[Book contract with Catholic Answers, dated 7-12-11; publication date: late March or early April 2012. Edited by Todd Aglialoro: who was the editor of A Biblical Defense of Catholicism, The Catholic Verses, and The One-Minute Apologist. I completed my work on the book on 9-19-11, with further revisions on 11-4-11. The book will be 135 pages long, with a low list price of $12.95]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication
Introduction
I. The Binding Authority of Tradition
A. Biblical and Apostolic Tradition Contrasted with the False and Corrupt Traditions of Men (1-12)
1. The Bible Contains Much Information on Sacred Tradition
2. Good (Apostolic) Tradition is Superior to Bad Traditions of Men, According to the Bible [read very similar excerpt online]
3. St. Peter Dramatically Exercises Apostolic Authority in Acts 2
4. The Bible Explicitly Teaches about a True and Unchangeable Apostolic Tradition
5. Tradition is Inevitable (and a Fact) for All Christians
6. “Biblical,” “Unbiblical,” “Extra-Biblical” and Similar Terms Defined
7. Covenants and Sacred Tradition Are Perpetually Binding
8. Apostolic Tradition is in Harmony with Scripture
9. Authoritative Interpretation of the Law Was Normative and Required in Ancient Israel
10. The Infallible Nature of Pauline Tradition Is Taken for Granted
11. “Commandment” and “Command” Are Synonyms for Tradition
12. Even Pauline Tradition Was Shared With and By Other Apostles
B. Oral and Deuterocanonical Tradition (13-21)
13. The New Testament Cites Traditions that Are Not Spelled Out in the Old Testament
14. Informal Discussions of Jesus and the Apostles Are Dynamically and Organically Related to Tradition and Scripture
15. The Bible Never Says that Oral Tradition Would Cease
16. Deuterocanonical Books Are Frequently Cited in the New Testament
17. Competing Schools in Judaism Are Akin to Denominations in Protestantism
18. Prophetic, Divine Truth is Always Present Alongside Written Scripture
19. Inscripturation Is Not the Final Determinant of Binding Truthfulness
20. Oral Tradition is Wider in Scope than Written Scripture
21. Authoritative Oral Tradition Frequently Appears in the New Testament
C. Continuing Christian Adherence to Jewish (Pharisaical) Tradition and Mosaic Law (22-35)
22. Jesus Doesn’t Overturn or Reject the Mosaic Law
23. Jesus Sanctions the Extra-Biblical Tradition of “Moses’ Seat”
24. Paul Identified Himself as a Pharisee after His Christian Conversion, Signifying a Link to Jewish Tradition
25. Paul Worships at Synagogues
26. Paul Acknowledges the Authority of the Jewish High Priest Ananias, Even at His Own Trial
27. Jesus Participates in the Old Testament Sacrificial System
28. Jesus Follows Pharisaical Traditions
29. Christians Call Jews “Brethren” and “Fathers”
30. The Galatians Were Even Bigger Hypocrites than the Pharisees
31. Caiaphas the High Priest “Prophesied”
32. Christianity Adopted Late Pharisaical Traditions and Doctrines
33. The Sadducees were the “Liberals” and Sola Scriptura Advocates of Their Time
34. Christians Continued Temple Worship and Participation in Sacrifices
35. Ancient Judaism is Analogous to, and Was Organically Developed by Catholicism, Not Protestantism
D. Prophecy and Proclamation: “Word of God” and “Word of the Lord” (36-39)
36. “Word of the Lord” and “Word of God” Are Not Usually a Reference to Scripture
37. Oral Prophecy Was an Ongoing New Testament Charism
38. Tradition and Scripture Both Derive from the Larger Category of “Word of God”
39. Paul Frequently References Tradition and Rarely Alludes to Scripture in his Epistles to the Thessalonians
E. The Alleged Perspicuity of Scripture and the Necessity of Authoritative Interpretation (40-53)
40. “Desert Island” Minimalistic Christianity Is Not the Biblical Norm
41. The Historical Wisdom of the Church Is a Better Interpreter than Any Individual or Denomination
42. False Assumptions Can Lead Biblical Exegetes Astray, but the Church is a Sure Guide
43. The Bible Itself Teaches that it Can be Misinterpreted
44. Perspicuity and Denominationalism are at Odds
45. Protestantism is Radically Contradictory in How it Harmonizes and Systematizes “Plain” Scripture
46. The Bible Teaches that Biblical Interpretation is Inherently Necessary
47. Jesus Reveals Hidden Scriptures to the Disciples at Emmaus
48. Sincere Study Alone Does Not Guarantee Correct Interpretation of Scripture
49. Sola Scriptura Means It’s Always the Other Guy’s Problem
50. The Bible Never Lists Its “Essential” Teachings
51. The Bible Asserts that Its Teachings Have to Be “Opened”
52. Many Things in the Gospels Are Difficult to Understand: John 6 for Example
53. In the Old Covenant, Authoritative Teaching Authority Was Constantly Exercised
F. General or Miscellaneous Arguments Relating to Sola Scriptura (54-60)
54. The Bible Never Teaches That Oral Tradition Would Cease and Sola Scriptura Become the New Rule of Faith
55. The Very Nature of Sola Scriptura Requires It to Be Explicitly Found in the Bible Itself
56. Scripture Alone May be Sufficient for Much and Many, but Not for All Doctrines
57. The Trinity Was an Early Test Case for Tradition Versus Sola Scriptura
58. Church and Scripture Not a Zero-Sum Game (False Protestant Dichotomies)
59. In Ephesians 4, Paul Shows No Awareness of a Supposed Sola Scriptura Rule of Faith
60. Paul Uses Tradition and Church Motifs More Often than “Scripture” and “Word of God” [read very similar excerpt online]
II. The Binding Authority of the Church
A. New Testament Evidences for a Hierarchical, Visible Church with Strong Authority (61-67)
61. The Church Can “Bind and Loose”
62. The Bible Presents a Universal, Visible, and Hierarchical Church
63. Anathema and Excommunication are Most Definitely Biblical Concepts
64. Both Scripture and Church History Have Problematic Areas to Work Through
65. Jesus’ Mention of “Sheep and Shepherd” Does Not Imply an Invisible Church
66. Authority Has to Have “Teeth” or it Makes Little Sense
67. The Role of the Bishop, According to Holy Scripture, is Very Definite, Distinct, and Important
B. Biblical Indications of Apostolic Succession (68-71)
68. Paul Passed on His Office to Timothy
69. The Bible Explicitly Demonstrates Apostolic Succession
70. Neither Scripture nor the Church Fathers Rule out Tradition or Apostolic Succession
71. Catholic “Epistemology of Authority” is a Combination of Faith, History, and Reason
C. The Jerusalem Council and its Implications for Subsequent Catholic Ecclesiology (72-74)
72. Participants at the Jerusalem Council Felt Guided by the Holy Spirit, and Thus Asserted a Binding Authority
73. The Jerusalem Council Made Binding Decisions with No Great Reliance on Scripture
74. Paul’s Apostolic Calling Was Subordinated to the Larger Church and Was in Harmony With St. Peter
D. Biblical Analogies for an Infallible Church (75-83)
75. Old Testament Levites Were Granted the Gift of Special Protection from Error
76. Prophets Exercised Binding Teaching Authority and Possessed Virtual Infallibility
77. Prophets Proclaimed the Inspired “Word of the Lord”
78. God Uses Fallible Men to Sustain an Infallible Church, Just as He Did with the Bible
79. Is God Unable to Preserve His Church from Error, Just as He Preserved His Bible from Error?
80. Messy Deliberations and Other Difficulties Do Not Disprove the Infallibility of Councils
81. Biblical Truth and Tradition Are Much Larger Than Just the Gospel Message
82. 1 Timothy 3:15 Is a Virtually Invulnerable Biblical Proof for the Infallibility of the Catholic Church [read very similar excerpt online]
83. The Church is Indefectible, Because Jesus is Its Foundation and Because God Dwells Within Us, His “Temple”
E. The Biblical Prohibition of Denominationalism, Theological Relativism, and Indifferentism (84-86)
84. Protestant Institutional Sectarianism Contradicts Biblical Requirements of Doctrinal Oneness and Agreement
85. Protestantism’s Resignation to Uncertainty Leads to Theological Relativism
86. The Bible Assumes One Truth, Not a Multi-Level Notion of Central Truths, Secondary Truths, and Disposable Opinions
III. Counter-Arguments Against Alleged Sola Scriptura Prooftexts
87. Deuteronomy 6:6-9: “These Words Which I Command You”
88. Psalms 119:159-160: “Thy Word is Truth”
89. Proverbs 30:5-6: “Every Word of God Proves True”
90. Isaiah 40:8: God’s Word “Will Stand Forever”
91. Matthew 24:35: “My Words Will Not Pass Away”
92. John 20:30-31: “These Are Written That You May Believe”
93. Acts 15:15 “The Words of the Prophets Agree”
94. Galatians 1:8-9: “A Gospel Contrary to That Which You Received”
95. 2 Timothy 3:15-17: “All Scripture is Inspired by God”
96. James 1:18: “The Word of Truth”
97. 1 Peter 1:23: “The Living and Abiding Word of God”
98. 2 Peter 3:15-16: Paul’s Letters Described by Peter as Scripture
99. 1 John 2:27: “No Need That Anyone Should Teach You”
100. Revelation 22:18-19: Adding Words to the Book of Revelation Forbidden
IV. Conclusion
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Purchase Info.
Updated (latest publication information) on 22 March 2012.
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