Seeking some help with sola scriptura

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Searching4Truth

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Hi!
I’m not sure what to classify myself as because at the moment I’m experiencing a bit of a spiritual identity crisis. I’m floating somewhere in between Catholicism and Protestantism, wading through the many doctrines and issues dividing the two, praying for God to lead me to His Truth:gopray2:. I am coming from a protestant, and even (saddened to say) an anti-catholic, background. However, I have since discovered that I held many misconceptions about the Catholic faith. This has led me to examine the Catholic faith in an effort to see exactly what it’s beliefs are and why it holds those beliefs. This being said, one of the big issues I am faced with is obviously the concept of sola scriptura. I was never offically taught why protestants believe in sola scriptura, but I accepted it none the less. I found this article http://www.mbrem.com/bible/sufficn.htm written from a protestant perspective. I believe I have found some errors in it, however, I am having trouble articulating them. If anyone would be willing to read the article and refute (or support) any part of it, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks!! God bless!!
 
Welcome here. I come from a similar background, started a similar investigation and ended up entering the Catholic Church last Easter. The hardest part was dragging my emotions in line with what my mind was discovering.

Here’s a good document over in the CA library.
catholic.com/library/Scripture_and_Tradition.asp

Check out the radio archives as well, there should be some good material.

The first book I got was “Catholicism and Fundamentalism”, which you can order through this website (I think) or find at a Catholic bookstore. It’s a good place to start.

I’m a bit sleepy right now, I gotta crash, but as soon as I can remember titles I’ll let you know.
 
I will read and process your article written from a Protestant perspective when I get some time tomorrow. You sound as if you want to have Sola Scriptura defeated. You want to be a Catholic but those ties to Protestantism are holding you back, is that it ?

May I say to you that you can never prove the Doctrines of the Holy Catholic Church wrong from the Holy Bible for all Doctrine agrees with the Bible.

There is something difficult to say, I will try. Do you have the idea that before you ever go to see someone about taking instruction in the Catholic Church you have to be a 100% dyed in the wool Catholic? No one is expected to be 100% Catholic before they become Catholic…I was a convert 49 years ago. I am still becoming Catholic. I learn every week! Thanks for spilling the beans. Just stay honest. You’ll get there!
JMJ ( You are taught in Cathiolic Schools to write JMJ at the top of your papers, Jesus Mary & Joseph)
 
Searching for the truth,

That apologetic tract by the Protestant Apologist was rather long.

Just what part of it gives your a problem. It would take over an hour to do the job you are asking for. Narrow it down a bit please.
 
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Searching4Truth:
Hi!
I’m not sure what to classify myself as because at the moment I’m experiencing a bit of a spiritual identity crisis. I’m floating somewhere in between Catholicism and Protestantism, wading through the many doctrines and issues dividing the two, praying for God to lead me to His Truth:gopray2:. I am coming from a protestant, and even (saddened to say) an anti-catholic, background. However, I have since discovered that I held many misconceptions about the Catholic faith. This has led me to examine the Catholic faith in an effort to see exactly what it’s beliefs are and why it holds those beliefs. This being said, one of the big issues I am faced with is obviously the concept of sola scriptura. I was never offically taught why protestants believe in sola scriptura, but I accepted it none the less. I found this article http://www.mbrem.com/bible/sufficn.htm written from a protestant perspective. I believe I have found some errors in it, however, I am having trouble articulating them. If anyone would be willing to read the article and refute (or support) any part of it, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks!! God bless!!
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Well, here’s my take on parts of the article:

“Scripture, however, which is God-breathed, never speaks of any other God-breathed authority;”

Wrong. Read John 20:22: "And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’ Is this not God-breathed authority? It even captures the Eternal God giving His Breath!

“…Put that together with everything else the New Testament records, and you have every part of the apostolic message that was infallibly preserved for us…”

What about those parts the New Testament admits cannot be recorded? John was frustrated at the fact that all the things our Lord did could not be written down: “There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.” Does this mean these things are not necessary? I cannot imagine a single gesture our Lord made while here on earth that is not somehow necessary for our salvation. Heck, we even pay very close attention to His breaths.

“So the written words of Scripture are binding. Apostolic preaching was equally binding for those who heard it from the apostles’ own mouths.”

If the Tradition of Holy Mother Church was anything other than Apostolic, then it is a tradition of men. But it is not. It is Apostolic because the Pope is the successor of St. Peter and the bishops are the successors of the apostles and what they preach–the content gradually developing and articulated for any given day and age–are what the Apostles preach. Since it is Apostolic, it is therefore equally binding with Sacred Scripture.

Peace, so be it.
 
Before you toss this aside, try to understand how “Tradition” is supported by “Scripture”. I assert that nothing considered as Catholic Tradition contidicts or is contridicted by Scripture.

{The concept of the “Trinity” is found in the Scriptures, but the word,“Trinity” is not found in Scripture}

Let this be a verse of Scripture." Sam lives in a white house, and goes out each day to retrieve the news paper"

Let this be Tradition. “Sam wags his tail when he gets treats. Sam barks at cats. Sam runs on four legs. Sam likes dog food.”

Here comes the Magesterium and they say Sam is a dog. Did the Magesterium disagree with the “Scriptural verse”?
 
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michaelp:
Also, you can go to www.thetheologyprogram.com and listen to the class introduction. I think that it will help you see that this struggle is normal and healthy.

Michael
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I havn’t checked out this link, but I agree that this struggle is normal and healthy. Looking deeper into the faith only brings us closer to God. From my (Catholic) experience, whenever I question sincerely, and do a little homework, in the end I just reaffirm what the Church teaches.
 
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