Hi Vort—
Appreciate your response to my query. Regarding your experience with Wikipedia, I agree it had a pretty rough beginning. But I think it has gotten quite good on many subjects of late. Did you have any issues with the link I posted? I liked it, so I’d be interested if you have any specific criticisms. And feel free to cite a better source, if you know of one.
I will admit I didn’t expect to see an LDS poster argue the Five Solas are compatible with LDS doctrine. But in making such an argument, it seems to me you’ve presented an incomplete/inaccurate view of the issues.
Regarding Sola Scriptura (from
Wikipedia)—
Sola scriptura (Latin ablative, "by scripture alone") is the doctrine that the Bible is the only infallible or inerrant authority for Christian faith, and that it contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Consequently, Sola Scriptura demands that no doctrine is to be admitted or confessed that is not found directly or logically within Scripture. However, Sola Scriptura is not a denial of other authorities governing Christian life and devotion. Rather, it simply demands that all other authorities are subordinate to, and are to be corrected by, the written word of God.
By contrast, the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches teach that the Scriptures are not the only infallible source of Christian doctrine. For them Scripture is but one of three equal authorities; the other two being Sacred Tradition and the episcopacy. These bodies also believe that the Church has authority to establish or restrict interpretation of Scriptures because, in part, it implicitly selected which books were to be in the biblical canon through its traditions, whereas Protestants believe the Church passively recognized and received the books that were already widely considered canonical.
Now you tell us, “This core idea is obviously compatible with LDS theology.” But in making such a claim, you’ve misstated what that core idea really is. The Catholic tradition of discouraging actual reading of Scripture is tangential to the issue. The core idea of Sola Scriptura is that the Bible is the only infallible or inerrant authority for Christian faith. Period. And this is clearly incompatible with Mormon teaching. Mormons (at least all the ones I’ve ever met) most emphatically do
not believe the Bible is the only infallible or inerrant authority. You can find a number of statements to this effect by LDS in this very forum. Like the Catholics, Mormon’s believe the “episcopacy,” or top leadership, has equal (or greater) authority over Scripture. This is a rejection and a denial of the “core idea” of Sola Scriptura.
In the interested of time, I’m going to pause with Sola Scriptura and give you an opportunity to respond. Again, if you have a better source, one that you think is more balanced and more accurate than Wikipedia, please post it. I’ll get back to your other comments soon.
Thanks again, Vort. I always appreciate a thoughtful post, even when I disagree with it.
--Erik