Book Review: Dead on Arrival - the Seven Fatal Errors of Sola-Scriptura

Since I am the author of the book, this is really more of a highlight of and a reflection on Dead on Arrival: The Seven Fatal Errors of Sola-Scriptura than it is a traditional book-review.

I was inspired to write this book by a friend of mine named Ezekiel Hasbrook who was a staunch Calvinist and completely sold-out to not following the 'so-called' Reform Theology through to its logical conclusions. I offer some of his weak arguments in favor of sola-scriptura up in this book only to demolish them with one two hands and big toe tied behind my back.

The Doctrine of sola-scriptura teaches that Scripture (the Bible) alone is the sole source of authority for the Christian and the Church. Coined and promulgated by Martin Luther and John Calvin (1500's), this doctrine has become the ground-floor upon which all of the doctrine Protestant-Christianity has been built. If it can be proven that sola-scriptura is in error and that it is an innovation to orthodox Christianity, the entire body of purely Protestant doctrine will be, subsequently, rendered void.

What this first book of 'Dead on Arrival' series offers the reader is a thorough but crisp examination of the Protestant doctrine of sola-scriptura, which teaches that the Bible alone is the sole source of authority for the Christian and the Church. My goal in this book was to reduce this doctrine down to the level of absurdity by using sacred Scripture, reason, and a spoon full of humor. And by doing so I have thus rendered the entire body of purely Protestant doctrine void. This book is a must have for all Christians who love sacred Scripture and desire to use it as God intended.

By examining this doctrine through the lenses of sacred Scripture what I do is take the actual doctrine of sola-scriptura and examine it under the light of what the Bible actually teaches about itself. That is, if sola-scriptura is true, that the Bible alone is the sole source of authority for the Christian and the Church, then we should be able to find that teaching somewhere in the Bible. For, if it is not, then sola-scriptura is not true. That is sola-scriptura itself must be completely and purely Scriptural.

To reduce this doctrine to absurdity with the help of reason I will lay sola-scriptura on top of the Latin medieval axiom 'Bonum ex intergra causa, malus ex quocumque defecto' - '[Something can be regarded as] good [if it seems truly so] in every respect, [but] bad [if there is] any defect at all'. That is, if all the criteria of sola-scriptura are found to be truly positive, then the teaching can be worthily accepted. However, if only a single criterion is found to be doubtful then acceptance can be temporarily withheld until further examination. If the said doubt cannot be resolved, then acceptance of the whole teaching can legitimately be withheld. Each chapter in this book will test and grade the doctrine of sola-scriptura and its fruits against this axiom.

I always hear people say that 'the truth hurts'. What I have found in life is that truth always goes down fairly easy when it is accompanied by humor. Therefore, I do my part in this book to reduce sola-scriptura down the level of absurdity by hitting it over the head with an anvil while I simultaneously tickle it with feathers.

Dead on Arrival: The Seven Fatal Errors of Sola-Scriptura consists of seven chapters, which are followed by three appendixes. Below is the title of each chapter, the list of subtopics dissused in each, and a summary of each chapter.

Chapter One
The First Fatal Error: Martin Luther - an Inauthentic Prophet with an Inauthentic Message
TOPICS: the teaching of the apostles • a treatment of the man behind the teaching • martin luther, the unreasonable one • martin luther, the excommunicated one • conclusion • selected bibliography on martin luther
I found it necessary that the examination of sola-scriptura should begin with an examination of its chief inceptor, Martin Luther. Chapter one begins with a visit to the sacred Scriptures where we are commanded to only follow the teachings of the Apostles. Here I point out that Luther was not an apostle, and later in the book I point out how his innovative teachings are not apostolic. Next, I examine whether Luther was a true prophet of God or a false prophet, and I examine the quality of his message to determine whether it came from God or Satan. I continue from there to examine Luther's life to see whether what he taught actually worked for him. For, if sola-scriptura, and the rest of his sola's (grace and faith) are true then we should see where he progressively became more holy, as all true saints and true prophets of God have done. I also draw from Scripture again to point out how the Catholic Church dealt with Martin Luther according to how the Bible tells us to deal with people like him, and talk about why those who reject the Church's excommunication of Luther by following his teachings participate in his excommunication (his loosing).

Chapter Two
The Second Fatal Error: Scripture Itself does not even Claim to be the Sole-Authority
TOPICS:misinterpretation of scripture • two timothy 3:1-14 • two timothy 3:15 • two timothy 3:16 - part I • scripture denies having the sole authority • sacred scripture is not the sole authority • conclusion
Here I began to get at the heart of the error and build up to the nail in the coffin that I am going to stroke in the next chapter. The main passage in Scripture that Protestants use to posit that the Bible actually does teach sola-scripura is found in Timothy 3:16, which reads "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent; equipped for every good work." In part one of my examination of this passage I go all the way back to the beginning of chapter three and break it down line by line, so that we can avoid the vacuum and truly understand the context and meaning behind what Paul is writing to Timothy. What I make clear in this chapter is that Paul was not laying down here the doctrine of sola-scriptura, and neither was he saying that sacred Scripture now has authority over sacred Tradition or the Church.

Chapter Three
The Third Fatal Error: An Ineffectual Understanding of What the Word of God is
TOPICS: the evolution of the bible • the triune nature of sacred scripture • getting to know God through His full Word • two timothy 3:16 - part II • two timothy 3:16 - part III • conclusion
The third fatal error is my favorite, because it is here where I really dig into fallacy of Martin Luther's teaching by pouring battery acid all over my friend Ezekiel's argument in favor of sola-scriptura. Really the Holy Spirit inspired me to draw some things out of Paul's letter to Timothy, because some of the points that are made here are so beautiful and succinct that I couldn't have made them up myself. If the reader is not convinced that sola-scriptura doesn't have a leg to stand on after this chapter, they need to be put in a mental ward.

Chapter Four:
The Fourth Fatal Error: Scripture does not even say What Scripture Is
TOPICS: the blind following the non-existent • conclusion
Having made an insurmountable case against sola-scriptura in the first three chapters, the remaining chapters are sweet icing on the cake. Here is a plain error being made - if the Bible is the sole source of authority for the Christian and the Church, should the Bible not tell us what the Bible consist of? If sola-scriptura is true then how do we know what books are supposed to be the Bible unless the Bible tells us itself?

Chapter Five:
The Fifth Fatal Error: Too Many Inauthentic Interpreters & Too Many Inauthentic Interpretations
TOPICS: too many inauthentic interpreters • too many inauthentic interpretations • conclusion
In this chapter I point out the obvious weakness of sola-scriptura, and rightly blame it for the propagation of thousands of different interpretations of the Scriptures, because it never has a authentic authority to determine whose interpretation is true. There is never an authentic interpreter or interpretation in Protestantism, and for that very reason there are over 33,000 different Protestant denominations teaching over 33,000 doctrines by using the same Bible that they all claim to be interpreting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Chapter Six:
The Sixth Fatal Error: Sola-Scriptura Inevitably Leads to Christian Relativism and Individualism
TOPICS: sola-scriptura inevitable leads to christian relativism and individualism • definitive and authoritative truth is not only knowable - it is obligatory • conclusion
This chapter is really a continuation of the problems that I began making in the one previous. Because there is not definitive authority in Protestantism, it opens up the door to Christian relativism and individualism. Relativism meaning that definitive truth is unknowable through sola-scriptura. Individualism meaning that sola-scriptura allows Christians to forsake the assembly and practice a private faith, which is completely foreign to true Christianity. I point out in this chapter that, contrary to the doctrine of sola-scriptura, definitive truth is not only knowable, but it is obligatory, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church is that authoritative and authentic organism who guides us to the truth of God by prayerfully teaching the apostolic doctrine as found in sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition.

Chapter Seven:
The Seventh Fatal Error: The Summation of it all - Sola-Scriptura Just Doesn't Work! the summation of it all
TOPICS: the summation of it all
Having reduced the doctrine of sola-scriptura to absurdity, this chapter simply points out the obvious - sola-scriptura has not worked. Over the last 500 years it has done nothing but made Christianity worse, because it has divided and fragmented us and left us with weak front against the onslaught of Satan. In three words, sola-scriptura is not practical and does not glorify the catholicity of the nature of the Triune God. Moreover, because Protestantism has not been able to resemble the undivided nature of God, we know for certain that Protestantism is not of God.

That is the conclusion my summary of Dead on Arrival: The Seven Fatal Errors of Sola-Scriptura. I hope you read the book and I look forward to any comments you may have. May the Lord be with you!

Title: Dead on Arrival
Subtitle: The Seven Fatal Errors of Sola-Scriptura
Author: David L. Gray (Yoseph Daviyd)
Publisher: Erehmai Uoyeovli
Book website: https://www.createspace.com/3477094 (available as of 10/15/2010)
Kindle website: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00408AZDK (available as of 8/15/2010)
ISBN: 14537652129
Cover: Paperback
Pages: 133