Summary – What Do We Mean By “Scripture Alone”?
A reading of the essay “What Do We Mean By Sola Scriptura?” by W. Robert Godfrey, which focuses on explaining some key features of the Protestant principle or doctrine of Sola Scriptura (that is, Scripture Alone). Godfrey defines the principle, discusses several Bible passages that teach it, and answers 4 basic objections. [Episode 13 direct download]
Main Points of Discussion
| 00:00 | Introduction |
| 00:32 | Episode description Article read, What Do We Mean by Sola Scritpura? by Dr. W. Robert Godfrey It appears as the first chapter in the book Sola Scriptura |
| 02:07 | Preliminaries Sola Scriptura is one of the two main issues that separates Protestants from non-Protestants, along with Sola Fide (that is, justification by faith alone). Book mentioned Justification By Faith ALONE |
| 04:30 | Definition and some passages that teach it “Scripture alone is our ultimate religious authority [ie, infallible rule]… [and] all things necessary for salvation, concerning faith and life, are taught in the Bible clearly enough for the ordinary believer to find it there and understand.” For a more elaborate statement, see the Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 1; 20.2; 21.1; and 31.2-3 |
| 14:44 | The sufficiency of the Bible as God’s Word |
| 15:37 | Different senses of the term “tradition” |
| 19:16 | Tradition vs. the Bible |
| 21:43 | Tradition vs. Tradition |
| 24:44 | Recognition of the “canon”, or the specific writings that constitute the Bible Book mentioned The Structure of Biblical Authority by Meredith G. Kline |
| 33:03 | Unity in the interpretation of the Bible |
Additional Resources
- WSCal Office Hours Podcast, with Bob Godfrey on Sola Scriptura (26 minutes)
- Why God Gave Us A Book, booklet by Gene Edward Veith
- What Is The Bible?, booklet by Guy Prentiss Waters
- Scripture Alone: The Evangelical Doctrine, by R.C. Sproul
- Zondervan 5 Solas Series
- Zaspel’s summaries of the 5 Zondervan books are included in this course on the Five Solas from the Gospel Coalition
- The Cambridge Declaration
- More resources on the Five Solas
- Just And Sinner Podcast with Jordan Cooper discussing Martin Chemnitz on Sola Scriptura and Tradition
Part 1; Part 2; Part 3 - On the canon, also see
Redemptive History and the New Testament Scriptures by Herman Ridderbos
Canon Revisited by Michael J. Kruger
The Question of Canon by Michael J. Kruger - Also see several videos from Truth Unites with Gavin Ortlund
Sola Scriptura Defended
Response To Critics Of Sola Scriptura
Augustine Affirmed Sola Scriptura
More On Augustine And Sola Scriptura
Review of Sola Scriptura Debate
