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Catholic/Protestant Debate: Salvation and Scripture
Debating the issues of "sola fide" and "sola scriptura," three Catholic apologists (Pat Madrid, Bill Marshner & Robert Sungenis) face three Protestant theologians (Michael Horton, Robert Godfrey & Rod Rosenbladt). A half-dozen people from the audience of 1500 converted to Catholicism this very day!
Dr. Robert Godfrey (Calvinist; president of Westminster Seminary California), Dr. Rod Rosenbladt (Lutheran; professor of theology, Scripture, and apologetics at Concordia University), and Dr. Michael Horton (Reformed Episcopalian; author and host of “The White Horse Inn” radio show).
The first day of debate (over three hours) was on the question of sola Scriptura (Latin: by Scripture alone). The Protestant side defended this Reformation principle, arguing for the notion of the formal sufficiency of Scripture.
The Catholic team countered with a biblical and historical critique of sola Scriptura, arguing that “Scripture alone” is itself unbiblical and alien to historic Christianity; it is not what Christ or the Apostles taught, it was not believed or taught by the early Church, and it has wrought incalculable theological damage and division within Protestantism over the last 500 years.
The second day of debate focused on the Reformation principle of sola fide (Latin: [justification] by faith alone). Again, the Protestant team argued from Scripture in an effort to demonstrate that Christians are justified forensically, by faith alone, and that the Catholic teaching on justification and salvation is unbiblical.
The Catholic team offered a robust critique of sola fide, aiming to show, from Scripture and the testimony of the early Church Fathers, that this pivotal Reformation principle is, in fact, founded upon an erroneous understanding of Scripture and is, therefore, alien to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
(6 hours)