The Question of Authority

 

After thirty years as a Protestant arguing and debating with other Protestants, evangelicals, and quasi-Christian groups, it occurred to me that the problem was not the Scripture or the Christian faith but the methodology and presumptions of so many that called themselves Christians. The points of argumentation and debates always devolved to the point of “this is how I interpret that passage and that is how you interpret that passage”, in short, a stalemate.

Ultimately it came down to private interpretation. Because there was no ultimate authority outside of the individual’s interpretation, nothing could be resolved. Even in the off chance that I would “win” an argument and convince someone to join my particular version of Protestantism, the problem was still the same. The converting individual was still in the same place of interpreting for themselves what the Scriptures meant.

This explains the reason for the existence of ten thousand different denominations, all calling themselves followers of Jesus Christ. The problem is not the level of devotion or the intent of each person, but of the foundational question of authority. To whom do you look to rightly understand the Scriptures and Christian history? Do you interpret these on your own, or do you look to that which the apostles handed down to each generation?