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The recent debate between Jimmy Akin and James White revealed much about the nature and content of Catholic-Protestant discussions.
On April 24th and 25th, Catholics Answers’ Jimmy Akin and the Reformed Baptist Dr. James White squared off in a two-night debate at First Baptist Church of Livingston, Louisiana. The first evening addressed the question of sola scripturaand the second “How Does One Find Peace With God,” or the doctrine of justification. The debate featured two of the most prominent apologists from the Catholic and Protestant sides—and was not their first rodeo against one another. This article will only address the first night’s debate, which was framed on the question of whether or not Scripture is the infallible rule of faith for the church.
White went first, arguing that sola scriptura is the “default biblical position” and offering several biblical pieces of evidence in favor of this position. This, White claimed, does not mean that there are no other Christian authorities but that they only possess authority inasmuch as they are faithful to the Bible. He then pivoted to attack the Catholic position, critiquing Catholic ecclesiology (bishops generally, but also the preeminence of the bishop of Rome), as well as the Catholic concepts of Holy Tradition and the magisterium. He also noted that there is no official Catholic magisterial infallible interpretation of the Bible and that the magisterium did not define the canon of Scripture until 1546.
In his opening comments, Akin went in an unexpected direction. He observed that White, in remarks made in 1999, had acknowledged that sola scriptura is not in effect during times of revelation. Why does that matter? Because if that’s the case, then it would mean that in the post-resurrection apostolic era, during which times the books we now recognize as the New Testament were written, the meaning of White’s proof texts must have meant something to their original audience otherthan an articulation of sola scriptura. Thus, assessed Akin, White’s position is based on a “post-biblical premise.”
Continued below.
crisismagazine.com
On April 24th and 25th, Catholics Answers’ Jimmy Akin and the Reformed Baptist Dr. James White squared off in a two-night debate at First Baptist Church of Livingston, Louisiana. The first evening addressed the question of sola scripturaand the second “How Does One Find Peace With God,” or the doctrine of justification. The debate featured two of the most prominent apologists from the Catholic and Protestant sides—and was not their first rodeo against one another. This article will only address the first night’s debate, which was framed on the question of whether or not Scripture is the infallible rule of faith for the church.
White went first, arguing that sola scriptura is the “default biblical position” and offering several biblical pieces of evidence in favor of this position. This, White claimed, does not mean that there are no other Christian authorities but that they only possess authority inasmuch as they are faithful to the Bible. He then pivoted to attack the Catholic position, critiquing Catholic ecclesiology (bishops generally, but also the preeminence of the bishop of Rome), as well as the Catholic concepts of Holy Tradition and the magisterium. He also noted that there is no official Catholic magisterial infallible interpretation of the Bible and that the magisterium did not define the canon of Scripture until 1546.
In his opening comments, Akin went in an unexpected direction. He observed that White, in remarks made in 1999, had acknowledged that sola scriptura is not in effect during times of revelation. Why does that matter? Because if that’s the case, then it would mean that in the post-resurrection apostolic era, during which times the books we now recognize as the New Testament were written, the meaning of White’s proof texts must have meant something to their original audience otherthan an articulation of sola scriptura. Thus, assessed Akin, White’s position is based on a “post-biblical premise.”
Continued below.
Who Won the Akin/White Debate?
The recent debate between Jimmy Akin and James White revealed much about the nature and content of Catholic-Protestant discussions.
crisismagazine.com
