Sola Scriptura leads to anarchy

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runandsew

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I am proposing that Sola Scriptura leads to anarchy.
I am not saying Sola Scriptura is false because it leads to anarchy because even if it is true, it still leads to anarchy.
I will give a hypothetical situation.

Let’s say Joe is a southern Baptist, he has been going to a local church all his life, he was born in the church, his children were born in the church, and his parents were married in the church. Now Bob is the new pastor, being pastor for a year now. Joe is teaching a bible study, and after careful study of the Bible, and praying to the Holy Spirit for guidance, Joe comes to the conclusion that baptism is regenerative, and is necessary for ones salvation, and also he now believes in infant baptism. Joe begins to teach this in his bible study, in direct contradiction of his Pastor Bob. Bob consults with Joe and asks him to quit teaching these false ideas about baptism. Joe tries to explain to his pastor what he has learned in reading the bible and that he needs to teach what he has now learned with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and that he needs to teach the truth. Pastor Bob tells Joe, that if he wants to teach this then he needs to find another church to do it. But Joe tells pastor Bob that he has been at this church longer that the pastor, all of his family and friends are there, and maybe pastor Bob should leave. That same day Pastor Bob was preaching on Sola Scriptura in his church service, before he spoke to Joe about teaching something that contradicts the bible. So now Joe has a problem, does he leave his church which he is a lifelong member of and starts his own church, or should the pastor leave?

This is hypothetical, but this shows what can happen with Sola Scriptura, and why in less than 500 years the Protestant Churches have fragmented so much, and continues to do so.
It leads to anarchy.

John 16:20-23
I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.
 
How is this different than a Catholic coming to the conclusion that parts of Catholicism are not correct and becoming a Protestant?:confused:
 
BrianH said:
How is this different than a Catholic coming to the conclusion that parts of Catholicism are not correct and becoming a Protestant?:confused:
Click to expand...
It is not any different, and that is exactly why Sola Scriptura leads to anarchy.

But in Catholicism, we do not teach Sola Scriptura as the sole rule of faith.
So when someone teaches against what the Magisterium as defined as doctrine, he can be excommunicated, we are being consistent with what we believe.
In my example, the pastor is being hypocritical in telling Joe to leave, if Joe is truly led by the Holy Spirit in his new belief, if the Pastor truly believes in Sola Scriptura.

The Catholic Church and remained pretty whole in its two thousand year existence, with the Eastern Orthodox, and the Western Church being the main split, and with that the main separation is the question of Authority, while the Protestant Churches have splintered into hundreds and thousands of denominations, each teaching something a little different, and all claiming to be based on what the Bible teaches.
 
I do not say this too often, but…
who cares?
They still leave?:confused:
 
BrianH said:
I do not say this too often, but…
who cares?
They still leave?:confused:
Click to expand...
This is who cares.

John 16:20-23
I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.
 
runandsew said:
This is who cares.

John 16:20-23
I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Click to expand...
You miss my point, you guys did not keep the whole church together. It did not work, in fact, I would suggest it never has. Division from the get go. All be one either means what it says or is conditional. Thus it must be speaking of a time when it is all said and done.
 
BrianH said:
You miss my point, you guys did not keep the whole church together. It did not work, in fact, I would suggest it never has. Division from the get go. All be one either means what it says or is conditional. Thus it must be speaking of a time when it is all said and done.
Click to expand...
I think the point of the OP is that if you follow the rules of the CC, then you “do and believe what the magesterium says, and you don’t leave” whereas with Sola Scriptura “Everyone has their own interpretation of scripture, so they start their own churches.”
 
At the time of the reformation how splintered was the church?
There had been many heresies in church history until that point but the church was able to counter them.
Now just under 500 years since the reformation, how splintered is the church?
 
runandsew said:
At the time of the reformation how splintered was the church?
There had been many heresies in church history until that point but the church was able to counter them.
Now just under 500 years since the reformation, how splintered is the church?
Click to expand...
Well there was the Orthodox
The Oriental Orthodox
The Catholics
The Asssyrian church of the East
Church of Jerusalem
So there was STILL division. So is that what you are saying, a couple of splits is better than a thousand? Just clarifying?
This just seems so smug to me, not you, the whole concept. The split started in the Catholic church. We did not start it, we are just the results of it.
 
BrianH said:
Well there was the Orthodox
The Oriental Orthodox
The Catholics
The Asssyrian church of the East
Church of Jerusalem
So there was STILL division. So is that what you are saying, a couple of splits is better than a thousand? Just clarifying?
This just seems so smug to me, not you, the whole concept. The split started in the Catholic church. We did not start it, we are just the results of it.
Click to expand...
No, any division in unacceptable.
Though for the East/West Churches, there are some doctrinal differences, it is mainly a question of authority.
After the 600-1000 years since the east-west split, the churches are still very similar; I can attend any of those other churches and feel at home.
And I would have to say that Catholics should clean up there own house before they expect other Christians to follow suit.

But the rate of division has increased exponentially. And then you get the Mormons, and Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Scientist, and such, coming out of the Protestant Churches, all claiming to be following scripture.
And therefore I still say that Sola Scriptura leads to anarchy.

How is the rest of the world supposed to come to Christ, when Christianity is giving a mixed message of what truth is. Who are they suppose to believe.
I think that is one of the reasons why Islam is making such gains.
 
runandsew said:
No, any division in unacceptable.
Though for the East/West Churches, there are some doctrinal differences, it is mainly a question of authority.
After the 600-1000 years since the east-west split, the churches are still very similar; I can attend any of those other churches and feel at home.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
New denominations and churches are starting up all the time to this very day, each teaching something different, but claiming to follow the bible. How splintered will the church become before someone says “enough already”?
We shouldn’t try to justify these divisions, but find a way to mend them. The fact is that since the advent of Sola Scriptura, Christianity had been forever harmed.
And yes I would say that Sacred Tradition and the Church Magisterium do lead to a slower rate of division, but that is not their purpose, they are meant to keep the Church from falling into error, which could lead to division.
 
Can someone please explain to me how Sola Scriptura can lead to church unity?
 
runandsew said:
I am proposing that Sola Scriptura leads to anarchy.
I am not saying Sola Scriptura is false because it leads to anarchy because even if it is true, it still leads to anarchy.
I will give a hypothetical situation.

Let’s say Joe is a southern Baptist, he has been going to a local church all his life, he was born in the church, his children were born in the church, and his parents were married in the church. Now Bob is the new pastor, being pastor for a year now. Joe is teaching a bible study, and after careful study of the Bible, and praying to the Holy Spirit for guidance, Joe comes to the conclusion that baptism is regenerative, and is necessary for ones salvation, and also he now believes in infant baptism. Joe begins to teach this in his bible study, in direct contradiction of his Pastor Bob. Bob consults with Joe and asks him to quit teaching these false ideas about baptism. Joe tries to explain to his pastor what he has learned in reading the bible and that he needs to teach what he has now learned with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and that he needs to teach the truth. Pastor Bob tells Joe, that if he wants to teach this then he needs to find another church to do it. But Joe tells pastor Bob that he has been at this church longer that the pastor, all of his family and friends are there, and maybe pastor Bob should leave. That same day Pastor Bob was preaching on Sola Scriptura in his church service, before he spoke to Joe about teaching something that contradicts the bible. So now Joe has a problem, does he leave his church which he is a lifelong member of and starts his own church, or should the pastor leave?

This is hypothetical, but this shows what can happen with Sola Scriptura, and why in less than 500 years the Protestant Churches have fragmented so much, and continues to do so.
It leads to anarchy.
Click to expand...
My father, who is Protestant - I am a convert, told me that he said the following to his pastor:

“It’s your job to tell me what I should think. It’s my job to decide if you’re telling me the truth.”

The fact is, neither the pastor nor my dad have any assurance that either one of them is correct in their interpretation of scripture.
 
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