Does this statement mean Sola Scriptura?

[Arlene]

An organization has this sentence in their faith statement:

*We believe the Holy Scriptures (Old/New Testament) to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. *

As Catholics, we also believe the Scriptures are the inspired word of God, but does the addition of authoritative make the statement mean Bible Only?

 

[Mystophilus]

Arlene:

An organization has this sentence in their faith statement:

*We believe the Holy Scriptures (Old/New Testament) to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. *

As Catholics, we also believe the Scriptures are the inspired word of God, but does the addition of authoritative make the statement mean Bible Only?

Most probably, yes: stereotypically, Protestants view the Bible as the only reliable source of Truth, which makes it ‘authoritative’ for them. In the Catholic tradition, the Church takes this place, with the Bible being a source of Truth rather than the solus.

 

[twhicke]

Not necessarily. The term authoritative only means that it has authority. This does not mean it is the ONLY authority…

Tim

 

[Fidelis]

I think it is sufficiently vague that a Catholic could accept it. Most Protestant faith statements of this sort usually have an unacceptable modifier such as “and it is the sole and only rule for matters of faith and morals” or some such rot.

 

[Donald45]

Arlene:

An organization has this sentence in their faith statement:

*We believe the Holy Scriptures (Old/New Testament) to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. *

As Catholics, we also believe the Scriptures are the inspired word of God, but does the addition of authoritative make the statement mean Bible Only?

From a Protestant perspective, one can mentally insert the word “only” in front of “authoritative,” since this is what is intended in any classically Protestant statement on the nature and function of the Bible in Christian life. Catholics do in fact agree that the Scriptures are the authoritative Word of God but, unlike our separated brothers, we do not hold that the Bible alone is authoritative. Rather, we recognize both Scripture and Tradition (the Church’s historic teachings) as equally authoritative and binding on the Christian conscience.

Also, when the statement you quoted describes the Scriptures as the “Old/New Testament,” there is disagreement as to what books are to be included in the Old Testament canon of the Bible. Catholics affirm all 46 books of the Greek O.T., the “Bible” used by our Lord and the early Church. During the Protestant Reformation, however, Luther and others—for essentially theological reasons—removed seven books from the O.T. canon. So our respective understandings of what actually constitutes “the Old Testament” differ.

 

[Inquirer]

The bible is an authority? It’s an innanimate object, it cannot have authority. That’s a protestant sleight of hand.

The bible is inerrant and theopneustos (God breathed), but it doesn’t have any authority.

The Magisterium is the one with the authority.

 

[LaSalle]

The bible is an authority? It’s an innanimate object, it cannot have authority. That’s a protestant sleight of hand.

The bible is inerrant and theopneustos (God breathed), but it doesn’t have any authority.

The Magisterium is the one with the authority.

 

[MariaG]

Arlene:

An organization has this sentence in their faith statement:

*We believe the Holy Scriptures (Old/New Testament) to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. *

As Catholics, we also believe the Scriptures are the inspired word of God, but does the addition of authoritative make the statement mean Bible Only?

If you are being required to sign this statement, I would personally ask them to explain what they mean. If they know you are Catholic, it could be bad if you sign it without qualifying what they mean.

JMHO
Maria