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Carl Beckwith on Sola Scriptura and the Arian Controversy
Carl Beckwith in Hilary of Poitiers on the Trinity: From De Fide to De Trinitate (New York and Oxford, 2009) provides a number of interesting comments in relation to Hilary of Poiters and the Scripture, particular in the context of the Arian controversy. One of the first passages of this book that caught my eye…
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Justification by Faith Alone – An Affirmative Rebuttal
I am still waiting to conduct my debate on Justification by Faith alone. I appreciate the comments left on my proposed Affirmative Constructive, but I thought I would share an Affirmative Rebuttal as well. The constructive sets forth the truth of Sola Fide from Scripture. The rebuttal addresses the historical question: if this is true,…
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Formal Sufficiency of Scripture: Fourth Century Fathers (Guest Series)
Formal Sufficiency of ScriptureStated and Examined from Scripture and the Fathers, with scholarly confirmation regarding the Fathers’ views. We began by explaining the nature of formal sufficiency (i.e. the Reformed view) in an introduction section (link). After that we explored Scripture’s own testimony to its sufficiency (link). We could rightly have stopped the series there,…
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Did Augustine Teach the Sinlessness of Mary?
I recently received an email from someone who was trying to argue that Augustine “clearly” taught that Mary was immaculate conceived. The person writing to me provided the following quotation (emphasis is his): “Now with the exception of the holy Virgin Mary in regard to whom, out of respect for the Lord, I do not…
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Magisterium More Sufficient than Scripture? (Part 7)
[Cont’d from previous section] Is the Roman Catholic Magisterium More Sufficient than Sacred Scripture?Bryan Cross answered on the subject of the ability of the Scripture to interpret Scripture sufficiently, from Scripture, reason, and tradition. (Part 7) Basil of Caesarea (about A.D. 329-379): You could find many passages of this sort in the writings of the…
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Magisterium More Sufficient than Scripture? (Part 6)
[Cont’d from previous section] Is the Roman Catholic Magisterium More Sufficient than Sacred Scripture?Bryan Cross answered on the subject of the ability of the Scripture to interpret Scripture sufficiently, from Scripture, reason, and tradition. (Part 6) 2 Peter 1:19-20 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take…
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Magisterium More Sufficient than Scripture? (Part 5)
[Cont’d from previous section] Is the Roman Catholic Magisterium More Sufficient than Sacred Scripture?Bryan Cross answered on the subject of the ability of the Scripture to interpret Scripture sufficiently, from Scripture, reason, and tradition. (Part 5) Continuing to analyze the problem with Bryan’s argument, we might characterize the problem as Bryan wanting to get a…
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Magisterium More Sufficient than Scripture? (Part 4)
[Cont’d from previous section] Is the Roman Catholic Magisterium More Sufficient than Sacred Scripture?Bryan Cross answered on the subject of the ability of the Scripture to interpret Scripture sufficiently, from Scripture, reason, and tradition. (Part 4) Caesarius of Arles (about A.D. 470-543) commenting on Rev. 22:10: Just as the divine Scriptures are sealed for those…
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Magisterium More Sufficient than Scripture? (Part 3)
[Cont’d from previous section] Is the Roman Catholic Magisterium More Sufficient than Sacred Scripture?Bryan Cross answered on the subject of the ability of the Scripture to interpret Scripture sufficiently, from Scripture, reason, and tradition. (Part 3) Augustine (about A.D. 354-430): The divine scriptures, which have lifted us up from their earthly and human meaning to…
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The Jews Gave Us the Old Testament
Of course, God gave us the Old Testament by inspiration, but the point is that the apostles did not give us the Old Testament. Instead, it was an existing body of literature that was handed on to them. We see this in Scripture. Romans 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them [that is,…