Celebrating Christmas

[TheWall]

Have fun.

[One Bad Pig]

Just as the so-called pagan trappings have nothing to do with a celebration of the birth of Christ, Catholic terminology has nothing to do with the celebration among protestants.

It doesn't, I'm just mildly surprised Catholic terminology is still used.

[NorrinRadd]

It doesn't, I'm just mildly surprised Catholic terminology is still used.

Why would they bother to create a whole new term for it?

[One Bad Pig]

Why would they bother to create a whole new term for it?

They wouldn't have to, actually. The Spanish call it "Nativity".

[themuzicman]

The apostles were not sola scriptura; we shouldn't be either.

1) They were Scripture writers. Unless you're claiming to be a Scripture writer, you don't get this privilege.
2) They still subjected themselves to the Word of God as they had it. Paul preached from the Tanakh.
3) Acts praises the Bereans because they searched the scriptures to see if what an apostle taught them was true. Sounds quite sola scriptura to me.

[Sparko]

Muz!!

[One Bad Pig]

1) They were Scripture writers. Unless you're claiming to be a Scripture writer, you don't get this privilege.

This is an arbitrary assertion not backed by Scripture.

2) They still subjected themselves to the Word of God as they had it. Paul preached from the Tanakh.

Sure. They sought to make sure that what Paul was saying was compatible with Scripture. Paul preached from the Tanakh, but he also preached from what had been revealed to him by Christ.

3) Acts praises the Bereans because they searched the scriptures to see if what an apostle taught them was true. Sounds quite sola scriptura to me.

They made sure that what Paul taught was in line with Scripture. They would not have found things like, "Jesus is the Christ, and God raised him from the dead" - which is sort of central to Paul's teaching.

[KingsGambit]

They made sure that what Paul taught was in line with Scripture. They would not have found things like, "Jesus is the Christ, and God raised him from the dead" - which is sort of central to Paul's teaching.

Yes, this is decisive. "Sola" really does mean "only". The idea of "sola scriptura" even being applicable during the process during which the canon was being solidified is nonsensical.

[themuzicman]

This is an arbitrary assertion not backed by Scripture.[/quote]

2 Peter 1

Sure. They sought to make sure that what Paul was saying was compatible with Scripture. Paul preached from the Tanakh, but he also preached from what had been revealed to him by Christ.

Thus, sola scriptura.

They made sure that what Paul taught was in line with Scripture. They would not have found things like, "Jesus is the Christ, and God raised him from the dead" - which is sort of central to Paul's teaching.

Thus, sola scriptural. Sola Scriptura doesn't mean you can't preach and bear witness. It just means that the written bible is the only highest authority on matters of Christianity.

[Cow Poke]

Meanwhile, Merry Christmas to everybody.

[rogue06]

The apostles were not sola scriptura; we shouldn't be either.

Paul cited pagan philosophers and poets in support of his position, like at Acts 17:28 where the first half comes from the poem Cretica, written by Epimenides and the second half from Aratus' Phainomena. And in Acts 26:14, while describing his conversion experience to Festus, he quotes from Aeschylus' Agamemnon when he has God tell him that "It is hard for you to kick against the goads."

Paul quotes Epimenides again at Titus 1:12 in his condemnation of Cretans as "liars, evil brutes, [and] lazy gluttons" and Menander's comedy ThaisAiolos.

And then there is the reference in Jude (vss.14,15), which is a quote from Enoch, which is a non-canonical or apocryphal book rather than from a pagan author.

Just food for thought.

[rogue06]

Meanwhile, Merry Christmas to everybody.

[One Bad Pig]

This is an arbitrary assertion not backed by Scripture.

2 Peter 1

You'll need to provide some actual argument. Yes, some of the apostles were scripture writers. The rest of your assertion is what is at issue.

Thus, sola scriptura.

Repeating your assertion doesn't make it any more true.

Thus, sola scriptural. Sola Scriptura doesn't mean you can't preach and bear witness. It just means that the written bible is the only highest authority on matters of Christianity.

"only highest" is not a legitimate grammatical construct; if it is the only authority (ss), it is the highest authority, but the reverse is not necessarily true. I agree that the written bible is the highest authority on matters of Christianity. I do not agree that it is the only authority, a position with precious few adherents in the first 1500 years of Christianity.

[One Bad Pig]

Been in the Nativity fast since Tuesday.

[Teallaura]

...
Thus, sola scriptural. Sola Scriptura doesn't mean you can't preach and bear witness. It just means that the written bible is the only highest authority on matters of Christianity.

Well, I can think of one Higher Authority, but He isn't back yet...








Waiting is the hardest part...