J
J_Remillard
Guest
I am in a debate with an evangelical regarding the doctrine of the Real Presence, and have presented him with quotes from the Church Fathers I took from Stephen Ray’s book ‘Crossing the Tiber’. He responded by saying that the writings of the Church Fathers were discovered only recently (18th century) and that they may have been altered to support the Catholic position on matters of doctrine. He also questions them because (as far as he knows) they have not been referred to throughout the history of the Church. Finally, he says after Constatine, many documents from the early Church were burned, hence we cannot know for certain what the early Church practiced or believed about such things as the Eucharist, etc…
He seems to take the position that from our vantage point in the 20th century, we are better able to understand the meaning of scripture and can judge (soley by hermenutical analysis) what consitiutes correct doctrine; i.e. he more or less rejects the possibility of using the historical continuity of the Christian Tradition as a basis for holding various doctrinal positions to be true or false.
My question is, how reliable are the writings of the Church Fathers, and is there evidence that they have been referred to throughout the Church’s history? Thanks.
He seems to take the position that from our vantage point in the 20th century, we are better able to understand the meaning of scripture and can judge (soley by hermenutical analysis) what consitiutes correct doctrine; i.e. he more or less rejects the possibility of using the historical continuity of the Christian Tradition as a basis for holding various doctrinal positions to be true or false.
My question is, how reliable are the writings of the Church Fathers, and is there evidence that they have been referred to throughout the Church’s history? Thanks.