustine vs the Pelagians.
   You also said:

   As I mentioned last time, the Roman Catholic Church states that it’s ultimate authority is God. But in actuality, it is not God, but the Roman Catholic Church itself. So I’m starting to see that this is what I need to show my Roman Catholic friend – the Roman Catholic Church makes a subtle authority swap and slips itself into the place of God as the ultimate authority. Hopefully, he’ll be able to see it, and hopefully some of your comments here will help him. They really are quite good at exposing the ultimacy of the Roman Catholic Church in its own beliefs.

   I’ll have to dispute that one also.
   The authority over the Catholic Church is God. Jesus Christ established the Catholic Church and Jesus Christ is God. And it is Jesus Christ who empowered the Catholic Church to be the authority over His flock.
   This is based upon the principle established by Jesus Christ:
   Luke 10:16
   King James Version (KJV)
   16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
   Jesus Christ was sent by the Father:
   John 20:21-23
   King James Version (KJV)
   21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me,…
   And He sent the Church:
   … even so send I you.
   Again, Jesus was sent by the Father:
   Matthew 28:18-20
   King James Version (KJV)
   18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
   And He sent the Church.
   19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
   20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
   And that Church is the Catholic Church.