Sola scriptura

For the album by Neal Morse, seeSola Scriptura (album).

According to the doctrine ofsola scriptura,Scriptureis the only infallible authority for theChristian Church,due to its unique nature as adivinely inspiredtext.

Sola scriptura(Latin for 'by scripture alone') is aChristian theological doctrineheld by mostProtestantChristian denominations,in particular theLutheranandReformedtraditions,that positsthe Bibleas the sole infallible source of authority forChristian faithand practice.TheCatholic Churchconsiders itheresyand generally theOrthodox churchesconsider it to be contrary to thephronemaof the Church.

While the scriptures' meaning is mediated through many kinds of subordinate authority—such as the ordinary teaching offices of a church, theecumenical creeds,councils of the Catholic Church,or even personal special revelation—sola scripturain contrast rejects any infallible authority other than the Bible.In this view, all non-scriptural authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures or is independent of the scriptures, and is, therefore, subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible.

Sola scripturais aformal principleof many Protestant Christian denominations, and one of thefivesolae.It was a foundational doctrinal principle of theProtestant Reformationheld by many of theReformers,who taught that authentication of Scripture is governed by the discernible excellence of the text, as well as the personal witness of theHoly Spiritto the heart of each man.

By contrast, the Protestant traditions ofAnglicanism,MethodismandPentecostalismuphold the doctrine ofprima scriptura,with scripture being illumined bytraditionand reason. The Methodists thought reason should be delineated from experience, though the latter was classically filed under the former and guided by reason, nonetheless this was added, thus changing the "Anglican Stool" to the four sides of theWesleyan Quadrilateral.TheEastern Orthodox Churchholds that to "accept the books of the canon is also to accept the ongoing Spirit-led authority of the church's tradition, which recognizes, interprets, worships, and corrects itself by the witness of Holy Scripture".TheCatholic Churchofficially regards tradition and scripture as equal, forming a singledeposit,and considers themagisteriumas the living organ which interprets said deposit.The Roman magisterium thus serves Tradition and Scripture as "one common source [...] with two distinct modes of transmission",while some Protestant authors call it "a dual source of revelation".

ManyProtestantswant to distinguish the view that scripture is the only rule of faith with the exclusion of other sources (nuda scriptura), from the view taught byLutherandCalvinthat the scripture alone is infallible, without excluding church tradition in its entirety, viewing them as subordinate and ministerial.

History

William of Ockham foreshadowed Luther's view ofsola scriptura.

Augustine of Hippois frequently cited by Protestants as aChurch Fatherwho espoused the doctrine ofsola scriptura.The following is a passage in Augustine's letter (82) toJerome,which is given as evidence for Augustine's adherence to the notion that Scripture is of a uniquely infallible authority in contrast to the writings of all other men. It is also noteworthy that Augustine attributes his view to Jerome.

I admit to your Charity that it is from those books alone of the Scriptures, which are now called canonical, that I have learned to pay them such honor and respect as to believe most firmly that not one of their authors has erred in writing anything at all. If I do find anything in those books which seems contrary to truth, I decide that either the text is corrupt, or the translator did not follow what was really said, or that I failed to understand it. But, when I read other authors, however eminent they may be in sanctity and learning, I do not necessarily believe a thing is true because they think so, but because they have been able to convince me, either on the authority of the canonical writers or by a probable reason which is not inconsistent with truth. And I think that you, my brother, feel the same way; moreover, I say, I do not believe that you want your books to be read as if they were those of Prophets or Apostles, about whose writings, free of all error, it is unlawful to doubt.

Protestants also argue that Augustine professes the sufficiency of Scripture in this sentence fromOn Christian Doctrine,"among the things that are plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern faith and the manner of life".

In the 14th century,Marsilius of Paduabelieved that the only authority for a Christian is the scriptures, instead of the pope.The same point was made byJohn Wycliffewho foreshadowed thesola scripturadoctrine in the 14th century.

Johann Ruchrat von Wesel,Wessel GansfortandJohannes von Gochalso foreshadowedthe Protestant view ofsola scriptura:they viewed the scripture as being the only infallible authority and denied the authority of the pope or the church as infallible.Peter Abelardbelieved that human reason was a means of understanding the scriptures, instead of submitting to everything the Catholic Church defines.

Some elements of sola-scriptura are also foreshadowed byWilliam of OckhamandGirolamo Savonarola.

Overview

Sola scripturawas one of the main theological beliefs thatMartin Lutherproclaimed against the Catholic Church during theProtestant Reformation.

Sola scripturais one of the fivesolae,considered by some Protestant groups to be the theological pillars of the Reformation.The key implication of the principle is that interpretations and applications of the scriptures don't have the same authority as the scriptures themselves; hence, theauthority of the churchis viewed as subject to correction by the scriptures, even by an individual member of the church.

Martin Luther,16th-century monk and figurehead of the Protestant Reformation, stated that "a simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it". The intention of the Reformation was thus to correct what he asserted to be the errors of the Catholic Church, by appealing to the uniqueness of the Bible's textual authority. Catholic doctrine is based onsacred tradition,as well as scripture.Sola scripturarejected the assertion that infallible authority was given to themagisteriumto interpret both Scripture and tradition.

Sola scriptura,however, does not ignore Christian history, tradition, or the church when seeking to understand the Bible. Rather, it sees the church as the Bible's interpreter, theregula fidei(embodied in the ecumenical creeds) as the interpretive context, and scripture as the only final authority in matters of faith and practice.As Luther said, "The true rule is this: God's Word shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel can do so."

Characteristics in Lutheranism

Lutheranismteaches that the books of theOldandNewTestaments are the onlydivinely inspiredbooks and the only source of divinely revealed knowledge.Scripture alone is theformal principleof the faith in Lutheranism, the final authority for all matters of faith and morals because of its inspiration, authority, clarity, efficacy, and sufficiency.

Inspiration

Lutheranism teaches that the Bible does not merely contain the Word of God, but every word of it is, because of verbal inspiration, the word of God.Most Lutheran traditions acknowledge that understanding scriptures is complex given that the Bible contains a collection of manuscripts and manuscript fragments that were written and collected over thousands of years. For example, theEvangelical Lutheran Church in Americateaches that "Lutheran Christians believe that the story of God's steadfast love and mercy in Jesus is the heart and center of what the Scriptures have to say."

As Lutherans confess in theNicene Creed,the Holy Spirit "spoke through the prophets". TheApology of the Augsburg Confessionidentifies "Holy Scripture" with the Word of Godand calls the Holy Spirit the author of the Bible.Because of this, Lutherans confess in theFormula of Concord,"we receive and embrace with our whole heart the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the pure, clear fountain of Israel".The apocryphal books were not written by the prophets, by inspiration; they contain errors,were never included in the Palestinian Canon that Jesus used,and therefore are not a part of scripture.The prophetic and apostolic Scriptures are said by the Lutheran church to be authentic as written by the prophets and apostles, and that a correct translation of their writings is God's Word because it has the same meaning as the originalBiblical HebrewandKoine Greek.A mistranslation is not God's word, and no human authority can invest it with divine authority.

"I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach..."This illustration is from the title page of Luther's Bible.

Divine authority

Scripture, regarded as the word of God, carries the full authority of God in Lutheranism: every single statement of the Bible calls for instant, unqualified and unrestricted acceptance.Every doctrine of the Bible is the teaching of God and therefore requires full agreement.Every promise of the Bible calls for unshakable trust in its fulfillment;every command of the Bible is the directive of God himself and therefore demands willing observance.

What is said here of "every statement of the Bible" does not represent the faith of all Lutherans: a 2001 survey showed that 72 percent of members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America do not accept that everything in the Bible is literal, but that it may contain scientific or historical errors or describe events symbolically.

Clarity

Main article:Clarity of scripture

Lutheranism teaches that the Bible presents all doctrines and commands of the Christian faith clearly;that God's word is freely accessible to every reader or hearer of ordinary intelligence, without requiring any special education.It also teaches that readers must understand the language God's word is presented in, and not be so preoccupied by contrary thoughts so as to prevent understanding.It teaches that, consequently, no one needs to wait for any clergy, andpope,scholar, orecumenical councilto explain the real meaning of any part of the Bible.

Luther's translationof the Bible, from 1534, with four books placed after those Luther, considered, "the true and certain chief books of the New Testament"

Efficacy

Lutheranism teaches that scripture is united with the power of the Holy Spirit and with it, not only demands but also creates the acceptance of its teaching.This teaching produces faith and obedience. Scripture is not a dead letter, but rather, the power of the Holy Spirit is inherent in it.Scripture does not compel a mere intellectual assent to its doctrine, resting on logical argumentation, but rather it creates the living agreement of faith.TheSmalcald Articlesaffirm, "in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word".

Sufficiency

Lutheranism teaches that the Bible contains everything that one needs to know in order to obtainsalvationand to live a Christian life.There are no deficiencies in scripture that need to be filled with bytradition,pronouncements of the Pope,new revelations,or present-daydevelopment of doctrine.

Characteristics in the Reformed faith

Sola scripturain the Reformed faith possesses the same characteristics to those of Lutheranism: inspiration, authority, clarity, efficacy, and sufficiency.

Article 3 of theBelgic Confession,a Reformed confessional of faith, teaches the divine inspiration of Scripture, "We confess that this Word of God was not sent nor delivered by the will of man, butthat holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,as the apostle Peter saith (2 Peter 1:21). "

Article 7 teaches the sole infallibility or unique authority of Scripture, "Neither do we consider of equal value any writing of men, however holy these men may have been, with those divine Scriptures; nor ought we to consider custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons, or councils, decrees or statutes, as of equal value with the truth of God".

Chapter 1.7 ofWestminster Confession of Faith,another authoritative Reformed confession, speaks of the use of "ordinary means" (such as turning to pastors and teachers) for reaching an understanding of what is contained in scripture and what is necessary to know, while still espousing the doctrine of the clarity or perspicuity of Scripture; "All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all, yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them".

In the same chapter, "efficacy" is ascribed to the doctrine of Scripture.

The sufficiency of Scripture is also taught in Article 7 of the Belgic Confession, "We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein."

Prima scriptura

Main article:Prima scriptura

In theWesleyan Quadrilateral,experience is an additional source of authority. Pictured is a memorial to John Wesley's own experience of theNew BirthandAssurance.

Sola scripturamay be contrasted withprima scriptura,which holds that, besidescanonical scripture,there are other guides for what a believer should believe, and how he or she should live. Examples of this include thegeneral revelationin creation, traditions,charismatic gifts,mysticalinsight,angelicvisitations, conscience, common sense, the views of experts, the spirit of the times or something else.Prima scripturasuggests that ways of knowing or understandingGodand his will, that do not originate from canonized scripture, are in a second place, perhaps helpful in interpreting that scripture, but testable by the canon and correctable by it, if they seem to contradict the scriptures.

Two Christian denominations that uphold the position ofprima scripturaareAnglicanismandMethodism.In the Anglican tradition, scripture, tradition, and reason form the "Anglican triad" or "three-legged stool", formulated by the Anglican theologianRichard Hooker.With respect to the Methodist tradition,A Dictionary for United Methodistsstates:

Building on the Anglican theological tradition,Wesleyadded a fourth emphasis, experience. The resulting four components or "sides" of the[Wesleyan] quadrilateralare (1) Scripture, (2) tradition, (3) reason, and (4) experience. For United Methodists, Scripture is considered the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine. Tradition is experience and the witness of development and growth of the faith through the past centuries and in many nations and cultures. Experience is the individual's understanding and appropriating of the faith in the light of his or her own life. Through reason the individual Christian brings to bear on the Christian faith discerning and cogent thought. These four elements taken together bring the individual Christian to a mature and fulfilling understanding of the Christian faith and the required response of worship and service.

Sola scripturarejects any original infallible authority, other than the Bible. In this view, all secondary authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures and is therefore subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible. Church councils, preachers, biblical commentators, private revelation, or even a message allegedly from anangelor anapostleare not an original authority alongside the Bible in thesola scripturaapproach.

Scripture and sacred tradition

TheRoman Catholic Church,against whom the Protestants directed these arguments, did not see Scripture and theSacred Traditionof the faith as different sources of authority, but that Scripture was handed down as part of Sacred Tradition (see2 Thessalonians2:15,2 Timothy2:2).

The Catholic Church holds that the Gospel was transmitted by the apostles by their oral preaching, by example, and by observances handed on what they had received from the lips of Christ, from living with Him, and from what He did, or what they had learned through the prompting of the Holy Spirit; as well as by those apostles and apostolic men who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit committed the message of salvation to writing."This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it.""Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God."

The Tradition here in question comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit. (The Catholic Church distinguishes Sacred Tradition from lesser ecclesiastical traditions—local customs that may be retained, modified or even abandoned.) As explained byAthanasius of Alexandria,"Let us look at the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the very beginning, which the Logos gave (edoken), the Apostles preached (ekeryxan), and the Fathers preserved (ephylaxan). Upon this the Church is founded (tethemeliotai)" (St. Athanasius, "First Letter to Serapion", 28)

The doctrines which constitute Sacred Tradition are also perceived by the Church as cohesive in nature. The proper interpretation of the Scriptures was seen as part of the faith of the Church and seen indeed as the manner in which biblical authority was upheld (seeBook of Acts15:28–29). The meaning of Scripture was seen as proven from the faith universally held in the churches (see Phil. 2:1, Acts 4:32), and the correctness of that universal faith was seen as proven from the Scriptures and apostolic Sacred Tradition (see 2 Thes. 2:15, 2 Thes. 3:6,1 Corinthians11:2). TheBiblical canonitself was thus viewed by the Church as part of the Church's tradition, as defined by its leadership and acknowledged by its laity. The first generation of Christians did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living Tradition.

The CatholicDei verbumand thepapal encyclicalsProvidentissimus DeusbyPope Leo XIIIandDivino afflante SpiritubyPope Pius XIIset out Catholic teaching on tradition versus individual interpretation.

The Catholic Church teaches that Christ entrusted the preaching of the Gospel to the apostles, who handed it onorallyand in writing, and according to theCatechism of the Catholic Church,"the apostolic preaching, which is expressed in a special way in the inspired books, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until the end of time." Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God in which, as in a mirror, the pilgrim Church contemplates God, the source of all her riches. "For theEastern Orthodoxtoo, "the Holy Bible forms a part of Holy Tradition, but does not lie outside of it. One would be in error to suppose that Scripture and Tradition are two separate and distinct sources of Christian Faith, as some do, since there is, in reality, only one source; and the Holy Bible exists and found its formulation within Tradition".

Catholics apply to apostolic tradition many of the qualities that evangelicals and other Protestants apply to scripture alone. For example, the 1978EvangelicaldeclarationChicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy,states: "We affirm that inspiration was the work in which God by His Spirit, through human writers, gave us His Word. The origin of Scripture is divine. The mode of divine inspiration remains largely a mystery to us. We deny that inspiration can be reduced to human insight, or to heightened states of consciousness of any kind."

Since the Catholic Church professes that apostolic tradition and scripture are both the word of God, Catholics can affirm that many of these propositions apply equally well to tradition: It is the work of the Holy Spirit, which cannot be reduced to human insight or heightened consciousness.

This ties in with the question of what constitutes apostolic tradition. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that this tradition is given "by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what they themselves had received – whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit".

There remains some confusion on the matter among both Catholics and non-Catholics. This confusion can be seen in those who interpret Catholic researcher James Keenan to claim that the doctrines given by apostolic tradition have changed. Keenan reviewed the history of moral theology, and in particular a change in the approach of moral theologians, specifically in the twentieth century. Keenan noted that Mark D. Jordan said that medieval texts he had reviewed appeared to be inconsistent. This refers to medieval traditions and not to apostolic tradition or doctrine. Keenan, however, says thatJohn T. Noonan Jr.demonstrated that, "despite claims to the contrary, manualists were co-operators in the necessary historical development of the moral tradition". According to Noonan, "history cannot leave a principle or a teaching untouched; every application to a situation affects our understanding of the principle itself."

Critiques

Following the Protestant churches' separation from the Roman Catholic Church, the relatively new idea ofsola scripturacame under serious critique by theCatholicandOrthodoxChristians. In his 2001The Shape of Sola Scriptura,theReformed ChristianwriterKeith A. Mathisonmentions several recent examples of such critics.In response, Mathison distinguishes what he considers to be the true doctrine ofsola scripturafrom the "subjective and individualistic version" of the doctrine that most Protestants have adopted.

The American Roman Catholic author and television presenterPatrick Madridwrote thatsola scripturais self-referentially incoherent, as the Bible itself does not teachsola scriptura,and therefore the belief that the scriptures are the only source of Christian belief is self-contradicting given that it cannot be supported without extra-scriptural doctrine.

In the 2008 bookCatholicism and Science,the authors Peter M. J. Hess and Paul Allen wrote thatsola scripturais "inherently divisive", citing theMarburg Colloquywhere Martin Luther andHuldrych Zwinglidebated thereal presence of Christ in the Euchariston scriptural grounds but were unable to reach agreement onsacramental union.Hess and Allen argue that, when scripture is seen as the only source of infallible teaching, its interpretation is subject to fallible interpretation, and without an infallible interpreter, a certainty of Christian belief is not possible.

The Roman CatholicEncyclopedia of Theologynotes that, since the 27 books that make up theNew Testament canonof scripture are not based on a scriptural list that authenticates them to be inspired, their legitimacy would be impossible to distinguish with certainty without appealing to another infallible source, such as themagisteriumof theCatholic Church,which assembled and authenticated this list atSynod of Romeand theSynod of Carthage,both of which took place in the fourth century.Before this, a compiled and authenticated Bible as it is now known did not yet exist.

The American Roman Catholic writerDave Armstrongwrote that there are several examples of Jesus and his Apostles accepting oral and extrabiblical tradition in the New Testament:

• The reference to "He shall be called a Nazarene" cannot be found in the Old Testament, yet it was "spoken by the prophets" (Matthew2:23). This prophecy, which is considered to be "God's Word", was passed down orally rather than through Scripture.
• In Matthew 23:2–3, Jesus teaches that the scribes andPhariseeshave a legitimate, binding authority based "on Moses' seat", but this phrase or idea cannot be found anywhere in the Old Testament. It is found in the (originally oral)Mishnah,which teaches a sort of "teaching succession" from Moses.
• In1 Corinthians10:4,Paul the Apostlerefers to a rock that "followed" the Jews through the Sinai wilderness. The Old Testament says nothing about such miraculous movement. But, this critic writes,rabbinic traditiondoes.
• "As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses" (2 Timothy3:8). These two men cannot be found in the related Old Testament passage (cf.Exodus7:8ff.) or anywhere else in the Old Testament.
• In theEpistle of Jude9, a dispute is mentioned between the ArchangelMichaelandSatanover Moses' body, which is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, and is drawn from oral Jewish tradition.
• In theEpistle of James5:17, when recounting the prayers ofElijahdescribed in1 Kings17, a lack of rain for three years is mentioned, which is absent from the passage in 1 Kings.

Armstrong argues that since Jesus and the Apostles acknowledge authoritative Jewish oral tradition, Christians can therefore not dispute oral tradition's legitimacy and authority. However, according to scripture, Jesus also challenges some man-made Jewish traditions. But Catholics also make a similar distinction today betweenSacred Tradition,which is considered inerrant, and lesser ecclesiastical traditions or disciplines, which can be subject to change. In the Catholic view, one can know what belongs to Sacred Tradition and what is an ecclesiastical tradition or discipline by consulting theMagisteriumof theChurch.The difference between the two, in the Catholic view, is that Sacred Tradition is apostolic and part of thedeposit of faith,while ecclesiastical traditions and disciplines are not.

Views of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(LDS Church) states: "The official, canonized scriptures of the Church, often called the standard works, are theBible,theBook of Mormon,theDoctrine and Covenants,and thePearl of Great Price."The Church accepts the Bible as the word of God "as far as it is translated correctly,"and it regards parts of theApocrypha,some writings of theProtestant Reformersand non-Christian religious leaders, and the non-religious writings of some philosophers – and, notably, theConstitution of the United States of America– to beinspired,thoughnot canonical.

Regarding the Church's view on the belief held by many that the Holy Bible, as presently constituted (in any translation, or even from the extant Hebrew and Greek manuscripts), is inerrant or infallible, etc, or the doctrine ofsola scriptura,the Church has said the following: "The Latter-day Saints have a great reverence and love for the Bible. They study it and try to live its teachings. They treasure its witness of the life and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. TheProphet Joseph Smithstudied the Bible all his life, and he taught its precepts. He testified that a person who can 'mark the power of Omnipotence, inscribed upon the heavens, can also see God’s own handwriting in the sacred volume: and he who reads it oftenest will like it best, and he who is acquainted with it, will know the hand [of the Lord] wherever he can see it'. "

The Church further said on the subject ofsola scriptura:"Latter-day Saints believe in an open scriptural canon, which means that there are other books of scripture besides the Bible (such as the Book of Mormon) and that God continues to reveal His word through livingprophets.The argument is often made that to be a Christian means to assent to the principle ofsola scriptura,or the self-sufficiency of the Bible. But to claim that the Bible is the final word of God—more specifically, the final written word of God—is to claim more for the Bible than it claims for itself. Nowhere does the Bible proclaim that all revelations from God would be gathered into a single volume to be forever closed and that no further scriptural revelation could be received. "

See also

• Biblical criticism
• Bibliolatry
• Cessationism versus continuationism
• Christian fundamentalism
• Ex cathedra
• Ibrahim al-Nazzam
• Ijtihad
• Karaite Judaism(an analogous position in Judaism)
• King James Only movement
• Quranism(an analogous position in Islam)

References

Bibliography

• Armstrong, Dave(2004).The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants.Manchester, New Hampshire: Sophia Institute Press.ISBN978-1-928832-73-7.
• Burkitt, F. C.(1913)."Review ofThe Decretum GelasianumExamined by Ernst von Dobschütz ".The Journal of Theological Studies.14(3): 469–471.doi:10.1093/jts/os-XIV.3.469b.ISSN0022-5185.Retrieved17 April2018.
• Catechism of the Catholic Church(CCC).Vatican: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
• Engelder, Theodore; Arndt, W.; Graebner, Theodore; Mayer, F. E. (1934).Popular Symbolics: The Doctrines of the Churches of Christendom and of Other Religious Bodies Examined in the Light of Scripture.Saint Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House.OCLC42956289.Retrieved17 April2018.
• Flinn, Frank K. (2007).Encyclopedia of Catholicism.New York: Facts on File.ISBN978-0-8160-7565-2.
• Graebner, A. L. (1910).Outlines of Doctrinal Theology.Saint Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House.ISBN978-0-524-04891-7.Archived fromthe originalon 12 July 2006.Retrieved17 April2018.
• Hess, Peter P. J.; Allen, Paul (2008).Catholicism and Science.Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.ISBN978-0-313-33190-9.
• Humphrey, Edith M. (2013).Scripture and Tradition: What the Bible Really Says.Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic.ISBN978-1-4412-4048-4.
• Johnson, Alan F.; Webber, Robert E. (1993) [1989].What Christians Believe: An Overview of Theology and Its Biblical and Historical Development.Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.ISBN978-0-310-36721-5.
• Keenan, James F. (2010).A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century: From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences.London: Continuum.ISBN978-0-8264-2929-2.
• Lewis, Harold T. (2001).Christian Social Witness.Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cowley Publications.ISBN978-1-56101-188-9.
• Lueker, Erwin L.; Poellot, Luther; Jackson, Paul, eds. (2000a)."Canon, Bible".Christian Cyclopedia.St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House.Retrieved17 April2018.
• Lueker, Erwin L.; Poellot, Luther; Jackson, Paul, eds. (2000b)."Inspiration, Doctrine of".Christian Cyclopedia.St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House.Retrieved17 April2018.
• Madrid, Patrick(2012).Envoy for Christ: 25 Years as a Catholic Apologist.Cincinnati, Ohio: Servant Books.ISBN978-1-61636-484-7.
• Mathison, Keith A.(2001).The Shape of Sola Scriptura.Moscow, Idaho: Canon Press.ISBN978-1-885767-74-5.
• Nassif, Bradley (2004). "Are Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism Compatible? Yes: The Evangelical Theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church". In Stamoolis, James J. (ed.).Three Views on Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism.Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan (published 2010).ISBN978-0-310-86436-3.
• Neuenzeit, Paul (1975). "Canon of Scripture". InRahner, Karl(ed.).Encyclopedia of Theology: A Concise Sacramentum Mundi.London: Burns & Oates (published 1999).ISBN978-0-86012-006-3.
• Pope Paul VI (18 November 1965).Dei Verbum.Archived fromthe originalon 31 May 2014.
• Schaff, Philip (1998) [This edition first published 1910].History of the Christian Church: The Middle Ages, A.D. 1294–1517(PDF).Grand Rapids, MI, USA: Christian Classics Ethereal Library.OCLC56333343.Volume VI.Retrieved14 November2021– via ccel.org.
• Schmidt, Richard H. (2002).Glorious Companions: Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality.Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.ISBN978-0-8028-2222-2.
• Waltz, Alan K. (1991).A Dictionary for United Methodists.Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press.

External links

• WELS Topical Q&A: Sola Scriptura in the Bible?(aConfessional Lutheranperspective)
• WELS Topical Q&A:Sola Scriptura?(aConfessional Lutheranperspective)
• Articles onsola scripturafrom a Reformed perspective
• Bible verses onsola scripturafrom a Catholic perspective
• Scripture & Traditionfrom a Catholic perspective
  • Proving Inspirationrefers tosola scriptura
  • Scripture and Traditionand"What's Your Authority?"argues againstsola scriptura
• A written debate onsola scripturabetween Douglas Jones and Gerald Matatics fromAntithesis Magazine
• A formal written debate onsola scripturaArchived13 April 2008 at theWayback Machinebetween Julie Staples and Apolonio Latar
• A Catholic assessment ofsola scriptura
• An Orthodox Christian assessment ofsola scriptura
• Orthodox Christian Responses to Protestant Apologists onsola scriptura
• "Paradosis: The Handing On of Divine Revelation"from a Catholic perspective
• "A Disputation on Holy Scripture" by Puritan William Whitaker (1588)
• Citations from the Early Church Fathers onsola scripturaArchived24 November 2020 at theWayback Machine
• Sola Scriptura– The Sufficient and Final Authority of the Scriptures,from the Free Brethren House Churches of Christ, a group in theAnabaptisttradition