For a cogent argument that Sola scriptura necessarily entails an elevation of the individual Christian to the position of authoritative biblical interpreter, read this post at Principium Unitatis.
This is the argument to which I have continually returned, no matter how frustrated I have felt over other Catholic practices which have seemed wrong to my understanding, like Catholic Marian practices, what I perceived to be its universalistic tendencies, et cetera. This authority argument is the sine qua non of many conversions from Protestantism to Catholicism, it seems.
I have wrestled with it on numerous occasions, like here, and here.
I believe I have looked fairly far, and fairly wide, but have not seen a rebuttal to Bryan's position. That, in and of itself, seems indicative of something. It could mean his position is so absurd that it does not merit reply, but I doubt that. It could mean that his position is unassailable, and that may be.
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3 comments:
Tom,
I am exhausted (continually). My Protestant self in many ways has shrugged at these points. I don't know what to do! Part of me is praying some incredibly knowledgeable protestant comes and straightens me out... but I am weakening. Totally a scary thought. Probably even more difficult for me, I wasn't really brought up in any seriously Liturgical environment.
I was brought up in a heavy teaching non-fluffy non-denom church.
Anyone out there... HELP!
:)
Blessings to you Tom for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom!
-g-
George,
Be patient; don't rush yourself.
Peace in Christ,
Tom
Be patient, not complacent!
My only regret of converting is not having converted sooner.
I struggled with this issue (sola scriptura or specifically the issue of the canon) for 5 or 6 years until I nearly rejected organized Christianity over it. I was simply unexposed to the Catholic answer here. When I found it, it was like an intellectual treasure hidden in a field. I sold my Protestant intellectualism in order to purchase that field. I found that nothing in my reformed world could match or even come close to the quality of that treasure.
The Catholic Church spoke of Scripture in ways that intuitively made sense. I didn't have to mull over what they said, I didn't have to think of 100 ways to fit it into other things I already believed/disbelieved - it simply made sense. Not only did it make sense though, it solved a great many puzzles that I had in my mind.
Ok - sales pitch over.
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