Why I cannot be a Protestant Christian (Part 1): Authority

I'm not doing this to be bitter or angry, Jared Nelson has advanced my faith probably more than any Christian I've ever met before, and I'm sure he'll have alot less purgatory time than I (barring indulgences) *joke. But in reading some of his latest posts I've realized that in the same way that he could never be a Roman Catholic I could never be a Protestant.

Sola Scriptura as Heretical Authority

"You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life... Yet you refuse to come to me to have life" - John 5:39-40

Here is an outline of Peter Kreeft's argument from "Catholic Christianity":

"a. No Christian before Luther ever taught it, for the first sixteen Christian centuries.
b. The first generation of Christians did not even have the New Testament.
c. Without the Catholic Church to interpret Scripture authoritatively, Protestantism has divided into more than twenty thousand different "churches" or denominations.
d. If Scripture is infallible, as traditional Protestants believe, then the Church must be infallible too, for a fallible cause cannot produce an infallible effect, and the Church produced the Bible. The Church (apostles and saints) wrote the New Testament, and the Church (subsequent bishops) defined it's canon.
e. Scripture itself calls the Church "the pillar and bulwark of the truth" (1 Tim 3:15)
f. And Scripture itself never teaches sola scriptura. thus sola scriptura is self-contradictory. If we are to believe only Scripture, we should not believe sola scriptura"

For these and other reasons I cannot except Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), as it is a Tradition of Men (Mk 7:7).

I have NEVER heard one good Protestant argument for Sola Scriptura, never. I'm actually sad, I've bought multiple books involving it's discussion. The most honest one I've read is "Christ and the Bible" by Wenham, an Anglican, who honestly says in the end that without the Roman Catholic Church we can't trust the bible - which of course is what St. Augustine said when he wrote: ""If you should find someone who does not yet believe in the gospel, what would you [Mani] answer him when he says, 'I do not believe'? Indeed, I would not believe in the gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so" (Against the Letter of Mani Called 'The Foundation' 5:6).

Oral Tradition as Authoritative

"I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you" - 1 Corinthians 11:2

"...there are many things which are observed by the whole Church, and therefore are fairly held to have been enjoined by the Apostles, which yet are not mentioned in their writings" - St. Augustine (On Baptism, Against the Donatists 5:23[31] [A.D. 400]).

This fact I was taught by Philip Wilson, the Acts of the Apostles contains the phrase 'Word of God' 12 times, now which passages of scripture are these phrases directed to you may ask? NONE, every time Word of God appears, it is in description of Apostolic Teaching. SOME of which is recorded in Scripture. However the dual natures of Christ, the Trinity, etc, is all in apostolic teaching. As Jared argues well in his post: http://deadtheologians.blogspot.com/2008/08/why-i-cannot-be-roman-catholic-part-2-i.html that Authoritative Tradition is a doctrine of Scripture.

Nowhere does Christ say for the apostles to write down scripture, nowhere does he say that some day 'the bible' will come and it will be the Regula Fidei. You'd assume that Our Lord would at least allude to or mention it if he planned on it being the Centre (I'm Canadian it's not a typo) of our faith. Instead he tells the Apostles to teach, the apostles appoint bishops (Acts 1:20 "Let another take his [Judas'] position of bishop"). This is what the Word of God testifies to, a group of Bishops ruling, with St. Peter's successor holding Primacy.

Creeds as Authoritative
Ecumenical councils are seen as binding interpretations of Scripture and declarations of doctrine based on the bible as well as the Oral Tradition of the Church. Arguably, the greatest of the ecumenical councils and the most strategically important in the combat of heresies mentions nothing about Scripture. It's odd that once again the 'rule of faith' is overlooked. Certainly it is used, and each point is more or less based on Scripture, however the Creed itself says nothing about adhering to Scripture, and infallibly interprets many items of the faith which Protestantism denies: some phrases that come to mind are "One baptism for the remission of sins" and "one holy catholic and apostolic".

Magesterium as Authoritative

"if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. " - God the Holy Spirit (via St. Paul in 1 Tim 3:15)

"I believe that it is equally true that the authority of the Scriptures alone surpasses the united opinions of all men. But the controversy
here does not concern the value of the Scriptures: both parties accept and venerate the same books. The conflict concerns the meaning of the Scriptures. Now I hear the objection: "What need is there for interpretation when the Scripture is entirely clear?" But if it is so clear, why have such eminent men groped so blindly and for so many centuries in such an important matter, as our adversaries claim?" - Erasmus of Rotterdam

"The Catholic Church possesses one and the same faith throughout the whole world, as we have already said (Against Heresies 1:10 [A.D. 189])." -St. Irenaeus

The problem is mentioned here where Protestantism is left 'groping in the dark' as St. Paul said for there are over 15 prominent interpretations / denominations and which is true. Catholics usually say there are 30000 denominations, but I would like to say that in reality there are about 10-20 main interpretations or systems. The problem is that there must be one, and only one can be accurate. Each Protestant System's interpretations (ex. Sola Fide) are foreign to the Early Church and thus I cannot accept them as Authoritative.

"speaking of this as he [St. Paul] does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures." -2 Peter 3:16

Ironically St. Irenaeus says that the heretics are the ones who back their opinions with faulty interpretations of Scripture and that the only true test of Orthodoxy is that of Apostolic Tradition and Apostolic Succession.

Muggeridge vs Modernism

"In an increasingly materialistic world they [Cistercian monks] are non-productive citizens . . . By all the laws of Freud and the psycho-prophets, the monks are depriving themselves of the sensual satisfactions which alone make a whole life possible; they ought to be up the wall and screaming. Actually, . . . it is the children of affluence, not deprived monks, who howl and fret in psychiatric wards." - Malcolm Muggeridge (Jesus Rediscovered)

"The greatest artists, saints, philosophers and, until quite recent times, scientists, through the Christian centuries, . . . have all assumed that the New Testament promise of eternal life is valid, and that the great drama of the Incarnation which embodies it, is indeed the master-drama of our existence. To suppose that these distinguished believers were all credulous fools whose folly and credulity in holding such beliefs has now been finally exposed, would seem to me untenable; and anyway I'd rather be wrong with Dante and Shakespeare and Milton, with Augustine of Hippo and Francis of Assisi, with Dr Johnson, Blake and Dostoevsky than right with Voltaire, Rousseau, the Huxleys, Herbert Spencer, H.G. Wells and Bernard Shaw." (Vintage Muggeridge)





For those of you knowledgable in the blogging world, yes I did just totally jack something off of Dave Armstrong's blog: http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2006_11_01_archive.html

Hilaire Belloc & Ecumenism

"Those of us who boast so stable an endowment make no claim thereby to personal peace; we are not saved thereby alone .... But we are of so glorious a company that we receive support, and have communion. The Mother of God is also our own. Our dead are with us. Even in these our earthly miseries we always hear the distant something of an eternal music, and smell a native air. There is a standard set for us whereto our whole selves respond, which is that of an inherited and endless life, quite full, in our own country. You may say, “all that is rhetoric.” You would be wrong, for it is rather vision, recognition, and testimony. But take it for rhetoric. Have you any such? Be it but rhetoric, whence does that stream flow? Or what reserve is that which can fill even such a man as myself with fire? Can your opinion (or doubt or gymnastics) do the same? I think not! One thing in this world is different from all others. It has a personality and a force. It is recognized and (when recognized) most violently hated or loved. It is the Catholic Church. Within that household the human spirit has roof and hearth. Outside it is the night."

I'm not trying to proselatize or start a fight, I just read this quote and thought it was very interesting, I've re-read it a few times now and am thinking about it and whether or not I agree with it... I post it only as food for thought.

Now he is being polemically Catholic, and I know that route is popular among the Traditionalists, but I don't favor that as much as Ecumenism. I want to switch gears at this point in the blog, I am glad that Catholics can be that proud of their establishments, indeed I believe them to be the truest establishments, but I have lived to long with God fearing Protestants to believe they have no inspiration or rhetoric of their own. So I want to show how this quote is a beautiful quote in part for all Christians. "Even in these our earthly miseries we always hear the distant something of an eternal music, and smell a native air". That line brings to my mind immediately one of my favourite portions of the bible, the hall of faith in Hebrews 11:

"By faith he [Abraham] stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents... For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.... They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland... they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them. " (NRSV)

Scripture is our joint Liturgy and source of rhetoric, we can all rally behind that.

As the Liturgy of the Eucharist sings: "in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours Almighty Father, forever, and ever."

May Christians of all kinds find the sweet fragrance of our Lord in the miseries of life.

St. Ignatius and Bishops

St. Ignatius of Antioch (50-117AD *at the latest) was a bishop in the VERY early Church, he was the 3rd in line of succession to the apostles themselves as bishop of Antioch meaning that the church there was ruled by St. Peter then Evodius, then Ignatius, he was a friend of Polycarp (a disciple/successor of St. John himself, who lived with and was taught by Christ).

All this to say, he was in very early church history. By the end of the second century there were bishops over the priesthood/presbyteries in all areas of Christendom.

"Plainly therefore we ought to regard the bishop as the Lord Himself" - St. Ignatius (epistle to the Ephesians 6:1.)

"It is well to reverence both God and the bishop. He who honours the bishop has been honoured by God; he who does anything without the knowledge of the bishop, does [in reality] serve the devil." - Epistle to the Smyrnaeans 9

"See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid. " -Epistle to the Smyrnaeans 8

In the beginning of Acts we see Judas' place in the apostles filled in with the Consecration of Matthias in his place. Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Traditional Anglican teaching say that this is the first consecration of a bishop, and thus has the line of bishops proceeded until this very day, and that in essence they are the successors to the apostles, not equal in power or authority, but authorized as their successors, and as such have the authority to cast out demons (authorize exorcisms), interpret Scripture (church councils/ecumenical councils, as well as things like the Lambeth conference), discipline the church and excommunicate (see Catholic bishops and Pro-Choice politicians), and appoint priests.

St. Irenaeus said that the bishop had "charisma veritatis certum" - that is "an infallible charism (gift) of truth", and St. Cyrian... well we all know what he thought about them. And clearly St. Ignatius challenges the idea that we can have a valid priesthood/pastorate, Eucharist/Communion, or any assurance of truth without being subordinate to a bishop in the line of the apostles. So the question is -for one who respects the Tradition of the Early Church- Catholic? Orthodox? Anglican? (or European Lutheran)?

sorry Presbyterianism, and Congregationalism, you've been put on notice! (as St. Stephen Colbert would say)

"Works Righteousness"

Today I had to listen to a Reformed Pastor wax theological about 'Romanism' in the pulpit. He said in typical 'Geneva-ist' style that Catholics teach 'Works Righteousness' that is absolutely nowhere in the bible. Now to be fair, even good Calvinists know that works righteousness is in the bible, after all Calvin proposed that the Old Covenant was the covenant of works. But as I sat there in church I went through the pew bible finding all the verses which contradicted his statement, there are indeed many new testament passages which show the place of Good works, or the Law of Christ - which is Love, and it's role in salvation. Remember as St. Paul says himself, the greatest virtue is Love (not Faith), and Christ said the greatest commandment was to Love, Love is a work, it is the perfect fulfillment to the law as Romans says, and as such, has a place in our salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith and works/love.

"having been made perfect, he [Christ] became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him" -Hebrews 5:9

"They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’"- John 14:21

"Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books."- Revelation 20:12

"Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up."-Galatians 6:7-9

"But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith without works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. " -James 2:18-26

"the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. " - 1 Corinthians 3:13-17

"To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you" - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

"work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" - Philippians 2:12

"Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him’, but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, ‘I abide in him’, ought to walk just as he walked."- 1 John 2:3-6

"all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. " - 1 John 3:3

"You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" - Leviticus 19:2

"Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous" - 1 John 3:7

"How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him" - 1 John 3:17-19

"All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them." - 1 John 3:24

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. " - Matthew 5:48

"A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments...He replied, ‘I have kept all these since my youth.’ When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." - Luke 18:18-22

"inherit the kingdom [Heaven] prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”" -Matthew 25:34-40

BUT

"Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" - James 1:17

"for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure" - Philippians 2:13

"For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. " -Ephesians 2:10

Thus we are saved by grace through faith - but what type of a faith? a working faith, or faith and works, or as St. Paul says: "faith working in love" (galatians 5:8)

"In Christ Alone" - Theological Fallacies

Today I was at a Reformed church and we sang a hymn called "In Christ Alone", I used to play that song for worship at my church and at bible school. It is an encouraging and uplifting song, and it is effective in teaching St. Anselm's satisfaction theory of the atonement, however, it is truly theologically inept in my opinion. As is the whole idea of "Solus Christus". It's not wrong because Jesus is bad or anything, it's just wrong because it denies the true Trinitarian nature of God and the theological understanding that Scripture and the Traditions of the Church teach.

"In Christ alone, my hope is found, he is my light, my strength, my song...my comforter" - Actually the role of the Holy Ghost is to strengthen believers. In John's gospel in the upper room discourse Jesus calls the Holy Spirit 'the comforter', not himself. And truly without the grace given to us by the Holy Ghost, none of us would find hope in Christ. St. Paul teaches in Romans that the Spirit gives us life, and that His special role in the Godhead is this, and the evangelistic role of convicting the world of sin, and drawing people to Christ in the first place. So by singing "In Christ Alone" we're actually dismissing the role of the Holy Ghost.

Without God the Father, we couldn't have been created, and the song says "Jesus commands my destiny" and correct me if I'm wrong, but God the Father actually chooses to elect some and not others. So again it confuses Jesus' role with that of God the Father.

"in the death of Christ I live" - St. Paul says that "just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." (Rm 6:4) It is in the resurrection that we live, we are raised with him, we are Baptized into his death (Rm 6:3).

That's about all I feel like nitpicking at for now. But basically Christians try to sound good by saying "Jesus only" but really that's not even what Jesus wanted. He said that he was only concerned with doing the will of the Father. He also said that it was good for Him to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come and be with us. So while it makes for a good attempt at appearing Christo-centric, it is really a mutation of true Christo-centrism, which grasps the real Trinitarian nature of God.

Sin and Reconciliation

A friend of mine who is a Pastor's daughter once said her father was accused of only preaching the same message, and he responded that it was not his choice, but God's, and that God had only told him to speak on that issue.

In my own personal religious life, a similar situation has occured. I am unable to overcome a sin, the proverbial thorn in the flesh, and God and/or Satan has plagued me (see 1 Chron 21 vs 2 Sam 24) with this constant recognition of my great sin, and thus if I am to write theology, I should write on sin, as it is what I am being taught, through my own faillures.

"Many years ago, in the British TIMES newspaper, the editor asked for comments on what was wrong with the world. Among the many letters which came back to him, was the shortest ever letter to a newspaper editor. It read, 'Dear Sir, I am, Yours faithfully....' The writer was G. K. Chesterton, well-known author of such books as 'Father Brown'. He had put in two words what many of us took years to find out. He meant that what is wrong with the world is a problem of the human heart. The problem is - I am wrong inside. We are all wrong inside. " -(http://www.soon.org.uk/page53.htm)

I admire Chesterton for his honesty and the truth of the statement. Romans 3:23 reminds us 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" NIV (Catholics pull the Calvinist card out here and read 'all' as 'some', or 'all ... except Mary', and of course we all believe it 'should' read 'all ...except Jesus')

The real point without bringing Marian theology into the equation is that we have all sinned. Sin is a universal reality.

"For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. " - Ecclesiastes 12:14

" I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done." - Revelation 20:12-13

"I acknowledge, Lord, and I give thanks that you have created your image in me, so that I may remember you, think of you, love you. But this image is so obliterated and worn away by wickedness, it is so obscured by the smoke of sins, that it cannot do what it was created to do, unless you renew and reform it." - Saint Anselm of Canterbury

I've been trying to learn the 'De Profundis', an ancient monastic liturgical prayer in latin, based on Psalm 130. Thus far I have "De Profundis Clamavi Ad Te Domine" [Out of the depths to you I cry Lord]. There are other verses in the Psalm which says "If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?...For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities."

Thus God gives us Christ who dies the atoning death and by his blood a propitiation is offered to the Father in forgiveness. Of course the debate is over how this sacrifice is applied to us, forensically, or actually. I again don't feel like entering into this debate right now.

I'd like to focus on 2 things in Christ's commands in the gospels and the pre-Pauline new testament. In these we see 2 ways Jesus, or the Church, describes as ways of absolving sin instantly.

1. Repentence/Confession. In the story of the Tax collector and the Pharisee the famous prayer 'Lord have mercy on me a sinner' is prayed by the sinful tax collector, and Christ says 'that man went home justified'. Likewise Christ gives to the apostles the power to forgive or retain the sins of individuals on his behalf (John 20:23).

2. Baptism. Acts 2:38, the first sermon of the Church given by Pope St. Peter, or Peter, or Simon - The guy has alot of names - but the point is when he says "'Repent, and be baptized ... for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The other day my Uncle was waxing philosophical about how the greatest sin of the Catholic Church was infant baptism, I doubt he knew that the Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Orthodox, Coptic Churches along with every church before 1500 AD baptized infants. The ironic thing in the early church for those arguing in favor of adult baptism from those cases of people being baptized later in life, is that Constantine and others - many others - in the early church, believed that baptism forgave you of all your sins, so it was best to do it right before you died, to 'make sure' that they were forgiven. That's where the debate raged. So ironically, the people believed so strongely in regenerative baptism that they didn't want to baptize infants at first, thinking that forgiveness was a difficult thing to come by later in life - hence the growth of the sacrament of Penance (or whatever happier modern name you call it).

So I've been baptized, and I wait for Confession, it can't come soon enough.