Articles > Systematic Theology > The Canon of Scripture > Against the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Canon

Part XXIII: Against the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Canon

I. Introduction: Summary of the Ecclesiastical Authority Perspective

a. There are religious bodies that assert that it is the authority within their ecclesiastical bodies and traditions which establish what books are canonical in the Bible.

i. In various forms, these groups include but are not limited to:

1. Roman Catholicism

2. Various Eastern Orthodoxy

3. Various unorthodox cults

ii. These groups will try to argue that establishing the canon require their authoritative traditions

1. They say that there needs to be an infallible authority to establish canonicity.

2. Their 'true church' is the infallible source that answers the question of the canon.

3. Without the sole magisterial authority of their organization, they argue that there will be undesired theological chaos not only concerning the Canon but other areas as well.

b. Be aware that these arguments often occur in an atmosphere that attempt to provide substance to the claim that their religious group is the true infallible and authoritative church.

i. They often are arguing that the Canon one can only come about because of their organization's authority.

1. The appeal from them would be, 'Why not come to terms with our church since you accept 'our' Canon?'

ii. Hence, Christians must be aware of such scheme and be on guard with the Word of God.

1. The greater issue of the debate must also be dealt with at its proper time ("Is this the church, the true infallible church?"), and ultimately it comes down to the question: "Are the doctrines of this church Biblically sound or unsound?"

a. Listen to this exhortation from the Word of God: "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1John 4:1)

i. Ramification: Prophets claim to speak for God (similar to the infallible authorities in a religious organization) and must be tested. This outline will test their claim to see if it is from God.

II. Claim: There needs to be an infallible authority outside of the Bible to establish canonicity.

a. But that infallible authority can be found internally within the self-authorizing, self-attesting infallible Word of God itself. (Endnote 1)

b. Those who reject this self-attesting character of the Word can argue that this is circular and one needs another infallible authority to establish the canon of the Infallible Scriptures.

i. If so, then the infallible authority to establish the canon of the Infallible Scripture would have to be established by another infallible source.

1. And that Infallible authority would have to be established by another infallible source.

2. Thus, there is the problem of an infinite regress

ii. But some would say that the Infalliable ecclesiastical authority as the standard for canonicity is obvious or self-evident and need not to be established in the fashion mentioned above.

1. Therefore within their own argument, there is no reason why the infallible and self-evidencing Word of God can not enjoy the same epistemological status as the ecclesiastical authority since the Scriptures is greater or at minimum equal to it

b. Groups that appeal to traditions as Infalliable authority over the Canon of God's Word has the problem of making traditions above the Word of God.

i. Do these same traditions elsewhere contradict the Authoritative Word of God? If so, there is a problem.

1. "Thus, you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition." (Matthew 15:6b)

ii. It really should be the Bible as authoritative over traditions and judging traditions instead of the other way around. (Endnote 2)

III. Claim: Without the sole magisterial authority of their organization, they argue that there will be undesired theological chaos not only concerning the Canon but other areas as well.

a. Note: This is a common argument used to convince Christians to reject Sola Scriptura (Scripture as the sole final authority) because it results in divisive chaos of various opinions without the 'true' church's authority.

b. The Canonical lists of various religious groups conflicts and contradict one another.

c. The argument from disunity provides us still with the problem: Which religious organization then, has the true sole magisterial authority?

i. There are competing groups for this position and disunity between the various groups that claim infallibility.

ii. Is the Greek Orthodox right? Is it the Roman Catholics? Is it the Egyptian Coptic Church?

d. Using their line of reasoning, this self-defeats the argument itself: With the theological chaos that arise from the principle of sole magisterial authority, one should thus reject the sole magisterial authority because of undesired theological chaos and confusion of who's right.

IV. Claim: The 'true church' is needed as the infallible source that answers the question of the canon.

a. This is not true, as the Old Testament Canon was recognized even without it being established by a religious organization's authority.

i. Remember that Jesus used canonical books to give a systematic theology lesson about Himself after His resurrection.

1. "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself."(Luke 22:27)

a. Jesus used canonical books before any Jewish council met to officially announce the Canon.

b. Note that as Jesus went through the Canon, there was no dispute of the canonicity of the books He cited that day. The Canon was recognized in absence of a council or organization that established the canon by its own authority.

b. The list of these religious groups are not infalliable, as there are internal contradictions within the religious groups authority.

i. For example with the Catholics, Popes have established different books as canonical.

Endnotes

1. Please consult Part XXI in this systematic theology outlines titled, "The Canon of Scripture Part II: Foundation From The Doctrines On The Bible"
2. Please consult Part VI in this systematic theology outlines titled, "The Authority of the Bible Part V: Objections to Culture and Traditions Authority"