Friday, May 30, 2008

An Ancient Voice For The Day #25

Ambrose (c. 339-97) in a sermon to his congregation:

"‘The books of the heavenly Scriptures are good pastures, by which we are fed by daily reading, by which we are renewed and refreshed, when we taste the things that are written, or ruminate frequently upon that which has been tasted. Upon these pastures the flock of the Lord is fattened."

Latin text: Bona etiam pascua libri sunt Scripturarum coelestium, in quibus quotidiana lectione pascimur, in quibus recreamur ac reficimur; cum ea quae scripta sunt, degustamus, vel summo ore libata frequentius ruminamus. His pascuis grex Domini saginatur. Psalmus CXXXIV (119), Sermo Quartus Decimus, §2, PL 15:11390-1391."

Source:For translation, see William Goode, The Divine Rule of Faith and Practice, 2nd ed., (London: John Henry Jackson, 1853), Vol. 3, pp. 261-262. .

For an excellent compilation of quotes of the Church fathers teaching on the primacy, sufficiency and ultimate authority of Scripture, get a copy of Holy Scripture:The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith Vol III- The Writings of the Church Fathers Affirming the Reformation Principle of Sola Scriptura.

7 comments:

David Waltz said...

Hello James,

A couple of questions: first, do you believe that the regula fidei of the early Church Fathers was/is a necessary component in order for the Scriptures to properly function as the sufficient and ultimate authority for the Church?

And second, do you believe that Thomas Aquinas’ view of the Scriptures was any different than that of Ambrose, Augustine, Chysostom, et al.?


Grace and peace,

David

BillyHW said...

The title of that book twists the very words of God's Sacred Scripture:

http://tinyurl.com/4e587u

I also find it ironic that you would appeal to tradition to support your unbiblical doctrine of Sola Scriptura.

Anonymous said...

Billyhw,

I believe the title is a quote from St. Ireneus.

Unknown said...

The Biblical arguments for the Sola Scritura are strong, how Jesus used the Scritura to prove his teachings it is clear, because the Scritura is inspired by God.

A question to the members of the Church of Rome:

How do you know that your tradition is inspired by God??

Billyhw said:

I also find it ironic that you would appeal to tradition to support your unbiblical doctrine of Sola Scriptura.

This is not a problem because almost all the fathers used the Bible as a Rule of Faith, we not use the fathers as authority but the Scritura, and almost all the fathers used the Scritura as their support for their teachings.
For that reason if you study Church History you will not to see the teachings of your church in the old church, therefore your church invented the "develoment doctrine"

Unknown said...

Help with a quote:

I found a quote of Eusebius in an old book of theology of Spain, but the author of the book used a rare form to write his sources.

Here is:

Emiss. In Horat. 2 de Nativ.

I think this is not a work of Eusebius, but in the work of Clement of Alexandria of "Egloglas profeticas" (I do not know how to traslated it ot English), I found some quotes of Eusebius, maybe In Horat. 2 de Nativ. is a work of another person and this work contains quotes of Eusebius as the work of Clement.

Some of you know if this quote really exists?

The Dude said...

Alberto,
"For that reason if you study Church History you will not to see the teachings of your church in the old church, therefore your church invented the "develoment doctrine""

Not sure what Protestant confession(s) you hold to, but are you implying that many Protestant doctrines did not develop? Even ones that are currently deemed "essential"? And, if the ones deemed essential did develop over time, what does that mean for perspicuity?

Andrew said...

To be deep in history is to see the fallacious nature of Catholic claims about history.