Page History

Scanned PDF

According to orthodoxy, establishing the principle that scripture is the sole judex controversarium still leaves the question of how the judicial decision that scripture makes is to be determined and put forward. In the nature of the case, not everyone can engage in determining it with equal prospects of success, for "certain preconditions are necessary thereto, without which holy scripture cannot be understood and interpreted." Besides, the order necessary to the church requires that, at least in the matter of publicly putting forward the judicial decision of holy scripture, an external, ecclesial calling is prerequisite. Therefore, it preeminently belongs to those externally called by the church to represent it as its teachers to announce publicly the decision found in holy scripture on a controverted point, although this does not deny that every member of the church also has a right to test and confirm (or disconfirm) what is thus announced. On the contrary, every believer can and should judge, according to the measure of God's gift -- not, indeed, concerning all controversies, but -- concerning any controversies about things necessary to salvation, distinguishing between true and false by her or his own discretive judgment. This does not mean, in the least, that everyone is to follow her or his own notions; it means, rather, that each believer should submit her- or himself to the judgment of the Holy Spirit, recorded in scripture, and examine an things according to the tenor of this judgment, leaving to the church's teachers the public discussion of controversies (Schmid: 49, 55).

...