The Wittenberg Trail
Your Path to the Authentic, Historic & Catholic Faith
Martin Luther
"My conscience is captive to the Word of God, here I stand, I can do no other, God help me."
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By What Authority?
What
is your authority? The Bible alone? The Church? Tradition?
How do you determine what is Truth?
The answer to this question will often answer the rest of
your questions. Therefore, this is the best place to start
on the
Wittenberg Trail.
The majority of the material on this page is from Keith
Mathison's The Shape of Sola
Scriptura.
Historically, there are four "traditions" that address
the authority issue.
The
Four Answers to the Authority Question
Tradition
I
The
Position of the Early Church and Lutheran Church
"The tradition of the first three centuries of the Church. The New Testament was the "inscripturation" of the apostolic proclamation, and it together with the Old Testament was the sole source of revelation and the only doctrinal norm. The Scripture was to be interpreted by the Church and in the Church within the context of the regula fidei (rule of faith)." Mathison
Tradition I was one of two views in the Church and Martin Luther argued for Tradition I during the Reformation. Luther's phrase for Tradition I was "Sola Scriptura".
Tradition II
The Position of the Roman Catholic & Eastern Orthodox Churches
The "two-source" concept of tradition -"
one that allows for an extra-scriptural revelation as authoritative as Scripture itself." Mathison
Tradition II was really developed in the twelfth century and is used to justify Roman Catholic doctrines such as papal infallibility, Mary's assumption and other unique doctrines found nowhere in Scripture or the writings of the early Church Fathers. Tradition II argues that there exists apostolic teaching that was not written in the Scriptures, but passed down in the Church.
Tradition III
The Position of the Modern Roman Catholic Church
The newer Roman Catholic view that states "
the real source of revelation is neither Scripture nor tradition but instead is the living magisterium. Whatever Rome says today IS the apostolic faith." Mathison
Tradition 0
The Position of Most American Evangelical, Fundamentalist and Non-Denominational Churches
This is the view of the majority of American evangelical churches. This view is called "SOLO" scriptura to distinguish it from Tradition I (Sola Scriptura). This view rejects the ancient creeds and any concept of tradition. The Bible is the ONLY source of authority and is interpreted by each individual. Tradition 0 is responsible for the multitude of churches and denominations in the United States.
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