Novel Protestant Practice
More Schaff:
the theology of the fathers still less accords with the Protestant standard of orthodoxy. We seek in vain among them for the evangelical doctrines of the exclusive authority of the Scriptures, justification by faith alone, the universal priesthood of the laity; and we find instead as early as the second century a high estimate of ecclesiastical traditions, meritorious and even over-meritorious works, and strong sacerdotal, sacramentarian, ritualistic, and ascetic tendencies, which gradually matured in the Greek and Roman types of catholicity. The Church of England always had more sympathy with the fathers than the Lutheran and Calvinistic Churches, and professes to be in full harmony with the creed, the episcopal polity, and liturgical worship of antiquity before the separation of the east and the west; but the difference is only one of degree; the Thirty-Nine Articles are as thoroughly evangelical as the Augsburg Confession or the Westminster standards; and even the modern Anglo-Catholic school, the most churchly and churchy of all, Ignores many tenets and usages which were considered of vital importance in the first centuries, and holds others which were unknown before the sixteenth century. ~~Section 160. Vol. IITo the Orthodox such disparity with the early church fathers is troubling. Posted by jeremy stock at October 6, 2002 09:52 PM
Two things: 1) don't forget that you're getting history through Shaff's eyes, 2) even history must be subjected to the scriptures. Paul himself could have erred in doctrine when not writing inspired scripture; Peter certinally both erred in Galatia and yet wrote two epistles inerrantly. Infallability belongs to God, the best we humans can manage is inerrancy on occasion.
Just thinking outloud here.
Posted by: Tim at October 10, 2002 09:36 AM1.) The interesting thing is, is that Schaff is a Protestant, so if anything his bias is going to be counter to the Orthodox position. So in a certain sense it seems to add even more credibility to the statement.
Concerning infallibility/inerrancy what we all do agree in is that in matters of doctrine the Apostles were free from error (otherwise we as Christians are in a world of hurt)-- in doctrine alone does the Church claim inerrancy. So yes, God is infallible, but Orthodox believe that just as God's word is infallible, so to is the appointed interpreter of God's word (otherwise, I believe we as Christians would be in a world of hurt).
Posted by: jeremy at October 12, 2002 05:52 PMIt's easier to cite
http://www.orlapubs.com/AR/R250.html
and links to it
than to write a lengthy comment.
Posted by: Afanasiy Bailey at April 4, 2003 06:02 PM