Sola Scriptura
The Reformers' rallying cry that Scripture alone holds supreme authority over the church
Sola scriptura, the formal principle of the Reformation taught by Luther and the Reformers, holds that Scripture is the supreme and sufficient authority for faith and practice, standing above church tradition and councils. Catholic and Orthodox traditions reject this principle, holding that Scripture is rightly read within and alongside the living tradition and teaching authority of the Church. This remains a defining difference between the communions.
How it traveled
- ExordiumWittenberg · c. 1546 CEapplies
- Commentary on GalatiansWittenberg · c. 1546 CEapplies
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
A Treatise on the Soul. · Apologetic
Chapter XXVI.—Scripture Alone Offers Clear Knowledge on the Questions We Have Been Controverting. Now there is no end to the uncertainty and
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
7. Everything relating to a perfect rule of life the Lord has so comprehended in his law, that he has left nothing for men to add to the summary there given. His object in doing this was, first, that
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
OF THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IN ARTICLES OF FAITH. THE UNBRIDLED LICENCE OF THE PAPAL CHURCH IN DESTROYING PURITY OF DOCTRINE. This chapter is divided into two parts,—I. The limits within which the Chu
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
13. And that my readers may the better understand the hinge on which the question chiefly turns, I will briefly explain what our opponents demand, and what we resist. When they deny that the Church ca
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Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator · John Calvin
ALL THE PRINCIPLES OF PIETY SUBVERTED BY FANATICS, WHO SUBSTITUTE REVELATIONS FOR SCRIPTURE. Sections. 1. The temper and error of the Libertines, who take to themselves the name of spiritual, briefl
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
118 D118 This assertion that the Spirit of Christ “in a manner dictated words to them” implies at least three ideas: (1) The guidance of the Spirit in the inspiration of Scripture extends to the very
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Commentary on Galatians · Martin Luther
Paul repeats the curse, directing it now upon other persons. Before, he cursed himself, his brethren, and an angel from heaven. “Now,” he says, “if there are any others who preach a gospel different f
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Commentary on Galatians · Martin Luther
Paul received his Gospel on the way to Damascus when Christ appeared to him. St. Luke furnishes an account of the incident in the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts. “Arise,” said Christ to Paul, “and
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Sect. XXVIII. — AT your entrance, then, upon the disputation, you promise — ‘that you will go according to the Canonical Scriptures: and that, because Luther is swayed by the authority of no other wri
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Sect. XXXVI. NOW let us come to the New Testament. Paul saith, (Rom. i. 2,) that the Gospel was promised “by the Prophets in the Holy Scriptures.” And, (Rom. iii. 21,) that the righteousness of faith
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Sect. XX. — BUT, the doctrine concerning the liberty of confession and satisfaction, you either deny, or know not that there is the Word of God. — And here arises another inquiry. But we know, and are
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
17. I understand what their answer will be—viz. that these traditions are not from themselves, but from God. For to prevent the Church from erring, it is guided by the Holy Spirit, whose authority res
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
OF COUNCILS AND THEIR AUTHORITY. See Calvin’s Antidote to the Articles of Sorbonne; Letter to Sadolet; Necessity of Reforming the Church; Antidote to the Council of Trent; Remarks on the Paternal Adm
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Sect. II. — BUT what will you say to these your declarations, when, be it remembered, they are not confined to “Free-will” only, but apply to all doctrines in general throughout the world — that, “if
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Sect. XXXI. — AND here, Erasmus, I call to your remembrance your own advice. You just now advised — ‘that questions of this kind be omitted; and that, Christ crucified be rather taught, and those thin
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A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three Parts · Jonathan Edwards
Argument IV. Another thing which makes it evident, that holy practice is the principal evidence that we ought to use in judging both of our own and others’ sincerity, is, that this evidence is above a
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
23. But though such laws are hundreds of times unjust and injurious to us, still they contend that they are to be heard without exception; for the thing asked of us is not to consent to errors, but on
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
14. But the Romanists have another end in view when they say that the power of interpreting Scripture belongs to councils, and that without challenge. For they employ it as a pretext for giving the na
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Commentary on Galatians · Martin Luther
Our opponents record the same complaints about us. They put us down as contentious, ill-tempered fault-finders. But these are the crafty passes of the devil, with which he seeks to overthrow our faith
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Sect. XXXVII. — BUT here, perhaps, you will say — all that you have advanced is nothing to me. I do not say that the Scriptures are every where obscure (for who would be so mad?) but that they are obs
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