Michael Brooks
Sola scriptura, a Latin phrase meaning by scripture alone, is a Christian theological doctrine held by most Protestant Christian denominations, particularly those of the Lutheran and Reformed traditions. It posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, considers the magisterium, or the teaching authority of the Church, to be the interpreter of Scripture and Tradition, with both regarded as equal and forming a single deposit of faith. While Protestants may defend sola scriptura by claiming that Jesus and Paul accepted the authority of the Old Testament, they also appealed to other authorities outside of written revelation, such as oral teachings of prophets or apostles. Catholics agree that Scripture is materially sufficient, meaning that every true doctrine can be found in the Bible, but they do not interpret this as excluding the binding authority of authentic apostolic Tradition and the Church. The concept of sola scriptura has been challenged by Catholic apologists, who argue that if sola scriptura is a doctrine that every doctrine must be proved by Scripture alone, then it must also be provable from Scripture alone, which it is not. This has led some Protestants to propose that sola scriptura is not a doctrine but an interpretive principle justified by reason alone.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sola scriptura meaning | "by scripture alone" |
| Who holds this doctrine | Most Protestant Christian denominations, especially Lutheran and Reformed traditions |
| What does sola scriptura posit | The Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice |
| Catholic Church's view | Heresy |
| Orthodox churches' view | Contrary to the phronema of the Church |
| Catholic counterargument | Where is sola scriptura in the Bible? |
| Catholic view on Scripture and tradition | Equal, forming a single deposit |
| Sola scriptura view on Scripture and tradition | Scripture is the only final authority in matters of faith and practice |
| Sola scriptura's view on authority | All secondary authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures and is subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible |
| Catholic counterargument | Sola scriptura cannot be deduced from implicit passages |
| Catholic counterargument | The absence of one or more elements in one passage does not mean that they are non-existent |
| Catholic counterargument | Sola scriptura is self-refuting |
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What You'll Learn
Sola scriptura is not mentioned in the Bible
Sola scriptura, a Latin phrase meaning "by Scripture alone", is a Christian theological doctrine held by most Protestant Christian denominations, especially those of the Lutheran and Reformed traditions. It posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice.
The doctrine of sola scriptura is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. However, this does not mean that it is not supported by the Bible. While the Bible may not explicitly argue for sola scriptura, it does not allow for traditions that contradict its message. Sola scriptura is an argument against unbiblical, extra-biblical, and/or anti-biblical doctrines. The Bible is considered to be God-breathed, inerrant, and authoritative, and God does not contradict Himself. Therefore, the only way to know what God expects of us is to stay true to what He has revealed in the Bible.
The Bible itself testifies to its sufficiency, certainty, and infallibility. For example, Jesus said that Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35), and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." This indicates that Scripture is sufficient for all good works and is the ultimate authority for Christian faith and practice.
However, it is important to note that the Catholic Church holds a different view. They consider sola scriptura to be heresy and argue that Scripture and Tradition are equal authorities, forming a single deposit of faith. According to Catholic doctrine, the magisterium, or the teaching authority of the Church, interprets this deposit of faith, with both Tradition and Scripture as its sources.
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The Bible is not the only infallible authority
The concept of "sola scriptura" (Latin for "by scripture alone") is a Protestant theological doctrine, particularly associated with Lutheran and Reformed traditions, that asserts the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. However, this idea is considered heresy by the Catholic Church and contrary to the phronema of the Orthodox churches.
The Catholic Church recognizes the importance of both Scripture and Tradition, considering them equal and forming a single deposit. The magisterium, or the teaching authority of the Church, serves both Tradition and Scripture, interpreting and transmitting them together. This view is supported by the fact that Jesus and Paul, in the New Testament, accepted the authority of the Old Testament but also appealed to other authorities outside of written revelation. For example, Jesus taught about the authority of the scribes and Pharisees, which is not found in the Old Testament but in the oral tradition of the Mishnah.
Furthermore, the Bible itself does not teach sola scriptura. As Patrick Madrid, a Roman Catholic author, pointed out, the belief that the Scriptures are the only source of Christian belief is self-contradicting since it cannot be supported without extra-scriptural doctrine. Traditions that are based on and agree with God's Word can be maintained, but those that contradict it must be rejected. This is the key distinction—not an argument against all traditions, but against those that are unbiblical or extra-biblical.
In conclusion, while the Bible is undoubtedly a central and authoritative text for Christians, it is not the only infallible authority. The Catholic Church upholds the importance of both Scripture and Tradition, interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium, as essential for Christian faith and practice.
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Jesus and Paul appealed to authority outside of the Bible
The concept of sola scriptura, or "by scripture alone", is a Christian theological doctrine held by most Protestant denominations. It posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, considers the Church's magisterium, or teaching authority, to be the living organ that interprets Scripture and Tradition as "one common source [...] with two distinct modes of transmission".
While Protestants defending sola scriptura claim that Jesus and Paul accepted the authority of the Old Testament, it is important to note that they also appealed to authorities outside of the written Bible. For example, in Matthew 2:23, the prophecy that "He shall be called a Nazarene" is considered to be "God's word", yet it cannot be found in the Old Testament. Instead, it was likely passed down orally, as were the teachings of the prophets, which were considered God's word regardless of whether they were later recorded as written Scripture.
Another example is found in Matthew 23:2–3, where Jesus teaches that the scribes and Pharisees have legitimate, binding authority based "on Moses' seat". This phrase and concept cannot be found in the Old Testament but are present in the Mishnah, which teaches a sort of "teaching succession" from Moses onwards. This demonstrates that Jesus and Paul recognised and submitted to authorities outside of Scripture, including the oral traditions and teachings of the Pharisees, which were later written down.
Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul refers to a rock that "followed" the Jews through the Sinai wilderness. This reference to a rock is not found in the Old Testament but is likely an oral tradition that Paul considered authoritative.
In addition to appealing to oral traditions, Jesus and Paul also recognised the authority of civil and political institutions. For example, Paul and Peter both wrote about the role of the state and the need for Christians to submit to governing authorities, as seen in Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2:13-17, respectively. They emphasised that the state serves as God's servant and avenger, carrying out divine wrath on wrongdoers. While Jesus and his disciples deliberately disobeyed laws that conflicted with God's commands, they still submitted to the authorities by accepting the legal consequences, as seen in the book of Acts and in Paul's escape from Damascus, where he evaded arrest by lowering himself down a city wall in a basket.
Therefore, it can be concluded that Jesus and Paul did appeal to authorities outside of the Bible, recognising the value of oral traditions, the teachings of the Pharisees, and the authority of civil and political institutions.
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The Bible is materially sufficient, but not the formal authority
The concept of sola scriptura, or "by scripture alone", is a Christian theological doctrine that asserts the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. This view is held by most Protestant Christian denominations, particularly within the Lutheran and Reformed traditions. However, the Catholic Church considers sola scriptura heresy.
While Protestants defending sola scriptura acknowledge that Jesus and Paul accepted the authority of the Old Testament, they also appealed to other authorities outside of written revelation. For example, Jesus taught that the scribes and Pharisees had legitimate, binding authority based on "Moses' seat", an idea found in the originally oral Mishnah rather than the Old Testament.
The Bible, according to the principle of sola scriptura, is the only inspired, inerrant, and final authority for Christians. All other authorities, such as church councils, preachers, biblical commentators, and personal revelations, are considered secondary and subject to reform when compared to the teachings of the Bible. This view does not ignore Christian history, tradition, or the church but sees the church as the interpreter of the Bible, with Scripture as the only final authority.
Catholics agree that Scripture is materially sufficient, meaning that every true doctrine can be found in the Bible, either explicitly or implicitly. However, they disagree with the idea that Scripture is formally sufficient. In other words, while the Bible contains all the truths necessary for salvation, it does not state them clearly enough for a complete understanding without the need for interpretive authority. This interpretive authority is provided by the Catholic Church, which considers tradition and Scripture as equal and complementary sources of revelation.
In conclusion, while Protestants adhering to sola scriptura view the Bible as the sole infallible authority, Catholics believe that Scripture is materially sufficient but requires the interpretive authority of the Church for formal sufficiency. This difference in interpretation authority is a significant point of contention between Protestants and Catholics.
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The Bible is open to interpretation
The concept of sola scriptura, or "by scripture alone", is a Christian theological doctrine held by most Protestant denominations. It asserts that the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice, rejecting any other original authority, such as church councils, preachers, or personal revelation. This view, championed by reformers like Martin Luther, places the scriptures as the ultimate arbiter, with the church seen as the interpreter or "rule of faith".
However, the Catholic Church, true to its tradition, considers the Bible as part of Sacred Tradition, where both tradition and scripture are regarded as equal and necessary for teaching. They argue that neither Jesus nor Paul solely relied on written scripture, often appealing to other authorities like oral teachings of prophets and apostles.
Now, the question arises: is the Bible open to interpretation? The answer is complex. On the one hand, some assert that the Bible has a single, legitimate interpretation, which is the one intended by God. They argue that the Bible is not meant to be ambiguous, and that God's words have a fixed meaning. However, the reality is that the Bible is often subject to interpretation, and different readers may derive different meanings from the same passage. This is due to various factors, such as the diverse genres within the Bible, the cultural and historical context in which it was written, and the individual reasoning and faith traditions of the reader.
While some passages may be clear and unambiguous, others may be more open to interpretation. It is important to interpret the Bible within its broader context, considering the section, the Testament, and the whole Bible. Additionally, understanding the character and nature of God can provide a better framework for interpretation. Ultimately, interpretation is unavoidable, and even those who claim to let the Bible speak for itself are engaging in an interpretive process, whether consciously or not.
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Frequently asked questions
Sola scriptura, Latin for 'by scripture alone', is a Christian theological doctrine that posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice.
Catholics argue that sola scriptura cannot be deduced from the Bible. They claim that if every doctrine must be provable from the Bible, then sola scriptura must also be provable by the Bible, which it isn't, making it a self-refuting doctrine.
Some Protestants argue that sola scriptura is not a doctrine but an interpretive principle justified by reason alone. Others try to point to verses that they think prove sola scriptura, but this approach has not been successful.
Sola scriptura implies that the authority of the church is viewed as subject to correction by the scriptures, even by an individual member of the church. It does not ignore Christian history, tradition, or the church, but sees the church as the Bible's interpreter and scripture as the only final authority.
