Sola Scriptura . . .

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The “Tiber Swim Team” must have made it across on one of those rare days when the surf wasn’t’ up. Normally people are “hanging ten” (it means you have ten toes draped over the surfboard’s edge as you roar down a giant wave)… to get away from Rome.
Wow, a low blow from out in left field!!!

Evidently the number 1.1 billion and still counting means nothing to you?
 
A guy posted earlier asking me what the Scripture says about stem cell research, arguing against sola scriptura. this misunderstands the protestant position. can teh medical community contribute things helpful to life? Sure. /quote]

The point of the question on embyronic stem cell research is “is it moral or not”?

What does your church teach about contraception? Is is moral or not?
 
You’ve asked for this, and I’ve given it. See my post at 11:14 am.
Post number?
I think, Church MIlitant, that you are reading more into the Protestant position of Sola S. than Protestants really mean by it.
What I have been saying this whole time is that everything necessary
for salvation and concerning faith and life are taught in teh Bible clearly enough for the ordinary believer to find it there and understand.So still you are telling us that there is no real consensus as to what this fundamental protestant doctrine actually consists of, right?
So to qualify our position for you:
  1. I am not arguing that the church -both the people of God and the ministerial office- is not of great value and help in understanding the Scripture. My pastor has been my greatest help when it comes to interpreting the Scriptures for my salvation and edification. But that doesn’t mean I have to have my pastor. I do not have to have the church. However, I do have to have the HS (Jn 14:17).
So…Christ founded a church that is essentially superfluous. I don’t think that position is supported by the New Testament.
  1. I am not saying believers cannot be edified by things outside of Scripture. I am mountainboy. In fact, I just got back from a beautiful hike in the mtns a half hour ago, where I was deeply enjoying the glory of God in creation, as the Psalmist did in the first part of Psalm 19, which I referenced above. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” We call this general revelation. We call Scripture special revelation.
So…we find that in Romans 1 don’t we?
A guy posted earlier asking me what the Scripture says about stem cell research, arguing against sola scriptura. this misunderstands the protestant position. can teh medical community contribute things helpful to life? Sure. Does the world have stuff beyond Scripture to offer? Sure, I can’t better my golf swing by reading Romans. But we don’t need
anything beyond Scripture.I wouldn’t’ve used that argument, though there is some merit to it.
What Protestants are saying is that today
Scripture contains everything necessary to know the truth of God for salvation.The problem here is that you try to tell us that your interpretation of scripture (including your interpretation of this particular doctrine) is correct and ours is wrong, yet you can’t prove that irrefutably.
We say this b/c the NT teaches this.
According to what you have been taught…by men.
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for reproof, for correction, for instruction in rness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughy equipped for every good work. [detailed exegesis available on request].
I know this passage quite well. What is actually says is, (2nd Timothy 3) 14: But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
15: and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16: All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17: that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. This does not say that the scriptures are materially sufficient for all things. Profitable…yes, no question there, but all sufficient…it’s not there.
Everything needed for salvation and xn living is contained therein. It is clear and thorough on these matters.
Is it? If so why are there so many differing doctrines among the proponents of whatever variant of SS among n-Cs?
For those who believe otherwise, chances are good they do not have the HS to help them come to this understanding.
In your opinion…but I might make the very same observation concerning your beliefs and all those of the rest of n-C churches.
We don’t need
the church, the pope, mary, etc. Although those things may be helpful (well, the church at least), but Scripture alone is sufficient.I think that the New Testament disagrees with you. Hebrews 10:25: not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hopefully these qualification help you better understand the Protestant position.
I do understand it…that’s why I reject it.
 
It seems like you are resting on a foundation of “logic” here, Jeremy. Unfortunately, matters of faith don’t always respond well to logic. In fact, it is the opposite! Faith may seem like foolishness to the logical. The reason that the Catholic Church is able to interpret the scriptures correctly is divine revelation, not logic. Jesus promised to lead us into all truth, and we believe that by FAITH. It is not build on a foundation of “logic” but of revelation, and faith in that revelation.
Jeremy made an insightful contribution, carefully argued.

I was working through the CCC today, trying to understand more clearly the concept of the informed conscience. That led me to sidebars into eternal law, sin, evil, etc etc.

I have to confess that it was hard going to put together a coherent understanding of what I was trying to understand; that there were definitions lacking which were required in order to understand various [verses?]; and that generally I have ended up with a scramble of ideas and concepts that I now have to fit together as well as Jeremy. It is clear one cannot do this for every major (never mind minor) issue which confronts a would-be Catholic.

There was a second matter that concerned me more however. And that was that the authors of CCC had immense freedom to take quotations from wherever, in order to support an argument. I agree, Guan, that matters of faith do not always respond to logic. On the other hand, the CCC insists on appealing to logic wherever required, by taking the obvious route of quoting authorities.

There are problems with this, two very obvious. The first is that (and I am aware of the matter of the Magisterium and divine guidance) one can find a quotation from anywhere to fill any need. I can prove you are green today, and tomorrow I can prove you are yellow if I find the appropriate quotations. That is how much information is available to us today.

The second is that, although the Magisterium is granted divine guidance and inspiration, its sources are not necessarily. References and quotations for one brief passage in CCC included the Bible, John Cardinal Newman, and St Augustine inter alia. I respect the latter two sources of course, but must ask whether their observations, opinions, concepts, and arguments are endowed with the same divine inspiration as the Magisterium because it chooses to quote them?

Finally, one might suggest that there is merit in the arguments (1) that individual faith and insight cannot be set aside entirely in reading scripture, and (2) that the Catholic Church does not have a lock on either interpretation or ownership of the scriptures. They are of Christ for all Christians, and those who would believe. They are also holy scripture for Muslims and Jews.

These points are made clearly in *The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, *Series Pastoral Action No 56, prepared by Cardinal Ratzinger and the Pontifical Biblical Commission, introduction by Pope John Paul II (Rome 1993, Imprimere). (I am appealing to logic here, not faith.)

Blessings
 
Canonization is tricky. Two thoughts…
  1. How the canon came into being is one thing. The sufficiency of Scripture as the authority of the church today another. “My Sheep hear my voice” (Jn 10:27). God’s voice is clearly proclaimed in protestant churches that practice biblical exposition. True sheep are drawn to protestant churches.
yea all 30,000 + of them who endlessly argue and bicker about what the book means with no athority between them to say who is right and who is wrong and so the argument just continues. all of them have there scripture versus to back there arguments up of course. but if that is enough then how come they all (quite well meaning honestly seeking god) come up with different conclusions that they all say the bible teaches. scripture is not enough.
 
Just when you think you have seen every absurdity possible…

Tell me, MB, does being “catholic” mean being “universal” in your mind?
I agree with you completely on the issue of absurdity most foul.

However, there is the problem of the rest of your comments. I will deal with only one because it is one that comes up again and again.

The word catholic (catholic with a small c) means universal, not only in this one’s mind, but all over the place, in many people’s minds, inside and outside the Catholic Church.

The word Catholic (Catholic with a big C) means the Catholic Church (formerly the Roman Catholic Church), and this is understood by most people.

It is like Big C communism (the Communist parties of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the Peole’s Republic of China, as were); and small c communism, which is an economic and political philosophy.

When we say the Nicene Creed, we talk about the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. That is small c catholic, and it means universal.

And yes, the universal and catholic church of Christ includes many denominations, including the Catholic Church.

I have argued elsewhere that there is strength in diversity with regard to denominations within a universal church of Christ, as long as there is a commonly-held deposit of faith. Is that the CC’s mission?
 
WHich leads me to ask the question…since the Scriptures are so insufficient and lacking in your view, what exactly do you all believe the church adds?
Precisely what Jesus gave to her…infallible teaching authority.

Oh, and the means for implementing the sacraments which He instituted.

Hope this helps. :tiphat:
 
Please respond to the following statement: The magisterium alone has the ability and right to interpret Scripture (CC 85, 100, 939)

Scripture is to be interpreted in teh sense in which it has been definded by teh magesterium (113, 119)
Why don’t you provide the quotation in context instead of cherry picking the way your source did.
III. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HERITAGE OF FAITH
The heritage of faith entrusted to the whole of the Church
84 The apostles entrusted the “Sacred deposit” of the faith (the depositum fidei),45 contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, to the whole of the Church. "By adhering to [this heritage] the entire holy people, united to its pastors, remains always faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. So, in maintaining, practicing and professing the faith that has been handed on, there should be a remarkable harmony between the bishops and the faithful."46
The Magisterium of the Church
85 "The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ."47 This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.
86 "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith."48
87 Mindful of Christ’s words to his apostles: “He who hears you, hears me”,49 the faithful receive with docility the teachings and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.
The dogmas of the faith
88 The Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.
89 There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of faith.50
90 The mutual connections between dogmas, and their coherence, can be found in the whole of the Revelation of the mystery of Christ.51 "In Catholic doctrine there exists an order or hierarchy of truths, since they vary in their relation to the foundation of the Christian faith."52
Pick it up here.
939 Helped by the priests, their co-workers, and by the deacons, the bishops have the duty of authentically teaching the faith, celebrating divine worship, above all the Eucharist, and guiding their Churches as true pastors. Their responsibility also includes concern for all the Churches, with and under the Pope.This is your final citation of CCC, to which I will respond. And indeed they do. And in my experience, very very well.

So… you have not actually read these citations of yours, or you would not have offered them. I suggest that you read and study them (and don’t neglect the footnotes, some of which your lazy source gave you as evidence.) you might actually begin to get a glimmer of understanding of what we Catholics actually believe.
 
Your idea of “settling things down” is misinformed. It’s not like there was a bunch of chaotic debate and controversy over what was inspired and what wasn’t.
I am sorry but you are entirely misenformed about this point and need to go back to the history books here. Because there was a tremendous amount of debate right up till the 315-340 when the debate started to die down. and that is just the new testemant the old testament debate went on for another 600 years or so. Rough guess you will have to look it up for exact dates. we do know that the actuall 4 gospels were debated quickly and then agreeded upon almost universally by 150 or so. but that still leaves a 60 year gap between from the death of the last apostile. besides there is historical letters that prove that people went to rome to settle matters not to the last living apostle. that is easy to verify. the 1st letter of clement was very early and a perfect example of what I am talking about. but I digress. the bible was debated heatedly for 300 years give or take. there was not quick consensus.
 
:banghead:

No one wants to answer the one truth that disproves Sola Scriptura.

Sola Scriptura states, “All revealed truth is contained in Scripture Alone”.

The list of what books are in the New Testament is Infallible Divine Revelation that is not found in Scripture.

Therefore Sola Scriptura is a false doctrine, a tradition of men, and must be, must be rejected.

Go ahead and argue all about the bad popes, the crusades, “three popes at once” and all you can… not one thing proves Sola Scriptura true.

You can argue the list of books was known to Christianity from the beginning, or that “Born Again Christians” recognized the books that were Scripture from the beginning, but that fact alone proves Sola Scriptura false- for even the knowledge of what books are to be Scripture is Divine Revelation- and that divine revelation was never, ever written down in Scripture. Since it does not exist in Scripture how on earth can it be argued that the totality of Divine Revelation exists in Scripture alone?

Ken
 
[So still you are telling us that there is no real consensus as to what this fundamental
protestant doctrine actually consists of, right?]

Okay…we’re missing each other. I have defined, qualified, stated, and explained this as clearly as possible. If you disagree with what I’m saying, that’s fine…but please at least grant that I’ve said something 🤷

Would you mind taking a crack at my question about whether it is possible for the unconverted -those without the Holy Spirit- to accurately interpret Scripture?

Tx
 
Okay…we’re missing each other. I have defined, qualified, stated, and explained this as clearly as possible. If you disagree with what I’m saying, that’s fine…but please at least grant that I’ve said something 🤷
I understand what you mean, but what we have here is me asking if your definition of SS is universal to all n-Cs. It doesn’t appear to be.

I will happily acknowledge that I understand what you have stated as your (or at least that of a group of like-minded non-Catholics that includes you) definition of Sola Scriptura. Will that move us forward?
Would you mind taking a crack at my question about whether it is possible for the unconverted -those without the Holy Spirit- to accurately interpret Scripture?
Since this is a discussion of Christian doctrine, wouldn’t that be outside the scope of relevance?

IOW, since we are discussing something that some Christians believe, would that not be irrelevant because it is a given belief that Christians have the Holy Spirit, making the question moot? I’m simply being honest and logical here. 🙂

What I am hoping to see sooner or later is your full proofs that SS is found in the New Testament. Hopefully you have the time to engage that.
 
Carol_Coombe said:
The advantage of Christ’s diverse but universal church - which he knew, because he was divine, would ultimately arise
This is why he prayed that we would be one. Because he knew that division would arise.
Carol_Coombe said:
  • is that there is strength in diversity, and as I have argued, diversity keeps interpretation, however divinely inspired, clean. Justification by faith alone, ordination of women, transubstantiation - all these differences in understanding have not been ironed out in over 500 years, either within the Catholic Church itself, or among the mainline denominations of Christendom. Why do we think they can be ironed out now in one swell foop?
Actually, they have been pretty well ironed out (despite the dissenters who were in the small minority until 500 years ago) for roughly 1900 years.
Carol_Coombe said:
If you insist on one divinely inspired interpretation which is defined, owned, promulgated and protected by one denomination, that is the Catholic Church, which is equivalent to the One True Church of Christ, I fear that we will end up with the same terrible bifurcations we see in Islam today. Strength in diversity. And tolerance.
While I agree that the violence promulgated by Islam (or in the name of any other religion) is terribly unfortunate, I have to say that the truth is always worth fighting for (thought not necessarily by violence). Christ came to reveal the truth about God, not a bunch of sentiments that might or might not be held by his followers. There is strength is truth. Otherwise, why did Christ come? I fear that your word “diversity” really equates to “division.” After all, if we can disagree about justification, why can’t we disagree about the triune nature of God? Or even the existence of God?
Carol_Coombe said:
My understanding about scandal would be that only if the Catholic Church wishes to create a scandal, would there be one. The other mainline denominations are pretty laid back about ownership, supremacy, dogma and status: my United Church of Canada laypreacher sister says they are too busy working in the community to worry about who believes what, and who owns what, and all the finer points of doctrine. Small detail, large picture.
I think work in the community is certainly a good thing, but it is merely social work if the worker is not concerned with the truth of God. If we love others out of mere sentiment, and not because God is Love (because he is a Family in Himself) and loved us first (because He made us in His image), while the work may be good, it is not the SAME work as Christian work of agape.

What you are suggesting might be an admirable sentiment from a human perspective, but it is not Christianity. I do not say that in rancor. I’m only interested in hard definition here.

C.S Lewis was interested in this idea of making sure we know what we are talking about. He used this method in his essay on female priests (which is well worth reading; you can find it here.)
 
It seems like you are resting on a foundation of “logic” here, Jeremy. Unfortunately, matters of faith don’t always respond well to logic. In fact, it is the opposite! Faith may seem like foolishness to the logical. The reason that the Catholic Church is able to interpret the scriptures correctly is divine revelation, not logic. Jesus promised to lead us into all truth, and we believe that by FAITH. It is not build on a foundation of “logic” but of revelation, and faith in that revelation.
I’ve not yet finished reading it, but JPII’s encyclical Fides et Ratio seems appropriate to quote here. At the very beginning, the Holy Father said:
Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the comtemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth–in a word, to know himself–so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves (cf. Ex 33:18; Ps 27:8-9; 63:2-3; Jn 14:8; 1 Jn 3:2)
Oftentimes (most or all of the time, I would say) faith is preceded by logic and reason in the order of salvation. That’s why Peter told us to have a ready answer for the hope we have, and that’s why Paul reasoned with the Thessalonicans from Scripture.

It is faith that leads both Catholics and Protestants to the belief that God has spoken through the Scriptures but it is reason and logic by which they derive true doctrine from those Scriptures. It’s that latter portion which my post was concerned with. For Sola Scriptura-believing Protestants to undermine Catholicism, they must prove either:
  1. There is only one interpretation of Scripture that does not contradict itself (i.e., that is internally logically consistent), and that interpretation is not the Catholic interpretation, or
  2. The Catholic interpretation of Scripture contradicts itself (i.e., it’s internally logically inconsistent).
Either one would undermine the logical, reasonable foundation of Catholic doctrine. Fortunately, I’ve not yet met a Protestant who can prove (or even reasonably defend) either claim. Perhaps MountainBoy11 is up to the task. Regardless, if neither of those claims can be proven, the best a Sola Scriptura-believing Protestant can do is say, “I disagree with you, but I can find nothing lacking in your interpretation of Scripture.”
This is not to say that the internally consistent logic of the Catholic take on the Scriptures proves that Catholics are right about Scripture. That would be a different point. We believe we are right based on faith.
We also believe we are right because we don’t subscribe to Sola Scriptura, so we have additional evidence to examine: Sacred Tradition. Even if Protestant interpretations of Scripture are internally logically consistent, they are inconsistent with the whole of apostolic Tradition, and so we reject them.

Jeremy
 
Dear Readers,

Evidently from my previous thread, “What Can We Say About The Virigin” has become a never ending saga between the so called “Apologists” verses the “Misinformed” Protestants of Scripture. As James White pointed out, we need to “cut through the fog”. So let’s begin with a simple one on one understand of what Sola Scriptura Means and what it doesn’t. For most Catholics, they tend to believe the water-downed version of it, believing that most Protestants have no conceptual notion of it.

If I were to be as stupid to follow what they claim to be as true, then I would be on the doorsteps of a local parish. Sadly, most Catholics are unwilling to comprehend the straw man arguements they use against. So, what’s there left for me to say? Well here’s what SS doesn’t mean.

**Rule #1: Sola Scriptura doesn’t mean the Bible contains all knowledge: It’s not a scientific textbook, phone book, cook book, car manual etc.

Rule #2: Even though there is a lot of information for the reader to comprehend about the past, present, and future, the Bible will not tell you all religious knowledge. It’s not going to tell you about Buddhism, Hinduism, Atheism etc. Yes, it’s true, there are a lot of things that Jesus did but I will discuss that later on.

Rule #3 & 4 The authority of the church is not to be denied or that to say that the word of God hasn’t been spoken. **
Hopefully, nearly half of what the Roman Church charges will eventually fall flat on it’s nose because these were the definitions of SS from the beginng. Luther wasn’t trying to invent a church but he was trying to reform it using this priniciple. If what is said from above is true, then here’s what SS means:

**-Scriptures are regula fidei or the infallible rule of faith something James Whites puts bluntly. You can’t say it’s not sufficient because we look to scriptures to find out how to get saved.

-If you wanted to be a Christian, the use of the scriptures is the only thing you’ll ever need to find out how.

-Tradition, that is what’s outside of the text [Bible], isn’t considered to be binding on the Christian because there’s no basis for it. **
What’s written here is the general definition of Sola Scriptura sufficient enough to begin another subject. I hope you read this well and I will counter my arguments from here. Thanks for reading my thoughts.

Parker
 
Identical topic merged to this thread on Sola Scriptura already in progress.
MF
 
Aren’t those heretics? I thought the Nicean council was held to refute the heretics? Why would you be looking for proof from heretics? 🤷

**I meant Ante-Nicean. Sorry. 😊 **

Mary was the very first Christian. She believed in Him since before He was conceived.

Bologna.

Mary is the woman who crushes the serpant, made so by God. Her seed destroys satan.

Key word, “her seed” nothing else. Mary doesn’t crush anything.

What are you saying?! The Holy Spirit raped Mary?

No.

You don’t think “let it be done to me” relates to choosing?

**Nope. Nada. Doesn’t sound like that to me. **

I guess God can assume whomever he wants! Now, or later! Don’t you ever wonder what happened to the other people who were raised from their tombs when Jesus was?

**No because it’s not important. End of story. Stick to this thread.

Parker **
 
Please confine your posts to the topic of SS. Off topic posts have been been pruned.
 
OK, so what is the topic again?!? 🙂 I kid, I kid!

Anyway, I’m going to try it one more time, because, believe it or not, there is a point I’m trying to make.

o4g,

How does SS relate to embryonic stem cell research, or the killing of embryos for the purpose of finding cures?

How does SS deal with contraception?
 
Originally Posted by guanophore View Post
Aren’t those heretics? I thought the Nicean council was held to refute the heretics? Why would you be looking for proof from heretics?

I meant Ante-Nicean. Sorry.

Mary was the very first Christian. She believed in Him since before He was conceived.**

Bologna.**
You think the Blessed Mother didn’t know her scripture? Hmmm…why would you assume that?

Mary is the woman who crushes the serpant, made so by God. Her seed destroys satan.

Key word, “her seed” nothing else. Mary doesn’t crush anything.
This, of course, is the negative view of the situation. You obviously know nothing about Dynasties and family. They are the same blood. Only Mary, the new Eve, can say, as Adam did, “flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood” about Jesus Christ, this makes her partaker in her DIVINE sons glory. She indeed, by virtue of her Queenship and Mothership, crushed the head of Satan, by her Seed. You have a negative view of this because it would be “Catholic” to see it in this glorious light. I’ve noticed a reoccuring theme when it comes to Protestants as yourself, anything that the Catholic Church believes, that gives glory to Jesus by honoring His Mother is looked down on…they do this, I believe because once they actually nuture a relationship with Mary, they will start questioning why they’ve rejected her and why their particular christian church does not give her the respect,love,and honor she deserves.

What are you saying?! The Holy Spirit raped Mary?

No.

You don’t think “let it be done to me” relates to choosing?

Nope. Nada. Doesn’t sound like that to me.
Is this what the Early Church Fathers belived? Honestly, do you believe you would find any sound commentaries that supported your view of Mary on this? I think its cowardly for a Christian not to challenge their faith and see if they have the same ( or at least similiar beliefs to the Apostles and their succesors.

I guess God can assume whomever he wants! Now, or later! Don’t you ever wonder what happened to the other people who were raised from their tombs when Jesus was?

No because it’s not important. End of story. Stick to this thread.

Parker
Here you go:
geocities.com/militantis/solascriptura.html

Christian Soul! Consider the above link the first effort to challenge your faith and see antoher point of view.

Mary free will was very important when the Holy Spirit courted her. Otherwise, why would your free will be important about containing your salvation? Going down that road, you might closer to Calvinism then you want to be.
 
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