100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura

by Dave Armstrong

“Where Is That in the Bible?”

Fundamentalists — and many other Protestants — use this question all the time, particularly when they’re dealing with Catholics. When they are being trained how to talk with Catholics, Fundamentalist evangelizers are taught to use this question. They see it as the “master key” to defeating Catholics.

Too often, it’s just that. Countless Catholics are absolutely stumped by the question and don’t know what to say in response. This is a very important principle in Protestant thought. It’s the idea that we should do our theology “by Scripture alone.” It even has a fancy Latin name — “sola scriptura.”

It’s time for Catholics to stop being beaten up with the Fundamentalists’ favorite question. That’s why Catholic Answers has published the book 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura by well-known apologist Dave Armstrong. This powerful new book contains just that — Biblical arguments. These are the kind that you need to get through to a Fundamentalist. After all, if they’re locked into the “Bible only” view, they won’t even listen to appeals from other sources.

That’s why you need the kind of precise, Biblically-based takedown of sola scriptura that Armstrong provides.

Genres: Catholic

158 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2012

About the author

I was received into the Catholic Church in 1991 (was evangelical); conversion story in the book Surprised by Truth (1994). Articles: The Catholic Answer, This Rock, Envoy, & The Coming Home Journal. Many nationally syndicated Catholic radio appearances including Catholic Answers Live; Faith and Family Live. My website, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, was online from March 1997 to March 2007. My blog began in February 2004 & contains more than 2500 papers (including more than 50 separate web pages and 570+ dialogues). Sophia Institute Press has published four of my 23 books: A Biblical Defense of Catholicism (2003), The Catholic Verses (2004), The One-Minute Apologist (2007), and Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths (2009). I am co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for The New Catholic Answer Bible (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), & editor for The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes Quips and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton (Saint Benedict Press / TAN Books: 2009).

Happily married to Judy since October 1984: three sons & a daughter.

Reviews

[Austin Cox · Rating 1 out of 5]

My Protestant convictions almost crumbled under the weight of Armstrong’s arguments such as: “Paul worships at synagogues” (argument 25) and “Peter exercises apostolic authority in Acts 2” (argument 3).

Exceptionally poor

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prolific Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong has a new book out 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura which was published by Catholic Answers.

Now there is a certain irony in taking apart Sola Scriptura via the scriptures but you have to stay within a certain framework when dialoging with others. Jesus when talking to the Sadducees only quoted from the Pentateuch since this was all they accepted. So this apologetical pattern certainly applies here.

Now first off when discussing Sola Scriptura it is best to define terms first. How Catholics might define Sola Scriptura can be quite simplistic compared to how many Protestants would understand it. So Dave Armstrong starts the book by quoting prominent Protestants as to exactly how Sola Scriptura is defined.

Many of the arguments Dave Armstrong used are quite nuanced and interesting and go beyond some run-of-the-mill typical apologetics replies concerning the topic. In many ways Protestantism stands or falls on this since there must be some method of authority to answer questions. If you abandon the authority of a physical teaching Church than Sola Scriptura makes what appears as an acceptable fallback position. It is not enough to just refute Sola Scriptura though. Dave Armstrong as he methodically presents his arguments also sets the case for the understanding of authority presenting the three-legged stool of Scripture-Teaching Church-Sacred Tradition. He does this in a structured way discussing the authority of tradition, authority of the Church, and then answering common arguments used to defend Sola Scriptura.

Apologetics books of this type can be for dry reading, but I did not find that here as I was so interested by the arguments made and how they were presented. Certainly an excellent resource for the apologetic toolbox and one that goes in-depth on a fundamental topic.

[Jason Hallmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book that brought me to a deeper understanding of Scripture and my faith. A MUST READ!

[Daniel Millard · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read of Dave Armstrong's, who is a Protestant convert, on scriptural proofs. This one's goal is quite obvious from the title. It's purpose is more to be a summary-level toolkit rather than an exhaustive description of every point, and in such manner it is pretty effective, as it aims to drive home it's point through repeated examples and rebuttals which can subsequently be drilled into, rather than deep dives on singular scripture passages.

This book has already proved its efficacy in polemics for myself and others, and has prompted me to pick up a few other works of Armstrong's where he puts his scriptural knowledge to work in other areas.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm protestant, but I found this book helpful. I disagree with a lot of his arguments. However, he makes some very thoughtful points.

[Jon Wisnieski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good resource, some of its arguments are more convincing than others. Sola scriptura is a self-refuting stance though, it simply isn’t in the Bible.