Scripture and Tradition

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Empirical Proof That Sola Scriptura Doesn’t Work

Hundreds of independent denominations prove that using the Bible as only source of Christian doctrine and practice doesn’t work

   Gary Hoge

The Protestant reformers broke away from the Catholic Church because they thought the Church had corrupted the gospel. To make sure that wouldn’t happen again they adopted the principle of sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”), which means they would rely on the Bible as the only source of Christian doctrine and practice. They believed this would work because they believed that those doctrines and practices were clearly presented in the Bible. According to Reformed theologian Robert Godfrey, “The Protestant position, and my position, is that all things necessary for salvation and concerning faith and life are taught in the Bible with enough clarity that the ordinary believer can find them there and understand.”¹

But the Bible was never meant to be a self-contained “Manual of Christianity.” It was meant to be read and understood within the context of the apostolic Tradition in which it was written, and when the reformers removed it from that context, they found that they and their followers all had different ideas about what was “clearly presented” in its pages. 

Protestantism fragmented immediately into several groups (Lutherans, Calvinists, Anabaptists, etc.). Martin Luther wrote, 

There are almost as many sects and beliefs as there are heads; this one will not admit baptism; that one rejects the Sacrament of the altar; another places another world between the present one and the day of judgment; some teach that Jesus Christ is not God. There is not an individual, however clownish he may be, who does not claim to be inspired by the Holy Ghost, and who does not put forth as prophecies his ravings and dreams.²

That fragmentation has continued down through the centuries as new generations of Christians found new things “clearly presented” in the Bible and as splinter group separated from splinter group. About the only thing they could all agree on was sola Scriptura, even though it never had and never could yield a consistent understanding of the Christian faith.

The history of Protestant fragmentation and the hundreds of Christian denominations that exist today are empirical proof that however good it might look on paper, sola Scriptura doesn’t work in practice. 

Here are 450 proofs that sola Scriptura doesn’t work:

Apostolic Lutheran Church of America, Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America, Church of the Lutheran Confession, Concordia Lutheran Conference, Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, Evangelical Lutheran Church "Concord", Lutheran Confessional Church, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America, General Lutheran Church, International Lutheran Council, American Association of Lutheran Churches, Gutnius Lutheran Church, Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Lanka Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Church - International, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church, Lutheran Ministerium and Synod - USA, Lutheran World Federation, Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, Arcot Lutheran Church, Batak Christian Protestant Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, North American Lutheran Church, Old Apostolic Lutheran Church, Amana Society, Bible Fellowship Church, Evangelical Covenant Church, Evangelical Free Church, Temple Society (Templers), United Christian Church, Continental Reformed churches, Afrikaans Protestant Church, Canadian and American Reformed Churches, Christian Reformed Church in North America, Christian Reformed Church in Sierra Leone, Christian Reformed Church in South Africa, Christian Reformed Churches, Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ, Free Reformed Churches of North America, Heritage Reformed Congregations, Huguenot (Historical), Orthodox Christian Reformed Church, Protestant Reformed Churches in America, Reformed Church in America,Reformed Church in the United States, Restored Reformed Church, United Church of Christ, United Reformed Church, United Reformed Churches in North America, Associated Presbyterian Churches, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Bible Presbyterian Church, Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America, Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States), Free Presbyterian Church of North America, Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly, Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery, Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States, Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, United Presbyterian Church of North America, Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church in the United States, Congregational Federation, Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches, Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, Huguenots, National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, Reformed Congregational Churches, United Church of Christ, Anglican Communion, Continuing Anglicanism, Episcopal Church (United States), Anglican Catholic Church, Anglican Church in America, Anglican Orthodox Church, Anglican Province of America, Anglican Province of Christ the King, Christian Episcopal Church, Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, Continuing Evangelical Episcopal Communion, Diocese of the Great Lakes, Diocese of the Holy Cross, Episcopal Missionary Church, Evangelical Episcopal Communion, Free Protestant Episcopal Church, Orthodox Anglican Church, Reformed Episcopal Church, Southern Episcopal Church, United Episcopal Church of North America, Anabaptist, Amish, Amish Mennonite, Beachy Amish, Kauffman Amish Mennonite, Nebraska Amish, New Order Amish, Old Order Amish, Swartzentruber Amish, Hutterites, Dariusleut, Lehrerleut, Schmiedeleut, Mennonites, Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations, Biblical Mennonite Alliance, Chortitzer Mennonite Conference, Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (Holdeman Mennonites), Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India, Evangelical Mennonite Church, Evangelical Mennonite Conference, Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference, Evangelical Missionary Church, Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches, Kleine Gemeinde, Markham-Waterloo Mennonite Conference, Mennonite Brethren Churches, Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite World Conference, Missionary Church, Noah Hoover Mennonite, Ohio Wisler Mennonite, Old Order Mennonites, Reformed Mennonite, Rosedale Network of Churches, US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, River Brethren, Brethren in Christ Church, Old Order River Brethren, United Zion Church, Wengerites, Schwarzenau Brethren, The Brethren Church (Ashland Brethren), Church of the Brethren, Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International, Dunkard Brethren, Ephrata Cloister, Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, Old Brethren, Old Brethren German Baptist, Old German Baptist Brethren, Old German Baptist Brethren, New Conference, Old Order German Baptist Brethren, Other Anabaptists, Abecedarians, Apostolic Christian Church, Bruderhof, Charity Christian Fellowship, Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Schwenkfelders, Baptist, Alliance of Baptists, American Baptist Association, American Baptist Churches USA, Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America, Association of Regular Baptist Churches, Baptist Bible Fellowship International, Baptist Church of Christ, Baptist General Convention of Texas, Baptist Missionary Association of America, Central Baptist Association, Christian Unity Baptist Association, Conservative Baptist Association, Conservative Baptist Association of America, Continental Baptist Churches, Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Free Will Baptist Church, Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of America, General Association of Baptists, General Association of General Baptists, General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, General Baptists, General Conference of the Evangelical Baptist Church, Inc., General Six-Principle Baptists, Independent Baptist, Independent Baptist Church of America, Independent Baptist Fellowship International, Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America, Interstate & Foreign Landmark Missionary Baptist Association, International Baptist Convention, Landmark Baptist Church, Liberty Baptist Fellowship, National Association of Free Will Baptists, National Baptist Convention of America, National Baptist Convention, USA, National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the U.S.A., National Missionary Baptist Convention of America, National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A., New England Evangelical Baptist Fellowship, New Independent Fundamentalist Baptist, Faithful Word Baptist Church, North American Baptist Conference, North Bank Baptist Christian Association, Old Baptist Union, Old Regular Baptist, Old Time Missionary Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Primitive Baptist Universalism, Progressive Baptist, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Reformed Baptist, Regular Baptist, Regular Baptist Churches, Separate Baptist, Separate Baptists in Christ, Social Brethren, Southeast Conservative Baptist, Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists of Texas, Sovereign Grace Baptists, Strict Baptists or Particular Baptists, Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists, United American Free Will Baptist Church, United American Free Will Baptist Conference, United Baptist, United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces, United Free Will Baptist, World Baptist Fellowship, Bapticostals, Nazareth Baptist Church, Holiness Baptists, Christian Baptist Church of God, Holiness Baptist Association, Seventh Day Baptists, Spiritual Baptist, Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Congregational Methodist Church, Evangelical Methodist Church, First Congregational Methodist Church, Free Methodist Church, Global Methodist Church, Liberation Methodist Connexion, Primitive Methodist Church, Southern Methodist Church, United Methodist Church, Free Methodist Church, Christ's Sanctified Holy Church, Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A., Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), Church of God (Holiness), Church of God (Restoration), Church of the Nazarene, The Salvation Army, Wesleyan Methodist Church, Keswickian, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ (non-institutional), Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, International Christian Church, International Churches of Christ, Millerites, Sunday observing, Advent Christian Church, Church of the Blessed Hope, Church of God General Conference, Saturday observing, Church of God (Seventh-Day), Seventh-day Adventist Church, Adventist Church of Promise, Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church, Sabbath Rest Advent Church, Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement, International Missionary Society of Seventh-Day Adventist Church Reform Movement, True and Free Seventh-day Adventists, Shepherd's Rod, United Sabbath-Day Adventist Church, United Seventh-Day Brethren, Quaker, Conservative Friends, Friends United Meeting, Evangelical Friends Church International, Friends General Conference, New Foundation Fellowship, Shakers, Plymouth Brethren, Exclusive Brethren, Kerala Brethren Assembly, Open Brethren, Gospel Hall Brethren or Gospel Hall Assemblies, Needed Truth Brethren or The Churches of God, New Apostolic Church, United Apostolic Church, Old Apostolic Church, Restored Apostolic Mission Church, Alamo Christian Foundation, Apostolic Church, Apostolic Faith Church, Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God, Apostolic Pastoral Congress, Assemblies of God, Associated Brotherhood of Christians, C3 Church Global, Celestial Church of Christ, Charisma Christian Church, Christ Gospel Churches International, Christian Assemblies International, Christian Church of North America, Christian Congregation in the United States, Christian Open Door Church, Church of God by Faith, Church of God (Charleston, Tennessee), Church of God (Chattanooga), Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), The Church of God for All Nations, Church of God, House of Prayer, Church of God (Huntsville, Alabama), Church of God in Christ, Church of God (Jerusalem Acres), Church of God Mountain Assembly, Church of God of Prophecy, Church of God of the Original Mountain Assembly, Church of God of the Union Assembly, Church of God with Signs Following, Congregational Holiness Church, CRC Churches International, Deeper Life Bible Church, Destiny Church, Elim Pentecostal Church, Evangelical Pentecostal Church of Besançon, The Foursquare Church, Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost, Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas, God Is Love Pentecostal Church, Hillsong Church, Igreja Unida, Independent Assemblies of God, International, International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies, International Pentecostal Holiness Church, International Pentecostal Church of Christ, Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, Maranatha Christian Church, Mount Sinai Holy Church of America, New Life Churches, Open Bible Standard Churches, Pentecostal Assemblies of God of America, Pentecostal Church of God, Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church, The Pentecostal Mission, Potter's House Christian Fellowship, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Revival Centers International, The Revival Fellowship, Soldiers of the Cross Church, United Gospel Tabernacles, United Holy Church of America, United House of Prayer For All People, The Wesleyan Church, Calvary Chapel, Charismatic Episcopal Church, City Harvest Church, Every Nation, Holy Communion of Churches, International Christian Fellowship, Jesus Army, Ministries Without Borders, Sovereign Grace Church, Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches, Association of Vineyard Churches, Bible Christian Mission, Born Again Movement, Christ Embassy, Church on the Rock- International, Destiny Church Groningen, El Lugar de Su Presencia, Fullness of God's Throne Apostolic Church, International Grace of God Church, New Life Fellowship Association, Newfrontiers, Reborn in Christ Church, Snowball Church, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, Worldwide Church of God's Power, Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches, Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches, United Church of Christ, Free Evangelical churches, Kale Heywet (Word of Life) Church, Mulu Wongel (Full Gospel Believers) Church, Meserete Kristos (Christ Foundation) Church, Assembly of God, Evangelical Church of the River Plate, Evangelical Free Church denomination (international), Evangelical Free Church of America, LifeChurch.tv, Believers Eastern Church, Brunstad Christian Church, The Christian Community, Church of Christ, Instrumental (Kelleyites), Cooneyites (not to be confused with Christian Conventions, above), Evangelical Covenant Church of America (Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant), Evangelical Free Church of America, Family International, Fellowship of Fundamental Bible Churches, Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, Global United Fellowship, Gloriavale Christian Community, Grace Movement Churches, Great Commission Association, Inspirationalists (Amana Church Society), Jesus Movement, Local Churches, Methernitha, Metropolitan Community Churches, Remonstrants, Shiloh Youth Revival Centers, Universal Life, Universal Alliance, The Way International, The African Church, Apostles of Johane Maranke, Christ Apostolic Church, Church of the Lord (Aladura), Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, Kimbanguist Church, Zion Christian Church.

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¹Robert Godfrey, quoted in “Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible, New from Reformation Trust” by Deborah Finnemore, https://www.ligonier.org/posts/sola-scriptura-protestant-position-bible-new-reformation-trust.

²Quoted in Leslie Rumble, Bible Quizzes to a Street Preacher, (Rockford, IL: TAN books, 1976), 22.