Sola Scriptura
Is the Bible Alone the Christian’s Only Authority?
What Is Sola Scriptura?
Sola Scriptura (“Scripture Alone”) is the Protestant doctrine that the Bible is the sole infallible authority for Christian faith and practice.
According to this view, every Christian doctrine must ultimately be proven from Scripture alone, apart from Sacred Tradition or the teaching authority of the Church.
While Catholics affirm the inspiration and authority of Scripture, the Catholic Church rejects the doctrine of Sola Scriptura.
Does the Bible Teach Sola Scriptura?
One of the strongest arguments against Sola Scriptura is that the Bible never teaches it.
No passage of Scripture states that Scripture alone is to be the sole rule of faith for Christians.
Instead, Scripture repeatedly points believers toward both written teachings and apostolic traditions handed down orally.
Scripture and Tradition in the Bible
St. Paul instructs Christians:
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle.”
— 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (Douay-Rheims)
Notice that Paul commands Christians to hold both oral teachings (“by word”) and written teachings (“by our epistle”).
The Apostles transmitted the faith through preaching long before the New Testament was completed.
The Church Came Before the New Testament
Jesus did not leave behind a Bible. He established a Church and commissioned the Apostles to preach the Gospel.
For decades after Christ’s Ascension, Christianity spread through apostolic preaching before the books of the New Testament were gathered into a single canon.
The Church existed before the New Testament canon was formally recognized.
Who Determined the Canon of Scripture?
If Scripture alone is the sole authority, an important question arises: How do we know which books belong in Scripture?
The Bible itself does not contain an inspired table of contents.
The canon of Scripture was recognized and preserved through the authority of the Catholic Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Councils such as Rome (382 AD), Hippo (393 AD), and Carthage (397 AD) identified the books received by the Church as Sacred Scripture.
The Problem of Private Interpretation
Without a divinely guided teaching authority, Christians often arrive at conflicting interpretations of Scripture.
Thousands of Protestant denominations exist despite all appealing to the same Bible.
Christ established a visible Church with authority to teach in His name, helping preserve unity in doctrine and faith.
The Catholic Position
Catholics believe that Divine Revelation comes through:
- Sacred Scripture.
- Sacred Tradition.
- The Magisterium (teaching authority of the Church).
These three work together and cannot be separated.
Scripture is the inspired Word of God, Tradition preserves the Apostolic Faith, and the Magisterium faithfully interprets both.
What Catholics Believe About the Bible
Catholics deeply love Sacred Scripture.
We read it, pray with it, proclaim it at every Mass, and recognize it as the inspired Word of God.
Rejecting Sola Scriptura is not rejecting Scripture. Rather, it is recognizing the biblical pattern of Scripture, Tradition, and Church authority working together under Christ.
A Simple Summary
The Bible never teaches Scripture Alone.
The Apostles handed on both written and oral teachings.
The Church existed before the New Testament canon was finalized.
Therefore, Catholics believe the fullness of Christian authority consists of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium established by Christ.