# Sola Scriptura



## sotzo (Nov 30, 2008)

What is the best evidence that putting Tradition on par with Scripture is a novelty of Roman Catholicism? In other words,, what is the best evidence to support the view that what the Reformers did was reinstate the primacy of Scripture to where it had existed in the Church prior to Rome?


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## Confessor (Nov 30, 2008)

The apostles are dead, and therefore unwritten apostolic tradition does not exist. _Sola Scriptura_ kicked in when they drew their last breath. The Catholic needs to offer positive evidence that this authority is continuing in order to attack the material sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that Scripture has all the information necessary for salvation), while he may use various arguments about interpretations to attack the formal sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that no authoritative interpreter is required; Scripture interprets Scripture), which I can also discuss if you would like.


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## sotzo (Nov 30, 2008)

packabacka said:


> The apostles are dead, and therefore unwritten apostolic tradition does not exist. _Sola Scriptura_ kicked in when they drew their last breath. The Catholic needs to offer positive evidence that this authority is continuing in order to attack the material sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that Scripture has all the information necessary for salvation), while he may use various arguments about interpretations to attack the formal sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that no authoritative interpreter is required; Scripture interprets Scripture), which I can also discuss if you would like.



Ben:

Wouldn't the positive evidence from their standpoint be a defense of Matt 16:18 as indicating that apostolic tradition did not die with the apostles?


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## Ex Nihilo (Nov 30, 2008)

packabacka said:


> The apostles are dead, and therefore unwritten apostolic tradition does not exist. _Sola Scriptura_ kicked in when they drew their last breath. The Catholic needs to offer positive evidence that this authority is continuing in order to attack the material sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that Scripture has all the information necessary for salvation), while he may use various arguments about interpretations to attack the formal sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that no authoritative interpreter is required; Scripture interprets Scripture), which I can also discuss if you would like.



Do you know any good books on this topic?


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## Contra_Mundum (Nov 30, 2008)

William Whitaker _Disputations on Holy Scripture_
available at: Alpha and Omega Ministries

An oldee but a goodee


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## Prufrock (Nov 30, 2008)

Contra_Mundum said:


> William Whitaker _Disputations on Holy Scripture_
> available at: Alpha and Omega Ministries
> 
> An oldee but a goodee





Further, yes, he's Lutheran, but I cannot recommend highly enough Martin Chemnitz's section on scripture in his Examination of Trent (1st volume).


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## MW (Dec 1, 2008)

For a sound introductory article, one might consult with profit John Murray's "Tradition: Romish and Protestant," Collected Writings 4:264-273.


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## Confessor (Dec 1, 2008)

sotzo said:


> packabacka said:
> 
> 
> > The apostles are dead, and therefore unwritten apostolic tradition does not exist. _Sola Scriptura_ kicked in when they drew their last breath. The Catholic needs to offer positive evidence that this authority is continuing in order to attack the material sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that Scripture has all the information necessary for salvation), while he may use various arguments about interpretations to attack the formal sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that no authoritative interpreter is required; Scripture interprets Scripture), which I can also discuss if you would like.
> ...



They would have to do a marvelous exegesis to get that out of Matt. 16:18. If a Catholic were to attempt to prove his position from the Bible, he would almost immediately lose. It is an unfortunate truth for him.


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## Ex Nihilo (Dec 1, 2008)

Any articles I could access on the Internet for free? I have no money.


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## MW (Dec 1, 2008)

Prof. Murray's article is available here:

Tradition: Romish and Protestant


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## Confessor (Dec 1, 2008)

Also, here's a good article from Bahnsen:

Untitled Document


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## Thomas2007 (Dec 2, 2008)

Ex Nihilo said:


> packabacka said:
> 
> 
> > The apostles are dead, and therefore unwritten apostolic tradition does not exist. _Sola Scriptura_ kicked in when they drew their last breath. The Catholic needs to offer positive evidence that this authority is continuing in order to attack the material sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that Scripture has all the information necessary for salvation), while he may use various arguments about interpretations to attack the formal sufficiency of Scripture (i.e. that no authoritative interpreter is required; Scripture interprets Scripture), which I can also discuss if you would like.
> ...



Post Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, Volume 2, Holy Scriptures: The Cognitive Foundation of Theology, by Richard A Muller
ISBN: 0-8010-6299-3


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## Ex Nihilo (Dec 2, 2008)

armourbearer said:


> Prof. Murray's article is available here:
> 
> Tradition: Romish and Protestant



Thanks so much, and thanks to you, also, packabacka! It is not just a matter of intellectual curiosity for me, but something of a personal struggle. This is very helpful.


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## Mathetes (Dec 2, 2008)

Here are some further good (free) articles on sola scriptura vs. tradition:

Triablogue: By Scripture alone

Triablogue: Sola Ecclesia

http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2005/10/tradition.html


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