Talk:Prima scriptura

Cleanup

There are a number of items that should be done here. First, which denominations or theologians advocate this doctrine? (looking at the creator's orther edits, I'd guess it's at least an Adventist formulation.) Second, I don't think the article fairly represents sola scriptura. Many Protestants who believe the former do value tradition (especially for help interpreting the Bible) and would more accurately fit under prima scriptura. The only ones who wouldn't qualify would be radical Anabaptists, fundamentalists, etc., who actually reject tradition ("No creed but Christ" and all that). In what sense is tradition secondary to the Bible in prima scriptura? Third, the Roman Catholic view is caricatured unfairly, methinks. Their doctrine is not as fixed as it may appear from a distance. Just some thoughts. --Flex 15:42, July 19, 2005 (UTC)

I agree. I wandered upon this page accidentally, and clearly it needs some work. KHM03 15:57, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

The chief sin of this article is that it is a complete distortion of sola scriptura. Is it supposed to describe the Anglican view? Maybe the Quadrilateral? Mkmcconn (Talk) 16:50, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

I believe Anglican; the Quadrilateral has its own article. KHM03 17:02, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

I also believe it can probably be cleaned up fairly easily. I've heard the view before, though I've never heard it called "prima scriptura" (actually, I personally believe that all evangelicals are "prima scriptura" people...but that's another story). KHM03 17:07, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

All evangelicals believe that the Bible's meaning is known by Christian people, and that this understanding is shared - faith is not a private interpretation, but a communion in truth. They believe in the holy catholic church (and many used to rehearse this confession as an element of their worship). They believe departure from orthodoxy can be so radical that there is no salvation in it, and that regardless of whether this apostasy is supposed to be justified by reference to the Bible, it is heresy. Mkmcconn (Talk)

In other words, all evangelicals mean "Scripture first", when they say 'sola scriptura' if what someone thought is that they meant 'me + plus + the Bible, by myself'. On the other hand, ANYone can say "Scripture first". Roman Catholics, Orthodox, ecclecticists, mystics and spiritualists, "Present truth" Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses, and believers in the charismatic gift of private prophetic guidance. These all Speak as though sola scriptura/tota scriptura contradicts their belief. They want a place for something else as an original source of authority for the Christian faith. Perhaps that's what "prima scriptura" means. Otherwise, prima scriptura is just another way of saying sola scriptura. Mkmcconn (Talk) 17:45, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

If by sola scriptura one means "Scripture alone"...its literal meaning...then there are very few people who affirm that; as you make refernce to, we interpret Scripture through the lens of tradition. Tradition is not the opposite of "sola scriptura"...it's a vital companion.

Now, I've conversed with people who insist that sola scriptura means that tradition is to be entirely rejected. That's certainly not what Luther or Calvin meant by it; but many traditionalist Catholics see it that way. That may be the origin of a more precise term like prima scriptura; I really don't know.

In my view, we all use the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, whether we realize it or not. For me, it wasn't so much an innovation of Wesley's as much as a recognition of reality...a good reality. KHM03 19:27, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

sola scriptura

Since I'm not familiar with this term, I've looked around the internet to familiarize myself with how it's being used. It's as I thought - mostly people who think that "sola scriptura" overstates their case, but who want to affirm the primacy of Scripture. In most cases, they distort what sola scriptura originally meant (admittedly, the meaning has morphed). Modifying accordingly Mkmcconn (Talk) 21:00, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Check to see if I've accurately stated the views treated. Especially, is the Catholic view stated correctly, and is the Quadrilateral properly characterized as expressing this idea (I'm not really sure that it does - I have doubts). Mkmcconn (Talk) 21:44, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

I personally don't have a problem with it, but I think John Wesley would; he maintained that he was faithful to "sola scriptura". But...let him come and edit the article!

I'm also uncomfortable with Wesleyan stuff being "on par" with Adventist & (esp.) JW stuff.

The Quad is a (Methodist) way of interpreting the Scriptures and "doing theology"...but the Bible is still paramount. KHM03 22:19, 19 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]