Catholic anti-Prophet teachings
Introduction
Bible interpretation. Protestants believe that the Bible is its own interpreter and Christians are therefore obligated to let the Bible interpret itself (Isaiah 28:9-10; Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:15, 25; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 John 2:27; 1 Corinthians 2:12). On the concept of the Bible being its own interpreter, there are several ideas that should be understood.
- Consistent thread. The Bible is constant, consistent, unchanging. Therefore, the interpretation of the Bible is consistent; one passage in one place should and will be consistent with a passage in another. If you can't figure out a verse, look for comparisons.
- Cross-referenced. The Bible is interconnected and cross-referenced, such that one idea in one place adds to or explains an idea in another.
- Spirit-inspired; Spirit-taught. Men moved by the Spirit wrote the Bible (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17), so the Bible is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). And, because all believers are born of the Spirit, they have within them the ability to discern the spiritual (1 John 2:27). Catholics believe that it is the Magisterium who are solely given the Spirit and the authority to interpret the Bible, but the Bible says that we are all given the Spirit and have no need for anyone to teach us, because the understanding comes from the Spirit which is within all Christians.
Cross-referenced. A visual representation of how interconnected and cross-referenced the Bible is, can be seen in the following: Remaking An Influential Cross Reference Visualization. The original visualization work of Chris Harrison is seen below. It shows more than 63,000 cross references. The bars along the bottom indicate the length of each chapter in the Bible. Colors indicate the distance between chapters.
Warnings on interpretation. Christians are warned to not "pervert the gospel" (Galatians 1:8-9); not to "go beyond the things written" (2 John 9); "be careful not to wrest the Scriptures in our destruction" (2 Peter 3:16); and not "to add nor subtract from the Word of God" (Revelation 22:18-19). Yet, in the face of these warnings, some will continue to teach doctrines contrary to the inspired word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Bible does not need interpretation; it needs application (James 1:1:23-25). Scripture can be used to test the veracity of an apostle's teaching (Acts 17:11). Scripture exposes the error and bondage of religious traditions (Mark 7:13; Colossians 2:8).
Sacred Tradition. This is the Catholic belief that the Bible must be interpreted within the context of sacred tradition and within the community of the church. Sacred tradition becomes the foundation of the doctrinal and spiritual authority of the Church and of the Bible. Included in sacred tradition are the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Nicene Fathers and Post-Nicene Fathers. In the Catholic Council of Trent (between 1545 and 1563) the Protestant Reformation doctrines—justification by faith alone, the authority of Scripture alone—were anathematized (i.e. cursed and denounced), in the name of a “both/and” doctrine of justification by both faith and works on the basis of the authority of both Scripture and tradition.
History of Catholic sacred tradition. In addition to the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Nicene Fathers and Post-Nicene Fathers, these are the non-Biblical Catholic traditions held as dogma.
- AD 431 - Baptism regenerates
- AD 500 - Sacrifice of the Mass
- AD 596 - Purgatory (teaching) doctrine. Also the first Pope (Gregory I) came to power.
- AD 1190 - Indulgences
- AD 1215 - Transubstantiation
- AD 1438 - Purgatory. Infallible dogma.
- AD 1545 - Sacred Tradition becomes equal with Scripture
- AD 1854 - Immaculate conception of Mary. Mary was conceived without sin and lived a sinless life
- AD 1870 - Papal Infallibility. In Vatican Council I
- AD 1950 - Assumption of Mary
Topics
| Category |
Topic |
Protestant |
anti-Topic |
Catholic (replacement theology) |
| Teaching (Prophet) - anti-Biblical |
| |
Scripture |
Bible |
anti-Scripture |
(Bible + Tradition) = Word of God |
| |
Teachings |
Bible |
anti-Teachings |
Bible + Tradition |
| |
Revelation |
Bible |
anti-Revelation |
Bible + Magisterium |
| |
Interpreter |
Spirit |
anti-Interpreter |
Spirit + Magisterium |
anti-Scripture
To a Catholic, Scripture or the "Word of God" is not just the Bible, but it must include Sacred Tradition. Those who believe in sola scriptura say that the Bible is the only infallible Word of God and source of faith. But Catholics teach that the Word of God is contained in the Bible and in Sacred Tradition, and that the Magisterium have the authority and final say as to what is infallible truth (#100). The current pope, Pope Francis, is quite explicit on this teaching.
Martin Luther at the Imperial Diet of Worms (1521) declared (one of various translations), "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have frequently erred and contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other: may God help me. Amen."
anti-Teachings
It is not faith in the teachings of the Bible, but faith in what the Church promotes. In their own words: "Believing" is an ecclesial act. The Church's faith precedes, engenders, supports and nourishes our faith. The Church is the mother of all believers. "No one can have God as Father who does not have the Church as Mother" [#181]. We believe all "that which is contained in the word of God, written or handed down, and which the Church proposes for belief as divinely revealed" [#182]. The church's (revelatory) teachings are established either as ex cathedra papal declarations or from ecumenical councils. They are then considered to have been divinely revealed and stand together with the teachings of the Bible as infallible dogma [#891].
anti-Revelation
Catholics believe that two sources of revelation constitute a single "Deposit of Faith" (#82, #84, #85), meaning that the entirety of divine revelation and the Deposit of Faith is transmitted to successive generations in Scripture and Sacred Tradition through the teaching authority and interpretation of the Church's Magisterium (#88). However, revelation is not understood to mean ongoing or "public" revelation. Public revelation ended with the apostle John, ca. AD 100. "Yet even if Revelation is already complete, it has not been made completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries" (#66). What this means is that the ex cathedra declarations of the Pope or from ecumenical councils are not public revelation, but simply clarifying statements or the concept of "doctrinal development" on what has already been revealed. On the other hand, "private" revelations, insofar as they may "improve or complete Christ's definitve Revelation," may be accepted by the authority of the Church guided by the Magisterium (#67). A good article on this subject from a Catholic perspective is: Has Divine Revelation Ceased? The bottom line: What constitutes revelation and how it should be understood is in the hands of the leadership of the Church (Magisterium).
anti-Interpreter
Catholics believe the interpreter and, effectively, final arbiter of Biblical truth is the leadership of the Church (Magisterium). "The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him" (#100). In contrast, Protestants believe that the Bible interprets itself.
References
