Expert: Sal - 3/18/2009

Question
How do you refute Protestantism's principle: Bible alone or Sola Scriptura.  Kindly explain.  Thank you, Sal for your time and may God always bless.

Answer
Dear Oscardevera:

I believe that history refutes sola scriptura. It is historical fact that in less than 500 years of Protestants following the principles of sola scriptura we have some 20,000 different Protestant denominations as well as numerous cults like the Mormons, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Seventh-day Adventists. These sola scriptura advocates cannot agree on what the Bible teaches. Would the God of infinite Wisdom choose to reveal Himself to mankind in a way that has caused endless divisions? The Christianity of Protestantism is not remotely the Christianity that our Lord envisioned. “I pray that they may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me” (John 17:21). Under Protestantism the world should not believe because of the results of sola scriptura. However, the Catholic Church is one in belief so the world may believe in the truth of Christianity.

If sola scriptura is the correct way for Christianity to think then St. Paul should have said, “For if someone preach to you a different gospel that is his right. Each of us must be free to interpret the word of God for himself.” Rather St. Paul supported the Catholic way of interpreting Scripture. “For even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel not in accord with the one we delivered to you, let a curse be upon him!” (Galatians 1:8). St. Paul obviously thought that the Church was an infallible teacher such that he would condemn anyone who disagreed. This is in agreement with our Lord. “If he ignores even the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17).

It was not possible for early Christianity to practice sola scriptura because what exactly was the scripture was not determined until about 400 AD. Even then the vast majority of Christians didn’t have copies of the Bible to consult. They did what God’s people have always done, in the Old Testament and the New Testament, they listened to the Church. “He who hears you, hears me. He who rejects you, rejects me” (Luke 10:16).

Even after 1,400 years of Christianity when the printing press was invented the Bible was still not available to the common man. The Bible was expensive and most people could not read. It was many centuries into Christianity before the Bible was available. So it obviously was not God’s plan to teach His children that way.

One day I received in the mail a request for a donation to help buy Bibles for Christians in the Philippines. The letter stated, “Sadly, Scriptures are far too expensive for most of these people!” So after nearly 2,000 years of Christianity, people are still unable to practice sola scriptura. But they could easily go to their local Catholic Church and learn of God’s will as Catholics always have. Finally, does it make any sense for God to use a system like sola scriptura which is incapable, even in the 21st century, to “teach all nations”.

God Bless You,
Sal