WHY SCRIPTURE?
Most Protestant churches treat Scripture as the final norm for doctrine and test inherited teaching against it. Confessions and pastors may have real but subordinate authority.
Historical context
Sola scriptura is a Reformation account of final doctrinal authority, not a claim that early Christians had no teachers, creeds, or unwritten practices. Protestant churches differ over the authority they grant confessions and ecclesial tradition.
Avoid overclaiming
The canon, inspiration, sufficiency for salvation, clarity, and the identity of the final doctrinal judge are distinguishable questions. No single proof-text resolves all of them or speaks for every Protestant family.
Strongest alternative reading
Orthodox and Catholic readers agree that Scripture is inspired and authoritative but reject identifying final doctrinal authority with Scripture interpreted apart from the Church's received Tradition. Classical Protestants normally retain creeds, pastors, and confessions with subordinate authority; sola scriptura is not the same as having no tradition.
Key points
- Apostolic witness
- the biblical canon
- Scripture as the final doctrinal norm in most Protestant traditions
Common questions
- What kind of authority does this church give its confession and its teachers?
- How does it explain apostolic oral teaching without treating every later custom as apostolic?
Scripture
- 2 Timothy 3:14-17
- Acts 17:10-12
- Mark 7:1-13
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
- Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; 2:1-2 — Israel teaches the covenant in daily life; Timothy is to guard received teaching and entrust it to reliable teachers.
- 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:15 — Paul identifies the gospel he received and delivered, and tells the Thessalonians to hold teaching received by word or letter.
- Mark 7:6-13; Acts 17:10-12; 2 Timothy 3:14-17 — Jesus condemns traditions that nullify God's command; the Bereans examine the Scriptures; Timothy learns Scripture within an inherited life of faith.
Primary sources
Article VI declares:
The Anglican Articles present Scripture as containing everything necessary to salvation.
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation
Passage context and translation
An Anglican formularial claim about Scripture's sufficiency for salvation, not an assertion that Anglicans have no tradition or church authority.
After the excerpt
so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man
Irenaeus appeals to publicly accessible apostolic churches in a dispute over allegedly secret teaching.
should we not have recourse to the most ancient Churches with which the apostles held constant intercourse
Passage context and translation
Irenaeus describes the apostolic churches as public witnesses when doctrinal disputes arise.
Before the excerpt
Suppose there arise a dispute relative to some important question among us,
After the excerpt
and learn from them what is certain and clear in regard to the present question?
Cyril requires scriptural demonstration even from the catechist teaching the baptismal faith.
For concerning the divine and holy mysteries of the Faith, not even a casual statement must be delivered without the Holy Scriptures
Passage context and translation
Cyril summarizes the baptismal faith and promises scriptural demonstration. In the same paragraph he tells his hearers not to give even his own teaching absolute credence without such demonstration. He is not writing a Reformation confession or rejecting the Church's received creed.
After the excerpt
nor must we be drawn aside by mere plausibility and artifices of speech.
Basil defends written teaching and received unwritten practices while explaining his doxology concerning the Spirit.
Of the beliefs and practices whether generally accepted or publicly enjoined which are preserved in the Church some we possess derived from written teaching; others we have received delivered to us in a mystery by the tradition of the apostles
Passage context and translation
Sections 65-67 defend the doxological wording 'with the Spirit' and discuss inherited worship. Basil's examples include the sign of the cross, eastward prayer, and baptismal and eucharistic practices. These are his claims about received apostolic practice, not independent first-century documentation of each example.
Before the excerpt
It remains for me to trace the origin of the word with; to explain what force it has, and to show that it is in harmony with Scripture.
After the excerpt
and both of these in relation to true religion have the same force.