15 March 2009
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
The Holy Scriptures are the infallible and inerrant record of God's revelation of His saving grace to men. Since the revelation was made long before it was committed to writing, the record is not the sole source of the truths which it contains. -- H. E. Jacobs, *Elements* p. 23
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7 comments:
This quote seemingly contradicts itself, but perhaps I misunderstand it. It says "The Holy Scriptures are the infallible and inerrant record of God's revelation of His saving grace to men."
But then it says "...the record is not the sole source of the truths which it contains."
Is this an argument for oral "tradition"?
Dave,
The Apostles Creed comes down to us with the Bible - it totally agrees with the Sacred Scripture but it was not drawn first from it, but from the earliest preaching of the Church. Thus there is tradition and there is the Sacred Scripture; the difference is that the one is inspired, infallible, inerrant and the other is subject to various distortions and so we accept in tradition that which is in harmony with the Sacred Scriptures (such as the Creed, or the Augsburg Confession).
So, if I understand correctly, oral tradition must adhere to Scriptures to be valid, correct? I.e. the Scriptures are the final arbiter of Truth but not the sole source of it?
Yes! The Jacobs book is so worth the read - a relatively short book (some 200 pages) but a wonderful setting forth of the Lutheran faith. My only qualms with him is on the manner of his treatment of the Eucharist - there Krauth is a worthy corrective.
I agree wholeheartedly with this.
My only question then becomes: what about "sola scriptura"? Or, has Luther's teaching on that
become twisted around over time?
It is, I would posit, the true meaning of sola Scriptura, an ablative phrase "by Scripture alone." I take the content of sola Scriptura to be what the SA say: "Only the Word of God can establish articles of faith." Note that for Lutherans the Word is itself active! It is not a mere instrument in the hands of another, but it is the manner in which God speaks to us.
P.S. You might perhaps be familiar with the critique of sola Scriptura in Whitehead (is that right?), but he does not address the manner in which Lutherans mean and use the term. In fact, that little book sets up a bit of a straw man that is rather easily knocked down.
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