'Sola Scriptura' or the Bible as the only Authority.
I just recently read about a Protestant Church in America which had a 'pro-gay faction' and an 'anti-gay' faction'. The argument went along the usual lines of one group saying that homosexuality was condemned by scripture and another claiming that this was not so. Both sides would have prayed about the matter and concluded that the Holy Spirit was guiding them in their decision. But disagreement among Protestants is nothing new. Indeed after the Reformation there was a meeting at Geneva of the Reformers and they could not agree on a Common Translation. The years after this saw split after split until we now have over 25,000 Protestant denominations and sects.
Now if in Matthew 28 when Jesus said to the Apostles "All authority is given to me, go therefore and teach all nations" he had actually meant for them to put some scriptures together through which everyone would understand his teaching and act on them, then the mission of Jesus has been almost a complete failure. Unfortunately after Vatican II, the Catholic Church was torn apart by false teachers priests and people, who distorted the teachings of that Council Satan had built up his forces and faithful catholics who had had sound teaching and read Vatican II, were swept aside by enthusiastic reformers and when a priest came across a library of traditional books he felt obliged to go through them and remove 'harmful and spiritual books' which were not in accord with the teachings of our New and Reformed Church. Those who tried to put a case for the traditional Church were called people who 'lived in the past' But like all enthusiastic rebellions the heat began to cool. Battered and weary faithful catholics clung on, and then in America a Protestant Evangelical Preacher called Scott Hahn, was converted to the Catholic Faith. He had decided to study the Early Fathers of the Church in some depth, and was amazed to find all the teachings of the Catholic Church on the Real Presence or as they called it the Flesh of Jesus which they insisted was no just a symbol. Then there was the teachings on Mary. They insisted she was the new Eve and Mother of mankind who had when born been free from sin, but unlike the old Eve she had remained faithful. So, so, many things. He converted to Catholicism with his family and a group of other Evangelical ministers followed him. The battered and weary bishops, priests, and laity responded, some in tears. A great joy to me was when an Evangelical Minister was invited to Portsmouth by our Bishop. Although he was rejected by some, the seeds were sown.
So what am I trying to say. I am saying that the Bible is a Catholic book written by apostles and disciples who shared Catholic beliefs, and the Bible can only be understood and interpreted correctly when we examine the background of belief which was there in the early Church. The Church does not get its authority from the Bible, the Bible gets its authority from the Catholic Church.
Now if in Matthew 28 when Jesus said to the Apostles "All authority is given to me, go therefore and teach all nations" he had actually meant for them to put some scriptures together through which everyone would understand his teaching and act on them, then the mission of Jesus has been almost a complete failure. Unfortunately after Vatican II, the Catholic Church was torn apart by false teachers priests and people, who distorted the teachings of that Council Satan had built up his forces and faithful catholics who had had sound teaching and read Vatican II, were swept aside by enthusiastic reformers and when a priest came across a library of traditional books he felt obliged to go through them and remove 'harmful and spiritual books' which were not in accord with the teachings of our New and Reformed Church. Those who tried to put a case for the traditional Church were called people who 'lived in the past' But like all enthusiastic rebellions the heat began to cool. Battered and weary faithful catholics clung on, and then in America a Protestant Evangelical Preacher called Scott Hahn, was converted to the Catholic Faith. He had decided to study the Early Fathers of the Church in some depth, and was amazed to find all the teachings of the Catholic Church on the Real Presence or as they called it the Flesh of Jesus which they insisted was no just a symbol. Then there was the teachings on Mary. They insisted she was the new Eve and Mother of mankind who had when born been free from sin, but unlike the old Eve she had remained faithful. So, so, many things. He converted to Catholicism with his family and a group of other Evangelical ministers followed him. The battered and weary bishops, priests, and laity responded, some in tears. A great joy to me was when an Evangelical Minister was invited to Portsmouth by our Bishop. Although he was rejected by some, the seeds were sown.
So what am I trying to say. I am saying that the Bible is a Catholic book written by apostles and disciples who shared Catholic beliefs, and the Bible can only be understood and interpreted correctly when we examine the background of belief which was there in the early Church. The Church does not get its authority from the Bible, the Bible gets its authority from the Catholic Church.
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