Hence, their enemy is Christ! 5:3; 7:12) sometimes referred to their own God-given authority. Before we make arguments refuting Sola Scriptura, it would be best to define it as many people have defined it in different ways. I’m working on a project to collect and catalog all of the arguments used to support sola scriptura. They kept discovering the Law and their God again and again, and (in their better moments) cooperated with God’s revival of their hearts and behavior. Kreeft’s argument that sola Scriptura violates the principle of causality is invalid for one fundamental reason: it is based on a false assumption. 1st. “You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition!… thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on.”. Two Highly Illogical Arguments for Sola Scriptura. The apostles were living authorities, but not everything they said was infallible. 3:15-16; 1 Tim. (Sola scriptura is one of them.) Sola Scriptura: All Apostolic “Traditions” Are in the Bible. See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 3:15-17; Rom. A Christian Perspective, Bespoke Religiosity and the Rise of the Nones: a review of Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World by Tara Isabella Burton. Sola Scriptura: First Century Christians Had Scripture and Living Apostles. To help see this I will. This is just an example shown for the theme preview. Because it is dangerous. He rebuked the Pharisees for not accepting sola Scriptura and negating the final authority of the Word of God by their religious traditions, saying, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?…You have nullified the word of God, for the sake of your tradition” (Matt. Sola Scriptura is not even taught in the Bible. Second, early New Testament believers did not need further revelation through the apostles in written form for one very simple reason: they still had the living apostles to teach them. It is also self-defeating, for if sola scriptura were true, it would have to be explicitly spelled out in Scripture itself. You can buy that book here to read all 100! One, the fact that Scripture, without tradition, is said to be “God-breathed” (theopnuestos) and thus by it believers are “competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 9:1). I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. The Social Dilemma and What it Means for Christians, The Historical Uniqueness of Jesus Christ Among the Founders of the World’s Major Religions, Do I Drink Virtuously? Third, orthodox Protestant “denominations,” though there be many, have not historically differed much more significantly than have the various “orders” of the Roman Catholic church. But I wonder if it could be made into a deductive argument… Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. Isaiah was commanded by the Lord to “take a large cylinder-seal, and inscribe on it in ordinary letters” (Isa. John is not comparing oral and written tradition about the past but a written, as opposed to a personal, communication in the present. Third, an allegiance to sola Scriptura for Luther meant that he firmly stood on the supreme authority of Scripture. And this is precisely what these texts say. DEFINITION of SS given by Greg Krehbiel that I will use: "Scripture is the only infallible rule for faith and practice" -- hence, all "churches" and any "traditions" (today) are fallible. That a tradition is extra-biblical does not mean that it is non-biblical or unbiblical or contrary to the Bible. So, however authoritative the apostles were by their office, only their inscripturated words are inspired and infallible (2 Tim. He would not be allowed to interpret the Bible in such a way within his circle of fellow Calvinist believers—sola scriptura or no, perspicuity of Scripture or no, supremacy of conscience and private judgment or no. What it does mean is that all apostolic teaching that God deemed necessary for the faith and practice (morals) of the church was preserved (2 Tim. Thus, he appears to take for granted that which many Protestants have the hardest time grasping and accepting. Sola scriptura is a theological doctrine held by some Protestant Christian denominations that the Christian scriptures are the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. What they read from “the book” did not interpret itself. I’m not looking for refutations or responses…just the arguments themselves. 3:16-17, emphasis added) supports the doctrine of sola Scriptura. 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by Dave Armstrong. When, however, we compare the differences with orthodox Catholics and orthodox Protestants or with all Catholics and all Protestants on the more essential doctrines, there is no significant edge for Catholicism. To claim that the apostles did not write down all God’s revelation to them is to claim that they were not obedient to their prophetic commission not to subtract a word from what God revealed to them. Were Paul not assuming that, he would have been commanding his followers to adhere to a mistaken doctrine. Sola scriptura is not as much of an argument against tradition as it is an argument against unbiblical, extra-biblical and/or anti-biblical doctrines. And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. In his sermon in the upper room (Acts 2) and in other recorded sermons, St. Peter gives an authoritative New Covenant interpretation of salvation history, interpreting the Old Testament messianically and “Christianly.” It was binding and equally authoritative and inspired before it became “inscripturated” because it was from an apostle. Peter exercises apostolic authority in Acts Chapter 2: The Bible explicitly teaches about a true and unchangeable apostolic Tradition. There are many more that we didn’t point out. The Catholic case against sola scripture may be summarized by saying that sola scripture is unhistorical, unbiblical and unworkable. Luther stated, "The pulpit is the throne for the word of God." Sola Scriptura, the formal principle of the Protestant Reformation, is essential to genuine Christianity, for it declares that the Bible is the inspired word of God, the church’s only rule of faith and practice. But it is utterly presumptuous to assert that what fallible human beings pronounce is clearer than what the infallible Word of God declares. It is important to note that Jesus did not limit His statement to mere human traditions but applied it specifically to the traditions of the religious authorities who used their tradition to misinterpret the Scriptures. If you are a Protestant like me, then you may have never even heard of the Orthodox church, I know I had not. It even has a fancy Latin name — “sola scriptura.” It’s time for Catholics to stop being beaten up with the Fundamentalists’ favorite question. It begs the question, however, for Roman Catholics to claim that this supports their belief that the church of Rome still has infallible authority outside the Bible today. Corruption didn’t wipe out the Law anymore than David’s sin wiped out the Davidic Covenant, or Paul’s or Moses’ or Peter’s sin made them incapable of writing inspired Scripture and being leaders of their people. This is because they were living authorities set up by Christ (Matt. An Outline of the Catholic Case Against Sola Scriptura. Jon Braun. Tradition, like the Bible or the Word of God, is presented as immutable in Scripture: delivered “once for all” to the saints. 5:18; cf. Sola Scriptura: The Bible Does Not State a Preference for Oral Tradition. Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Kreeft’s claim that Scripture and apostolic tradition are inseparable is unconvincing. Many Christian teachings are a necessary logical deduction of what is clearly taught in the Bible (e.g., the Trinity). This powerful new book contains just that Biblical arguments. Train yourself in godliness. The Authority of Scripture, by Reader Christopher Orr. Moses certainly gave definitive interpretation of doctrine, as did the priesthood in Israel. Posted by Jim. For if there is no normative revelation after the time of the apostles and even the prophets themselves were not to add to the revelations God gave them in the Scriptures, then the Scriptures alone are the only infallible source of divine revelation. Paul assumed that his passed-down tradition was binding and therefore infallible. That’s why Catholic Answers has published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. Nehemiah 8:7–8: Also Jesh’ua, Bani, Sherebi’ah, Jamin, Akkub, Shab’bethai, Hodi’ah, Ma-asei’ah, Keli’ta, Azari’ah, Jo’zabad, Hanan, Pelai’ah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. In fact, Dave Armstrong and Catholic Answers Press gives 90 more arguments in the book, “100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura“. Solomon reaffirmed this in Proverbs, saying, “Every word of God is tested….Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver” (Prov. Or am I trying to please men? There is a direct parallel with the religious traditions of Judaism that grew up around (and obscured, even negated) the Scriptures and the Christian traditions that have grown up around (and obscured, even negated) the Scriptures since the first century. Scripture is self-authentication, clear to the rational reader, it own interpreter, and sufficient of itself to be the final authority of Christian doctrine. That is, all doctrines essential for salvation and living according to the will of God are sufficiently clear. 4:6).11 This kind of exhortation is found throughout Scripture. There is not a shred of evidence that any of the revelation God gave them to express was not inscripturated by them in the only books — the inspired books of the New Testament — that they left for the church. Finally, to borrow a phrase from St. Paul, the Bible constantly warns us “not to go beyond what is written” (1 Cor. Further, it is unreasonable to insist that words of the apostles that were not written down are more clear than the ones they did write. When Catholic apologists claim there is significantly more doctrinal agreement among Catholics than Protestants, they must mean between orthodox Catholics and all Protestants (orthodox and unorthodox) — which, of course, is not a fair comparison. As soon as the apostles died, however, it became imperative for the written record of their infallible teaching to be available. 30:5-6). The Bible has perspicuity apart from any traditions to help us understand it. However, there is a whole set of practical presuppositions that the doctrine of sola scriptura makes, every one of which provides not just an argument against the doctrine, but a fatal blow to it. Speaking of Sola Scriptura, by Kevin Allen and Fr. Andrew. However, they do not seem to appreciate the significance of this fact as it bears on the Protestant argument for sola Scriptura. Kreeft’s claim that the rejection of the Roman Catholic view on infallible tradition leads to the scandal of denominationalism does not follow for many reasons. Rather, it provides an unreliable oral tradition as opposed to an infallible written one. It even has a fancy Latin name — “sola scriptura.” It’s time for Catholics to stop being beaten up with the Fundamentalists’ favorite question. When they died, however, there was no longer a living apostolic authority since only those who were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ could have apostolic authority (Acts 1:22; 1 Cor. Jesus and New Testament writers used the phrase “It is written” (cf. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. “Not in the Bible” does NOT mean “anti-biblical”. In the Bible, good (apostolic) Tradition is contrasted with bad traditions of men – The bottom (biblical) line is not “tradition versus no tradition,” but rather, “true apostolic tradition versus false traditions of men.” The Bible often expressly distinguishes between the 2. The Reformation principle of sola scriptura (lit. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit. It should be noted that all Christian groups have some traditions, whether or not they acknowledge it. 31:26). And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Fourth, as J. I. Packer noted, “the real deep divisions have been caused not by those who maintained sola Scriptura, but by those, Roman Catholic and Protestant alike, who reject it.” Further, “when adherents of sola Scriptura have split from each other the cause has been sin rather than Protestant biblicism….”14 Certainly this is often the case. John 20:30; 21:25). As we will see, each of the Roman Catholic arguments against the Protestant doctrine of sola Scriptura fails, and they are unable to provide any substantial basis for the Catholic dogma of an infallible oral tradition. It is absurd to presume that because a particular oral or Church tradition is not explicitly taught in the Bible it is false, and that the apostles intended for all Christian teaching after their deaths to be located in the written word of the Bible alone. 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