Theology Thursday
As Protestants, we maintain that Scripture alone is our authority. Roman Catholics maintain that Scripture by itself is insufficient as the authority of the people of God, and that tradition and the teaching authority of the church must be added to Scripture.
W. Robert Godfrey, “Chapter One: What Do We Mean by Sola Scriptura?,” in Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible, ed. Don Kistler (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009), 1.
Last week was our final entry in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Congratulations if you have been with us through all 100+ question and answers. It’s time to move on to the five theological statements that summarise the difference between Roman Catholic and Reformed (or Biblical) Christianity.
The Protestant Reformation rocked the world even as it revitalised the Church. Roman Catholicism, institutionally, had fallen from the way of Christ and into man-made religion. The ‘Five Solas’ (Sola means “alone”) became one of the early summaries of what the Reformation was all about. I’ll spend two weeks or so on each ‘Sola.’
The first sola is, Sola Scriptura which means, Scripture Alone.
As Robert Godfrey writes above, by the 15th century, The Roman Catholic Church had come to believe that the Church (particularly in its titular head - The Pope) as of equal authority to the Scriptures of the Bible. How did they get there? Well, it hinges on Matthew 16:17-19:
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
In Roman Catholic thought, Peter himself was the first Pope and was given the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. From this idea is derived an authority to speak on behalf of Christ. Each Pope inherits the ‘keys to the kingdom’ through Papal succession. They go so far as to say that the Pope becomes infallible when speaking from His ‘Papal seat’ - that is, when he formally speaks on behalf of Christ.
The problem with this position is firstly; Matthew 16:17-19 is by no means clear in its meaning and the concept of Peter as Pope & Papal succession is nowhere else suggested in Scripture.
Secondly, what are we to do with Papal Succession when over the course of history there have been more than one Pope at one time. See the Avignon Papacy. Who is the true successor of Peter?
Finally, Papal decrees have been changed, rescinded and annulled. How can infallible decrees be wrong? This is happening right now with the Doctrine of Discovery.
That’s enough for today. Next Thursday - let’s take a look at what we uphold with Sola Scriptura.
Today:
Pray:
W. Robert Godfrey, “Chapter One: What Do We Mean by Sola Scriptura?,” in Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible, ed. Don Kistler (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009), 1.
Last week was our final entry in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Congratulations if you have been with us through all 100+ question and answers. It’s time to move on to the five theological statements that summarise the difference between Roman Catholic and Reformed (or Biblical) Christianity.
The Protestant Reformation rocked the world even as it revitalised the Church. Roman Catholicism, institutionally, had fallen from the way of Christ and into man-made religion. The ‘Five Solas’ (Sola means “alone”) became one of the early summaries of what the Reformation was all about. I’ll spend two weeks or so on each ‘Sola.’
The first sola is, Sola Scriptura which means, Scripture Alone.
As Robert Godfrey writes above, by the 15th century, The Roman Catholic Church had come to believe that the Church (particularly in its titular head - The Pope) as of equal authority to the Scriptures of the Bible. How did they get there? Well, it hinges on Matthew 16:17-19:
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
In Roman Catholic thought, Peter himself was the first Pope and was given the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. From this idea is derived an authority to speak on behalf of Christ. Each Pope inherits the ‘keys to the kingdom’ through Papal succession. They go so far as to say that the Pope becomes infallible when speaking from His ‘Papal seat’ - that is, when he formally speaks on behalf of Christ.
The problem with this position is firstly; Matthew 16:17-19 is by no means clear in its meaning and the concept of Peter as Pope & Papal succession is nowhere else suggested in Scripture.
Secondly, what are we to do with Papal Succession when over the course of history there have been more than one Pope at one time. See the Avignon Papacy. Who is the true successor of Peter?
Finally, Papal decrees have been changed, rescinded and annulled. How can infallible decrees be wrong? This is happening right now with the Doctrine of Discovery.
That’s enough for today. Next Thursday - let’s take a look at what we uphold with Sola Scriptura.
Today:
- What do you think about the Roman Catholic position?
- Why do you think it matters where God’s authority comes from?
- Pray for a Roman Catholic you know - to find their authority in Scripture alone.
Pray:
- Praise the Father that He is sovereign over history.
- Give thanks for Jesus Christ who is the true head of the Church.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to be at work in the Roman Catholic Church and to bring them to repentance.
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