The Shape of Sola ScripturaCanon Press & Book Service, 2001 - 363 oldal In what shape do we find the doctrine of sola Scriptura today? Many modern Evangelicals see it as a license to ignore history and the creeds in favor of a more splintered approach to the Christian living. In the past two decades, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox apologists have strongly tried to undermine sola Scriptura as unbiblical, unhistorical, and impractical. But these groups rest their cases on a recent, false take on sola Scriptura. The ancient, medieval, and classical Protestant view of sola Scriptura actually has a quite different shape than most opponents and defenders maintain. Therein lies the goal of this book-an intriguing defense of the ancient (and classical Protestant) doctrine of sola Scriptura against the claims of Rome, the East, and modern Evangelicalism. "The issue of sola Scriptura is not an abstract problem relevant only to the sixteenth-century Reformation, but one that poses increasingly more serious consequences for contemporary Christianity. This work by Keith Mathison is the finest and most comprehensive treatment of the matter I've seen. I highly recommend it to all who embrace the authority of sacred Scripture." -R.C. Sproul, Ligonier Ministries |
Tartalomjegyzék
Acknowledgments | |
Blank Spacing Page | i |
Foreword | ii |
In this light the various widely publicized departures of many Evangelicals to Roman Catholicis | 12 |
Introduction | 13 |
Within evangelicalism many professing Christians use sola scriptura as a battle cry to justify e | 14 |
The purpose of this book is twofold First it is an attempt to clear away some of the often misl | 15 |
Blank Spacing Page | 16 |
Jesus continues And I also say to you that you are Peter petros and on this rock petra I w | 188 |
None of this requires that conservative Roman Catholic views be endorsed The text says | 189 |
Jesus also promises that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against His Church There have be | 190 |
Another text that is often used in support of the Roman doctrine of ecclesiastical authority and | 191 |
Why does Jesus pray for Peter and not for the other eleven? The singular and plural pronouns in t | 192 |
Ray also observes that Peter was the leader of the twelve However since this is not disputed no | 193 |
If there is any text outside of Matthew 16 that is considered by Roman Catholicism to be a virtua | 194 |
It is helpful to begin by examining what the early church fathers said regarding this text of Scr | 195 |
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The Early Church | 19 |
HarperCollins 1978 2 | 20 |
As already noted we have broad scholarly agreement that Scripture and tradition were not mutuall | 21 |
The fact that the Lord committed his teaching to the Church is also signiWcant in the thought of | 22 |
The University of Chicago Press 1971 92 Cf HEW Turner The Pattern of Christian | 23 |
When the summary of the apostolic tradition is called the rule of faith or the rule of truth the | 24 |
Tertullians explanation of the relationship between the Scripture tradition and the Church doe | 25 |
the belief that there is only one God and that He is none other than the Creator of the world w | 26 |
Further testimony demonstrating patristic belief in the one source understanding of Gods selfre | 27 |
Let nothing be innovated says he nothing maintained except what has been handed down Whence i | 28 |
In a letter from Firmilian the Bishop of Caeserea to Cyprian regarding Pope Stephens actions | 29 |
Like earlier heretics the Arians appealed to Scripture and in fact insisted that all discussion | 30 |
The concern for interpreting the authoritative Scriptures within the context of the apostolic fai | 31 |
1 The immediate divine origin of tradition together with the insistence on a clearly circumscrib | 32 |
It is in the fourthcentury writings of Basil the Great that we Wnd for the Wrst time the suggest | 33 |
St Basil is referring here to what is now denoted as disciplina arcani The discipline of secre | 34 |
dogma is ke | 35 |
But while the latter proceeded on the subject of the soul as far in the direction of supposed c | 36 |
The Christian Faith which in accordance with the command of our Lord has been preached to all n | 37 |
Unlike Basil and Gregory of Nyssa whose support of Tradition II is ambiguous at best John seems | 38 |
15 John says that | 39 |
If this were all Augustine said we could conWdently conclude that he shared the same concept of | 40 |
In addition to the comments Augustine made regarding Scripture and tradition there are numerous | 41 |
The evidence does however lend possible support to Obermans assertion that Augustine is one of | 42 |
Little is known of the author of the Comonitory The book is written under an assumed name but i | 43 |
Moreover in the Catholic Church itself all possible care must be taken that we hold that faith | 44 |
In Vincent we Wnd one of the fullest early examinations of the vexing problem of authority The | 45 |
In the Wrst three centuries of the Church councils were occasional meetings held to discuss and | 46 |
Similarly we Wnd that a patristic appeal to earlier fathers is not an appeal to an authority equ | 47 |
In the fourth century the Wrst hints of a twosource concept of traditionone which allows for an | 48 |
The Middle Ages | 49 |
After brieXy examining these important contextual issues we will be able to see the medieval Chu | 50 |
Although Rome traces the origins of the papacy to the Apostle Peter the historical evidence indi | 51 |
The Wfth century witnessed dramatic events in the western half of the Roman Empire In ad 410 R | 52 |
These Wfthcentury political and ecclesiastical events had long lasting eVects which are felt ev | 53 |
The political developments over the next several centuries played a major role in the shaping of | 54 |
One event of major signiWcance that occurred during the reign of Leo was the dispute with the Eas | 55 |
Following the reign of Innocent the prestige of the papacy dropped rapidly The College of Cardi | 56 |
Under Pope Leo X who reigned from 15131521 abuses reached a breaking point Nepotism and simon | 57 |
In 1254 a dispute arose between mendicant friars and secular masters at the University of Paris | 58 |
The Wrst major medieval Christian to assert a doctrine of papal infallibility was Peter Olivi a | 59 |
Olivis new doctrine was virtually ignored for forty years but in 1322 Pope John XXII revoked th | 60 |
In November 1324 John responded in the Bull Quia quorundam that the father of lies had led his | 61 |
Despite its problems however Jeromes Latin translation of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts was | 62 |
In the Middle Ages the apocryphal books were commonly regarded as deuterocanonical Hugh of St | 63 |
Another important medieval development in biblical study was the tradition of the gloss Muller e | 64 |
1 The Historical historiaThe literal sense of the text that explains what happened | 66 |
This phenomenon is readily observable in the commentaries of Aquinas which are almost exclusively | 67 |
when all is said perhaps the most forceful reasons to believe that God has spoken truly cannot t | 68 |
In the tenth and eleventh centuries the beginnings of a trend away from the Augustinian concept o | 69 |
were not high realists Their position may be termed moderate realism While the universal idea | 70 |
Scholasticism is best regarded as the medieval movement Xourishing in the period 12001500 whic | 71 |
1 The emphasis on a return ad fontes to the sources | 72 |
Heiko Oberman is careful to note that the concepts of Tradition I and Tradition II are obviously | 73 |
The Wrst possible evidence of major development occurs in the twelfth century For most of the ea | 74 |
Oberman argues that one cannot make such a neat distinction between doctrinal truths and liturgic | 75 |
In theory the material suYciency of Holy Scripture is upheld long after it has been given up in p | 76 |
Like the majority of the scholastic teachers of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries Thomas A | 77 |
The work of the Franciscan William of Ockham marks a decisive turning point in the history of the | 78 |
Ockhams purpose in raising the issue of the sources of faith in the Dialogus was the same as his | 79 |
By the end of the Wfteenth century a number of rival authorities to Scripture had emerged which | 80 |
Blank Spacing Page | 82 |
Martin Luther and John Calvin | 83 |
One debate that Xared up again during the sixteenthcentury Reformation concerned the source and | 84 |
Their desire was not to reject the Church or the apostolic faith their desire was to remove the | 85 |
In July of 1505 as a twentyoneyearold student at the University of Erfurt Luther was returni | 87 |
After his return from Rome Luther was transferred to Wittenberg to teach in the new university a | 88 |
If you have a true faith that Christ is your Savior then at once you have a gracious God for fa | 89 |
Plenary indulgences ie the remission of all temporal punishment due to sin had come into pro | 90 |
It has already been noted that the pope at this time was Leo X 15131521 whose reign was one o | 91 |
Luther had sent a copy of the ninetyfive theses to Albert of Mainz who promptly forwarded them t | 92 |
The answer to that question is exceedingly complex Its roots lie in the situation of imperial an | 93 |
Perhaps Luthers assertions and his criticisms of Rome may be understood better in light of what | 94 |
We Wnd the Wrst public hints of Luthers concept of sola scriptura at the Leipzig debate between | 95 |
The fact that Luther operated within the context of a Tradition I concept of authority may be gat | 96 |
This position would not be restricted to that of Luther but would form a constitutive part of th | 97 |
Luther was writing at a time when the papacy was vigorously reasserting her authority over agains | 98 |
Luthers assertion that Scripture was the only infallible authority in matters of faith and his h | 99 |
As a Protestant he subjected the authority of church councils to the authority of the word of Go | 100 |
1 Authoritarian ReverenceRoman Catholicism | 101 |
While traveling to the Protestant city of Strasbourg Calvin stopped in Geneva and was ultimately | 103 |
Suppose we ponder how slippery is the fall of the human mind into forgetfulness of God how great | 104 |
Such wranglers are neatly refuted by just one word of the apostle He testiWes that the church | 105 |
Calvin continues with an explanation of the inward witness of the Holy Spirit to His own Word in | 106 |
that those whom the Holy Spirit has inwardly taught truly rest up | 107 |
In Book Four Calvin turns to a lengthy discussion of the Church Here we see how he conceives of | 108 |
Calvin realizes this and devotes a fair amount of space to explaining why the forsaking of the Ro | 109 |
Because of the centrality of this assertion Calvin devotes several lengthy arguments to proving | 110 |
Calvin continues by turning his attention to the papacy itself He begins by arguing that it is u | 111 |
He begins by pointing out the deplorable state of the theology found in Rome including blasphemo | 112 |
Just as the priests and teachers of ancient Israel were subject to the Scripture as the standard | 113 |
And what wonder if Christs bride and pupil be subject to her Spouse and Teacher so that she pay | 114 |
In that council which the high priests and Pharisees convened at Jerusalem against Christ John 1 | 115 |
In response to Roman claims that the councils must be obeyed without question simply because men | 116 |
Calvin points out that the problem with Romes claim is that she refers to contradictions with Sc | 117 |
For this reason we freely inveigh against the tyranny of human tradition which is haughtily thrus | 118 |
Calvins Institutes itself is a testimony to the fact that he believed Scripture should be interp | 119 |
Until the sixteenth century the ancient doctrine of Tradition I and the newer doctrine of Traditi | 120 |
Blank Spacing Page | 122 |
The Radical Reformation | 123 |
In South Germany mystical Anabaptists such as Thomas Muntzer advocated revolution while paciWsti | 124 |
Another group identiWed as part of the Radical Reformation was that referred to as spiritualists | 125 |
the magisterial Reformers adopted a positive approach to tradition particularly the testimonia p | 126 |
This understanding of the sola scriptura principle allowed the magisterial reformers to critici | 127 |
It is important to realize that there were two very diVerent versions of the sola scriptura princ | 128 |
The holy ecumenical and general Council of Trent lawfully assembled in the Holy Ghost the same | 129 |
Contemporary witnesses show that although partim partim as a form o | 130 |
Heiko Oberman also argues that Trent intended to teach the twosource view In addition to the ar | 131 |
From the theological point of view we must take the text of the Council of Trent as it stands N | 132 |
Much has happened in the Roman Catholic church since the Council of Trent oYcially elevated Tradi | 133 |
The two notions of living development and binding authority of the teaching oYce of the Church to | 134 |
A valid argument for a dogmatic tradition for the Churchs teaching in the past can be construct | 135 |
for every human creature to be subject to the Roman PontiV Unam Sanctam Vatican II decrees th | 136 |
This espousal of Tradition I was also expressed by Zwinglis successor Heinrich Bullinger in hi | 137 |
The Reformation itself was rooted in the question of authority which it answered with the langua | 138 |
The seventh paragraph brieXy describes the perspicuity of Scripture explaining that the primary | 139 |
In order to guard this statement of the doctrine of Scripture against the possibility of an anaba | 140 |
In contrast with the rationalists who tried to erect philosophical systems by means of reasoning | 141 |
dare to use your own understanding This applies especially to re | 142 |
Above all the American Revolution dramatically expanded the circle of people who considered th | 143 |
In religious faith we have but one Father and one Master and the Bible the Bible is our only a | 144 |
The Unitarian Noah Worchester argued that Christians would reject the doctrine of the Trinity if | 145 |
In a discussion of the Protestant rule of faith Hodge explains that the word of God as contain | 146 |
Protestants admit that as there has been an uninterrupted tradition of truth from the protevangel | 147 |
Hodge explains what he means by common consent When Protestants speak of common consent of Chri | 148 |
In our own day the confusion over the deWnition of sola scriptura is astounding The majority of | 149 |
Nobody goes to the Bible alone but carries with him or her a host of inXuences It is inWnitely | 150 |
The consensus of the early Church continued throughout most of the Middle Ages with most theologi | 151 |
Many of the Radical Reformers of the sixteenth century not only rejected Tradition II but also Tr | 152 |
If we are to maintain a sound Christian doctrine of authority we must with the early fathers and | 153 |
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THE WITNESS OF SCRIPTURE | 155 |
Blank Spacing Page | 156 |
Scripture on Scripture and Tradition | 157 |
1011 is one of the most used and abused texts of Scripture in the ongoing debate The te | 158 |
When we recall the diYculty Jesus own disciples had grasping the fact that He must suVer and die | 159 |
Roman Catholic apologist Robert Sungenis overstates the case that can be made from Pauls new rev | 160 |
Sungenis is correct when he says Pauls declaration that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah is a ne | 161 |
Contrary to those evangelicals who advocate Tradition 0 there is nothing in this passage which w | 162 |
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is proWtable for doctrine for reproof for cor | 163 |
since Paul did command the Wrst Christians to preserve and obey oral revelation the Catholic Chu | 164 |
By this admission White has unwittingly proven that Scripture does not teach sola scriptura for | 165 |
It is this Godbreathed nature of Scripture that is signiWcant to the discussion of 2 Timothy 3 | 166 |
An important problem for Tradition II is the fact that it Wnds no support in the witness of the e | 167 |
We also have the prophetic word made more sure which you do well to heed as a light that shines | 168 |
In support of the Wrst position is the fact that elsewhere in the epistle Peter does deal extens | 169 |
Peter makes an additional interesting comment later in his epistle The entirety of chapter 2 is | 170 |
First the warning refers speciWcally to this book the book of Revelation John is not speakin | 171 |
A second problem is that many individual doctrines and practices which she has declared to be pre | 172 |
We must remember what happened to the law of Moses in Israel Because the Jews realized that Scri | 173 |
The Wrst text is not often referred to in discussions on this topic but it does have some bearin | 174 |
If the Church is in possession of the full apostolic tradition then we must ask why Luke found i | 175 |
This text and the parallel passage in Matthew 15 indicate the degree to which a hermeneutical tra | 176 |
This passage in Mark is dealt with by two authors in the Roman Catholic work Not By Scripture Alo | 177 |
Second despite Protestant aversion to Catholic tradition it remains an incontrovertible fact th | 178 |
The entire Roman Catholic argument depends upon the assumption that Rome could not do what Israel | 179 |
The Thessalonian church has been troubled by some person or persons teaching them that the day of | 180 |
SigniWcant to the discussion is the fact that Paul held up this apostolic tradition as a rule of | 181 |
Scripture on the Church | 183 |
Few passages of the New Testament have been the source of more discussion and debate in recent ce | 184 |
Second the strong patristic tendency toward interpreting the rock as Christ necessitates the fal | 185 |
Let us assume that the rock does refer to Peter What have we lost if we are Protestant or ga | 186 |
The remaining arguments presented in support of the Roman interpretation of this passage are no m | 187 |
The account of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 is very important for our understanding of the au | 196 |
Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles | 197 |
The passage is illustrative of several aspects of apostolic ecclesiology First in the case of a | 198 |
1722 is a signiWcant text because of its implications for the question of infallibilit | 199 |
1722 that explicitly | 200 |
Did tacit conditions apply only to a small class of unqualiWed predictions? Or did conditions att | 201 |
The Epistle to the Galatians was written to a church on the verge of forsaking the gospel of Chri | 202 |
89 is that Paul tells the church that even if he himself should b | 203 |
We turn our attention now to a text that sheds more light on the nature of ecclesiastical authori | 204 |
Blank Spacing Page | 206 |
THE THEOLOGICAL NECESSITY OF | 207 |
Blank Spacing Page | 208 |
A Critique of Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Positions | 209 |
This chapter will lay out some of the major diYculties inherent in both of the positions held wit | 210 |
In addition to this the concept of tradition as a second supplementary source of revelation face | 211 |
The second major problem with the supplementary concept of tradition is that there is no promise | 212 |
A third signiWcant diYculty with the Roman concept of supplementary tradition is that it destroys | 213 |
The sixth problem with this view of tradition is that it necessarily undermines the authority of | 214 |
Not only does tradition undermine Scripture in many cases it also clearly contradicts Scripture | 215 |
When we realize that Tradition II was not the teaching of the early Church for centuries and when | 216 |
Because the Roman Catholic doctrine of infallibility is often misunderstood we must get clear on | 217 |
Rome admits that the Wrst of these is practically unworkable and therefore emphasizes the second | 218 |
A summary of the origin of the concept of papal infallibility appeared earlier This doctrine wh | 219 |
During the Arian controversy Pope Liberius was exiled by the emperor for defending Nicene orthod | 220 |
In his Bull Unam Sanctam Pope Boniface decreed | 221 |
Pope Sixtuss notable error consisted of declaring his error Wlled 1590 edition of the Vulgate t | 222 |
In regards to moral issues popes have also erred Pope Gregory IX 122741 allowed for the use | 223 |
Scripture cannot be appealed to as a higher law because the Church tells us what Scripture is and | 224 |
Not only is the doctrine of infallibility in direct contradiction with the express teaching of Sc | 225 |
The Orthodox view the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as Gods supreme revelation to man | 226 |
In a very real sense it is the Church which embodies the tradition within Orthodoxy It is the Ch | 227 |
A second major problem inherent in the Orthodox concept of tradition involves her understanding o | 228 |
This is extremely important because if the Church does not know what it is that makes a council e | 229 |
The Orthodox understanding is based on the belief that eventually the truth will prevail We know | 230 |
As we have already noted Orthodox theology draws on the consistent Godinspired witness of the F | 231 |
The fathers of the Church were also interpreters of this revelation fallible and human interpret | 232 |
The most signiWcant problem with the Orthodox concept of Scripture and tradition is that like Ro | 233 |
In both Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy this elevation of the present church to a place o | 234 |
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A Critique of the Evangelical Doctrine of Solo Scriptura | 237 |
Ironically a similar drastic alteration of the classical Reformation doctrine of sola scriptura | 238 |
We have already seen that there is a major diVerence between the concept of Scripture and traditi | 239 |
The typical modern Evangelical solution to this problem is to tell the inquirer to examine the ar | 240 |
The same ideas were expressed by Lewis Sperry Chafer the extremely inXuential founder and Wrst p | 241 |
An important point that must be kept in mind is observed by the great nineteenthcentury Princeto | 242 |
Even if the creeds were to clearly and deWnitively stand against the preterist view which they d | 243 |
Another pantelist John Noe claims that this rejection of the authority of the ecumenical creeds | 244 |
Scripture itself indicates that the Scriptures are the possession of the Church and that the inte | 245 |
An extremely signiWcant problem with solo scriptura is the subjectivity into which it casts all h | 246 |
It should go without saying that solo scriptura was not the doctrine of the early Church or of th | 247 |
Solo scriptura is beset with numerous theological problems the most signiWcant being the problem | 248 |
Most proponents of solo scriptura simply ignore the problem of the canon as if the Bibles they ho | 249 |
If the ecumenical creeds have no real authority then it cannot be of any major consequence if a | 250 |
Not only has solo scriptura contributed heavily to this division and sectarianism it can oVer no | 251 |
Ultimately the fundamental problem with solo scriptura is the same problem that exists within th | 252 |
Blank Spacing Page | 254 |
The Doctrine of Sola Scriptura | 255 |
When we speak of the perfection of Scripture in this particular context we are referring essenti | 256 |
Wayne Grudem has provided a helpful deWnition of this characteristic of Scripture It means that | 257 |
Although the suYciency of Scripture and the perfection of Scripture are to an extent synonymous | 258 |
In the same way we may say that our Wnal authority is Scripture alone but not a Scripture that i | 259 |
16 in which Paul tells Timothy that all Scripture is given | 260 |
Throughout history some have claimed divine inspiration for supposed second sources of revelatio | 261 |
Within the reciprocal nexus of Scripture Church and the rule of faith then Scripture occupies a | 262 |
Even if the Roman Catholic church or the Eastern Orthodox church had a charism of infallibility | 263 |
Finally we must always be mindful that claims to infallibility by the Church or any member of th | 264 |
The unique authority of Scripture should be selfevident to any confessing Christian yet centuri | 265 |
15 | 266 |
To assert that the Bible is the sole infallible authority and that the Bible is the Wnal and sup | 267 |
It is only within the Church that we Wnd Scripture interpreted rightly and it is only within the | 268 |
Let us learn even from the simple title mother how useful indeed how necessary it is that w | 269 |
First we must observe that there is an enormous diVerence between the role the individual consci | 271 |
The corporate judgment of the Church normally operates through those who have been especially gif | 272 |
As Turretin observes it is this authority to establish normative doctrinal boundaries that has b | 273 |
One of the most obvious facts facing any intelligent person who has been a Christian for more tha | 274 |
Aside from the use of the Churchs common confessional rule of faith there is no possible way to | 275 |
The Church today must regain the understanding of tradition held by the early Church and by the b | 276 |
Tradition properly understood plays an important part in the Christian concept of scriptural au | 277 |
The modern Evangelical church must come to the realization that if the ecumenical creeds have no | 278 |
It is interesting to observe that the authority of these ecumenical creeds necessarily follows fr | 279 |
The ecumenical creeds represent the hermeneutical consensus already reached by the Church They d | 280 |
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OBJECTIONS AND ISSUES | 283 |
Blank Spacing Page | 284 |
Answering Objections | 285 |
Before proceeding it should be noted that a large percentage of the objections raised by critics | 286 |
The problem with this argument is that if it is applicable at all it would only address a probl | 287 |
Part of the diYculty involved in this discussion centers on the diVerence between the material su | 288 |
One of the most frequent objections to sola scriptura found in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodo | 289 |
If Madrid is asking about Tradition I which was framed by the classical Reformers in terms of so | 290 |
Second it assumes that the essential teachings of Scripture are suYciently clear to be underst | 291 |
We shall respond to the objections in the order that they have been raised Blossers Wrst critic | 292 |
The fourth objection mentioned concerns the canon of Scripture Because of its importance this o | 293 |
One of the common attacks upon the doctrine of sola scriptura is an attack upon its historicity | 294 |
who have not carefully stated the diVerence but the Roman Catholic apologists also bear some of | 295 |
An interesting objection is raised by Blosser when he asserts A certain disdain for history an | 296 |
Blosser continues his historical objections to sola scriptura by arguing that the doctrine overlo | 297 |
We have already discussed the historical aspects of this debate at some length so it would be un | 298 |
A further objection to sola scriptura presented by Roman Catholic apologists is the claim that th | 299 |
Blosser argues that Protestant adherents of sola scriptura misinterpret the church fathers becaus | 300 |
Once more we are faced with an objection that is based upon the unproven assumption that Roman Ca | 301 |
Blosser argues that sola scriptura leads to a failure to distinguish matters of dogma from matter | 302 |
Blosser claims that sola scriptura leads to a failure to reckon with history The Protestant doct | 303 |
By the fulness of apostolic power we decree and declare that this edition approved by the autho | 304 |
Sola scriptura Tradition I did not cause the hermeneutical anarchy that exists today but a pro | 305 |
Intimately tied to the question of hermeneutical anarchy is the question of denominational factio | 306 |
Blossers Wnal practical objection is that sola scriptura results in the undermining of pastoral | 307 |
Carlton also argues No Father or council of the early church ever asserted that the Scriptures | 308 |
The idea that the Scriptures are selfinterpreting is patently absurd It assumes a degree of abs | 309 |
This is another of the reasons why Tradition I or sola scriptura is necessary Rather than depend | 310 |
The doctrine of sola scriptura was part of an ongoing medieval debate between adherents of Tradit | 311 |
Christians are to be in submission to the Church but the Church is not identical to Rome The di | 312 |
The Canon the Church | 313 |
Many evangelicals have not realized the force of this criticism and it is a devastating criticis | 314 |
First it is extremely important for the purposes of this discussion to grasp the distinction bet | 315 |
The next fact that is commonly agreed upon is that the Old Testament Jewish Church was fallible | 316 |
The point is that the fallible Jewish Church was entrusted with the Old Testament books for aro | 317 |
The Roman See did not express its opinion on the question of the canon until the Council of Flore | 318 |
The Wrst observation we must make is that if sola scriptura is true then some form of a branch t | 319 |
One could argue that his branch is the one true branch because it is closest to the teaching of S | 320 |
In a sense the issue we are addressing is similar to the question of the canon of Scripture With | 321 |
What this means practically speaking is that believers may immediately rule out such communions a | 322 |
extra ecclesiam nul | 323 |
Some communions such as Rome and Orthodoxy would argue that to speak of the visible Church as | 324 |
The Church at the present time is in a temporary state analogous to that of Israel when she sinne | 325 |
Those who are part of diVerent fragments will have slightly diVerent problems to face because e | 326 |
Charles Hodge the great Reformed Princeton theologian addressed the question of Romes status i | 327 |
Hodge notes that one of the diYculties involved in this question is the fact that the word churc | 328 |
We have already observed that if salvation is possible within a particular communion then that c | 329 |
Hodge continues by explaining the exact sense in which the true religion is present within these | 330 |
If this creed were submitted to any intelligent Christian without his knowing whence it came cou | 331 |
The most obvious objection that can be raised against Hodges argument in light of our discussion | 332 |
The issue of Roman Catholic baptism raises an important point As noted above many of the Reform | 333 |
What this means is that the problems raised concerning the relation of Rome to the true Church is | 334 |
Regardless of where one lands on the issue of Romes status as a branch of the true visible Churc | 335 |
What all of this means practically is that there is no good reason for Protestant conversions to | 336 |
There is a tendency within the Church to run to extremes and this tendency manifests itself clea | 337 |
The truth of the matter is that a proper concept of creeds does not result in the subordination o | 338 |
Evangelical and cultic advocates of solo scriptura assume that an actual instance of inerrancy de | 339 |
Liars are experts in chopping logic and missing the truth slightly Did God say not to eat from | 340 |
An important point that Miller observes about creeds is the fact that men are seldom opposed to | 341 |
As foreign as it may sound to individualistic modern Evangelical ears a church that adheres to s | 342 |
Only sola scriptura or Tradition I does justice to the mystery involved in this intricate and b | 343 |
Blank Spacing Page | 344 |
Conclusion | 345 |
With the rise of Enlightenment rationalism and other trends such as American populism the radica | 346 |
Instead of advocating chaos the Evangelical church must regain an understanding of the Reformati | 347 |
Blank Spacing Page | 348 |
Bibliography | 349 |
Calvin John Institutes of the Christian Religion Library of Christian Classics vols 2021 T | 350 |
Evans Gillian R Alister E McGrath and Allan D Galloway The Science of Theology The History | 351 |
The Protestant Position on the Bible Morgan PA Soli Deo Glor | 352 |
TT Clark LTD 1986 | 353 |
Biblical Authority Creedal Orthodoxy and Heresy | 354 |
Penguin Books 1993 | 355 |
Blank Spacing Page | 356 |
357 | |
360 | |
361 | |
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Gyakori szavak és kifejezések
according adherents Ages Apostles argues argument assert authoritative authority believe Bible called Calvin canon century Christ Christian Church claim communion concept concerning confession considered context continues councils creeds criticism debate definition discussion divine doctrine early Church Eastern ecumenical error Evangelical existence explains fact faith fathers final find first gospel historical Holy Spirit important individual infallible inspired interpretation issue Jesus John Lord Luther means medieval necessary notes Oberman objection observes oral origin Orthodox papacy papal Paul Peter pope position possibility practice present Press problem Protestant Publishing question radical reason refers Reformation reject result revelation Roman Catholic Rome rule of faith Scrip Scripture Scripture and tradition sense simply sola scriptura solo speak standard statement taught teaching Testament Theology things tion tradition true truth understanding University visible witness writings written
Hivatkozások erre a könyvre
The Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical-linguistic Approach to Christian Theology Kevin J. Vanhoozer Korlátozott előnézet - 2005 |