Ekklesia, Tradition, and a Challenge to Sola Scriptura
Sola Scriptura or "Scripture Alone," either as a doctrine or practice, never existed prior to the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s. In fact, throughout the initial 1500 years of church history, Sola Scriptura did not have any proponents, particularly because it was never seriously considered. The formalized doctrine of Sola Scriptura, emphasizing the exclusive authority of the Bible for matters of faith and practice, emerged during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. While early church fathers often emphasized the ultimate authority of Scripture, the specific formulation of Sola Scriptura as a doctrine took shape much later in history. And necessarily so. The idea that those who directly interacted with the apostles, such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Polycarp of Smyrna, would discard their firsthand experiences from months or years of discipleship in favor of a few written letters seems implausible. These early di...