Did St. Augustine Believe in Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone)?

Did St. Augustine Believe in Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone)?

Michael Lofton tackles the question of whether St. Augustine believed that Scripture alone was the infallible rule of faith for the Christian on matters of faith and morals.

[HellenicPapist]

I like these videos where Michael shows, teaches and responds to Protestant false, historical claims. SO helpful, because researching these writings online for rebuttals is difficult.

[hiswill-r]

Gavin Ortlund's understanding of Catholic theology is severely limited based on his hasty generalizations and historical conclusions.

[iqgustavo]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:26 *📜 St. Augustine's View on Sola Scriptura*
- St. Augustine believed scripture was infallible but did not reject all non-scriptural rules of faith as fallible.
- Examination of Gavin Ortland's claim regarding Augustine's belief in Sola Scriptura.
- Critique of Ortland's interpretation of Augustine's statements on plenary councils.
01:46 *🛠️ Challenges to Ortland's Argument*
- Interpreting Augustine's use of "improvement" in reference to plenary councils.
- Consideration of the limited number of ecumenical councils during Augustine's time.
- Exploration of Catholic perspective on ecumenical councils' infallibility.
03:37 *📚 Understanding Ecumenical Councils in Catholicism*
- Explanation of Catholic doctrine on ecumenical councils' infallibility.
- Discussion on the possibility of non-definitive acts of ecumenical councils.
- Examination of Augustine's assertion on the ultimate Court of decision.

[annb]

I’m going to church today at Noter Dam university praying for you

[TheShard]

Hey, Michael! I researched this passage when a friend brotit to me. The "correct" translation is important! Did not figure that out myself.

Something relevant, though: Augustine wrote that a few decades before Chalcedon, which means Constantinople I had not been declared ecumenical yet! Thus, Nicaea I would have been the only EC to date! Augustine simply could not have been referring to EC's by saying "plenary councils". Other passages show he uses the term of *multiple plenary councils in Africa* - and no EC has ever occurred in Africa!

[trismegistus]

I find Ortlund's stance quite bizarre. Why would we even expect to find 'Sola scriptura' in Augustine? Why state something that is so easy to refute?

[rexlion]

Let's look at what else Augustine wrote on the subject. Augustine wrote (On Baptism) that Scripture “stands so absolutely in a superior position to all later letters of the bishops, that about it we can hold no manner of doubt or disputation whether what is confessedly contained in it is right and true...but that all the letters of bishops which have been written, or are being written, since the closing of the canon, are liable to be refuted if there be anything in them which strays from the truth...”

Augustine wrote a reply to Faustus in which he said that the writings of the church (those written after the canon was closed) “are not a rule of faith or practice, but only a help to edification...” He went on to say, “there is a distinct boundary line separating all productions subsequent to apostolic times from the authoritative canonical books of the Old and New Testaments.”

In his letter to Jerome (#82), Augustine wrote, “I have learned to yield this respect and honor only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error...as to all other writings, in reading them, however great the superiority of the authors to myself in sanctity and learning, I do not accept their teaching as true on the mere ground of the opinion being held by them, but only because they have succeeded in convincing my judgment of its truth, either by means of these canonical writings themselves or by arguments addressed to my reason.”

[urambion]

Moreover, the council in Constantinople does not appear to have been recognized as ecumenical in the west until after Chalcedon. So there really is no precedent in Augustine’s time for one ecumenical council correcting another.

[jaredwilliams]

Gavin makes one of those overly bold claims people make and get away with merely because just enough of the audience doesn't have time or wherewithal to dive into the matter. Of course, Blessed St. Augustine doesn't have the Authority to define doctrine on his own, so it would be a nonstarter, anyway.

[glencoelho]

Handpicking passages from church fathers to justify a claim is similar to what Christians do with scriptures. Need more such videos on church fathers. Will consider taking up your course.