By: Nia Hope
The Bible is the sacred writings composed of Hebrew Scriptures to form the Old Testament and early Christian works to from the New Testament; the views on the interpretation of the Bible differ for various Christian denominations. Southern Baptists believe that it is through the individual interpretation of the Bible that they can come to understand the truth about God. Southern Baptists make the Bible accessible and available for all of its believers, including the average layperson (“Sola Scriptura”). This is based on the Protestant belief, which is accepted by Southern Baptists, of sola scriptura. Sola scriptura translates to “scripture alone” and explains that the Bible is the only authority for doctrine. It is a “sufficient basis for faith and practice” (“Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs” ). As Reformed Protestants, the Southern Baptist emphasis on the Bible stems from one of the key components of the Protestant Reformation, the belief that the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church “wandered from the teachings of the Bible” (“Protestantism and the Bible”). As a result Martin Luther, the founder of Lutheranism, discredited the authority of the pope for interpreting the Bible and placed the Bible as the only authority; this belief is reflected in the doctrine of Southern Baptists. Southern Baptists believe that the sacraments are “’contrary to the teachings of the Bible and that grace is received directly from God”’ (Weeks). In the Helvetic Confession written by Henry Bullinger, Bullinger explains that Southern Baptists do not believe the Bible contains any error: “We believe and confess the canonical Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles of both Testaments to be the true Word of God, and to have sufficient authority of themselves, not of men. For God himself spoke to the fathers, prophets, apostles, and still speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures” (Brown).
Roman Catholics have various views on the inerrancy of the Bible. Some Roman Catholic theologians claim that the original version the Bible is without error (“Biblical Inerrancy as Viewed by Roman Catholics”). Some Roman Catholic churches teach that the Bible has limited inerrancy in certain matters: “faith, morals and the criteria for salvation” (“Biblical Inerrancy as Viewed by Roman Catholics.”).
The Roman Catholic Church contains the Apocrypha within the Old Testament, which is not included in the scripture of Southern Baptists (Dow and Mercatante). The Roman Catholic doctrines are based on the Bible, church traditions (Brown), and teachings of the Pope (“Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs”); the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible holds “authority for doctrine” (Matthews 300). The authority of the Roman Catholic Church stems from several beliefs: Jesus founded the church to continue His ministry and teachings, and the Holy Spirit was given to the church to guide it (Bransfield). Monsignor Bransfield further explains, “The Revelation of Jesus is thus extended to the Apostles and handed on through two means: Sacred Scripture and Tradition” (Bransfield). Roman Catholics believe that the Bible, when interpreted by the church, contains the truth about God.
Word Count: 500
Works Cited:
“Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs.” Baptist vs Roman Catholic Beliefs, http://www.baptistcatholic.com/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.
“Biblical Inerrancy as Viewed by Roman Catholics.” Religious Tolerance , http://www.religioustolerance.org/inerran1.htm.
Bransfield, J Brian. “Bible at Core of Catholic Beliefs.” Bible at Core of Catholic Beliefs, http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/study-materials/articles/bible-at-core-of-catholic-beliefs.cfm. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.
Brown, Stephen F. “Branches of Protestantism and Their Basic Beliefs.” Protestantism, Third Edition, Chelsea House, 2009. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/417310?q=sacred text lutherans . Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.
Dow, James R., and Anthony S. Mercatante. “Bible.” The Facts On File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition, Facts On File, 2004. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/425626?q=roman catholic view on bible. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.
Matthews, Warren. “Christianity.” World Religions. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. 289-290. Print.
Melton, J. Gordon. “Protestantism and the Bible.” Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/259495?q=roman catholic view on bible. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.
Melton, J. Gordon. “Sola Scriptura.” Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Second Edition, Facts On File, 2016. World Religions, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/259154?q=sola scriptura. Accessed 8 Dec. 2017.
Weeks, Lee. “How Do Catholics & Baptists Differ?” Baptist Press, 18 Apr. 2005, http://www.bpnews.net/20599/how-do-catholics-and-baptists-differ. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017.
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