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Extention of inerrancy of Scripture?....

Discussion in 'Free-For-All Archives' started by Stephen III, Jul 28, 2003.

  1. Stephen III

    Stephen III New Member

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    I would like to see viewpoints on whether or not the inerrancy of Scripture would extend to the canon itself. Do we know the list of books to be inerrant? How so? etc... Based on the answers I would like to ask some follow-up questions.

    God Bless

    Stephen
     
  2. WPutnam

    WPutnam <img src =/2122.jpg>

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    I will be watching to see the responses you get!

    I'm glad you joined the "fray," with the rest of us Catholics! Good work so far, Steve! [​IMG]

    I also responded to "bump" your messasge higher on the forum.............

    God bless,

    PAX

    Rome has spoken, case is closed.

    Derived from Augustine's famous Sermon.
     
  3. Frank

    Frank New Member

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    Stephen
    God established the rule ( canon) for inspiration.
    It was the human vessel that would by the miraculous power confirm the contents of the message to be the word of God. Prophesy pormised this. Joel 2:28. Jesus promised this. John 14:26, 15:26; 16:13, Luke 24: 44-51, Acts 1:1-8; 2:1-4,17; 8:17,18; 10;44. John testifies to it. John 20:30,31. Peter specifies it. II Pet. 1;20,21. Anyone who claimed he was speaking by inspiration must prove it by the miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Mar 16:20, II Cor. 12:12. Men who can not do so are simply liars. Rev. 2:2.

    The rule of God for inspiration was to confirm his message with signs following. These signs included the following:
    1. Raise the dead. Acts 20:9-11;9:37-41.
    2. Heal the sick. Luke 10:9.
    3. The lame walk. Acts 3:6-9.
    4. Overcome without harm deadly serpent bites. Acts 28:4,5.
    5. Cleanse the lepers. Mat. 10:8.
    6. Cast out demons. Mat. 10:8.

    This miraculous confirmation was irrefutable. Acts 1:1-8, II Cor. 12:12, John 11:47. The witnesses to these miraculous events that authenticated the scriptures were verified by both hostile and friendly witnesses. John 11:47, John 19:19, Mark 15:39, Acts 4:3-16.

    This is the rule for inspiration based on the confirmed word of God and the testimony of eyewitnesses of these miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit. No one, or religious group can confirm what they espouse as inspired by the CANON of God. God is unparalled in AUTHENTICATING HIS WORD.
     
  4. Stephen III

    Stephen III New Member

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    Bill said:
    Thanks Bill, and not to sound like the mutual admiration society, but I must commend you on your dilligent and vigorous defense of the Faith.

    Keep it up!

    And may the Lord himself one day say to you: "Well done, good and faithful servant."

    Frank,
    Thank you for your well thought-out response. I'm looking forward to a healthy and charitable exchange with someone as seemingly knowledgeable as yourself. (no knock against anyone intended!)

    If I may address your last post then.

    You wrote:

    The first and obvious questions are then: How did God establish, and through whom, or by what method etc. did God establish the canon?

    My understanding of the term "canon" may vary slightly from yours here. But I understand the canon to be
    (p.43 Background to the Bible, Servant Books by. Richard T.A. Murphy, O.P.)
    While the term canon comes from a term which originally referred to a reed (1Kgs 14:15) The reed being a tool for measurement and the word eventually came to mean a fixed rule or guide.
    (i.e. canon of etiquette, of astronomy, of literature etc.)
    So in your opening statement are you stating that the fixed rule (the canon) was established by God FOR inspiration. But was not necessarily a product of divine inspiration?

    Your statement seems to me somewhat of ...(what do you call it) an oxymoron, in that: God created the canon but it wasn't inspired.

    Since the thread topic is about the inerrancy of Scripture and I did ask whether or not the Canon could be extended this same assessment, it would certainly appear by your answer then that you would be denying that the canon was inspired by God. Yet, still was created (or as you stated established) by God. (hence the oxymoron)

    By the way, can it be agreed upon that God would not establish, create, or cause to become extant anything in error or with error? In your case this alone would seem to point to the contention that the Canon is inerrant because as you said.."God established..."

    Perhaps I've been too hasty in my trying to understand your comments. If so I sincerely apologize.
    If my assessment is accurate,
    How then is it we can with any assurance know the canon as being complete?
    Or from the Protestant perspective: How do we know that the seven deuterocanonicals of the OT should not be included, since we cannot claim their to be an official list of books confirmed and inspired by the Holy Spirit to call the Bible?
    And incidentally for those Protestants who might believe that the canon was inspired by God and is by that fact without error, by what mode did God communicate this inspired canon?

    As to the rest of your post, you said:

    This for the most part are reasons to believe in the inspiration of scripture, which I sincerely hope you understand is not in question.

    The final sentence is the one note worthy statement in regard to the context of this thread. You said that " No one, or religious body can confirm what they espouse as inspired by the CANON of God.

    But the Church claims the ability to confirm the Bible as the inspired "Word of God" not strictly as its right but as its DUTY. For the Bible and the Church go together. They are both objects of Faith. And Faith is both a gift and a duty.

    Granted this duty stems from things you may not agree with, (i.e Christ establishing His Church, giving it authority, and promising to stay with her through the Holy Spirit forever -and this Church being the Roman Catholic Church) From our perspective it is still a most welcomed duty.

    "God is unparalelled in AUTHENTICATING HIS WORD."

    AMEN BROTHER!

    And thank God that He chose His Church to communicate His authentication!

    God Bless

    Stephen
     
  5. Frank

    Frank New Member

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    Stephen:
    The church are saved people. Acts 2:47. Therefore, if the church has the abiltiy to speak for God by inspiration, they must authenticate what they espouse as truth by the divine standard God required. Stephen, there is not one bishop, pastor,reverend, synod, council, magisterium who meets the divine standard for inspiration or infallibility. Therefore, they do not speak for God but for an ecclesiatical organization established by men.

    The "church" can prove me wrong by simply raising one person from the dead. The "church" can prove me wrong by making the lame walk or blind see in the presence of unbelievers. In short," the church does not have what the aposltes had. Therefore, they cannot do what they did.
    It is the case, absent of divine proof, your assertion is false. Rev. 2:2.

    In other words, there is no extension for the " church." The literal meaning of the word cannon is the rule. Once the word had been confirmed it needed no more authentication as the abiltiy to confirm and authenticate are no longer available.
     
  6. Stephen III

    Stephen III New Member

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    Frank said:

    True, the Church is made up of those victorious or saved as well as those believers who are militant (that is working out their salvation in fear and trembling. Phil 2:12)and lastly those victorious yet being Purged of their sins. (Matt 5:26, Luke 12:59) But that's another thread.

    Frank said:

    And Herein lies the difference: We Catholics believe that the Church (through its leaders) does indeed speak for God on matters pertaining to faith and morals. Protestants have only their interpretation of Scripture to rely on. Which without an authoritative church as a guide could prove to be shaky ground (as opposed to "This Rock") as evidenced by thousands of differing Protestant proclivities.

    This being the case and whether or not you are impressed with its claims the logic in regards to the acceptance of the Canon is in fact empirical.

    Stated outright then the logic for both of our contentions could be stated as follows:
    The RCC's:
    The Church established by Christ is enabled by Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit to make infallible and binding (upon its adherents) decisions on matters of faith and morals and has by the Holy Spirit's guidance (and by necessity to counter the schemeing heretics) thus deemed it a matter of faith and morals to define and otherwise close the canon of scripture.

    Whereas your logic would be:

    The canon was established in an unidentified, unvalidateable, unconfirmed manner by God for the inspiration of man and has the witness of the divine standard of God through countless miracles to prove it is unvalidateable, and unconfirmable.

    Frank continues;

    The Church does just that by raising the dead through the sacrament of Baptism. (Rom. 6:4., 1 Cor. 15:29)By helping the "lame walk" again through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Matt 9:5, Mark 2:9, Luke 5:23)An in the presence of unbelievers provides a tangible witness to the blind and wandering (Matt 5:14)

    In short the Church has exactly what the Apostles had in the living, Word of God given as a guide for those who, like the original wish to take up their Cross.

    God Bless and Good Night.
     
  7. MikeS

    MikeS New Member

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    In no way do those verses show your "must prove it" theory. But let's assume for a moment that they do. What signs and wonders did the writers of the NT perform, and how do we know of them? Further, what signs and wonders did those who determined the canon perform, and how do we know of them?
     
  8. John Gilmore

    John Gilmore New Member

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    Without biblical inerrancy, this whole discussion becomes meaningless. According to Pope Paul VI, (scripture is inerrant) because the Apostles teach that scripture is inerrant. It appears that Roman Catholics who publicly support higher criticism of the bible are speaking in opposition to their own church's view of scripture.

     
  9. Stephen III

    Stephen III New Member

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    John said:

    I agree, but I'm not sure to what you're referring to. [​IMG] That is at least in regard to this thread. Unless you are of course speaking in regard to the general world of exegesis.

    That was a very good quote of the Church you provided; and as you pointed out very applicable.

    Here is something I found relative to your statement, I've been using a book titled "Background to the Bible" by Richard T.A. Murphy, O.P.
    The context was in regard to Vatican II's statements as somewhat a followup to the Dei Verbum document you quoted.
    It reads:
    God Bless
    Stephen
     
  10. Frank

    Frank New Member

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    Stephen:
    The church does not do what the apostles did. They do not perform biblical miracles. Biblical miracles defied the natrual laws as we know them. I say this kindly, but NO ONE does this today.

    Therefore, the rational mind must conclude the ability to authenticate the word through miraculous confirmation does not exist. If this is the case, one must also conclude the word needed no further confirmation. If a thing is authentic, it needs no further confirmation. If a thing is authentic and there is no more miraculous power to confirm a message, one must conclude there will be no more divine revelation from God, as he always authenticated it with the miraculous power.

    A spiritual resurrection is not a biblical miracle as defined by the confiremd events themselves. The church does not make lame men walk as by the confirmed miraculous power of the Spirit. Cf. Mark 2:11-13, Acts 3:6-9.

    As for Carson, he is obviously a very bright and zealous student. However, those facts in and of themselves do not make his word true. The one and only standard for truth is the Word of God. John 17:17. I agree with him on some issues and others I do not. In the balance of my agreements and disagreements with him is the static standard of truth.
     
  11. John Gilmore

    John Gilmore New Member

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    I agree, but I'm not sure to what you're referring to. [​IMG] That is at least in regard to this thread. Unless you are of course speaking in regard to the general world of exegesis.
    </font>[/QUOTE]Since scripture is inerrant, no writing that conflicts with Apostolic doctrine is included in canon. For example, the Gospel of Thomas:

    On the other hand, if you accept higher criticism, then this passage can simply be ignored and the rest of the gospel accepted because it reflects the anti-female bias of first century Judea.
     
  12. Stephen III

    Stephen III New Member

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    Frank said,

    Hang out for an Exorcism some time. Visit the Catholic shrines in Lourdes, Knock, or Fatima, and tell the thousands who have left their wheel chairs and crutches there that their healing was not a miracle. Or that their miracle came about not because of their faith but in spite of their Catholic faith.

    Frank, you must have been a brilliant debater in school, you seem to use all the strategies.

    The above sentence is pretty atypical stuff from debaters (namely imply that a "rational" as opposed to the unrational mind, "must conclude" )that tact is usually followed by the thought you hope in the presentation is swallowed completely. In this case the coupling of "the rational mind must conclude" is diametrically opposed to the ending of the statement which is "the ability to authenticate the word through miraculous confirmation does not exist". Because that is YOUR claim. The Bible does have many occurences of miracles affirming biblical truths, but nowhere do you find that it is a prerequisite. If so show me definitively, without all the precedeing conjecture of how a rational mind must conclude...

    Besides if that was the case what miracles were there at the councils that officially defined and closed the canon? Surely these councils had the protection of infallibility or else you wouldn't be using the same NT that THEY defined and closed.

    And if you prefer not to aknowledge the early Church councils established explicitly for the defining of the list of books to be considered the inspired Word of God (a response to the Marcion heresies)then perhaps you could define your own personal miracles that accompanied your own personal, and infallible acceptance of the books of the Bible.

    Frank continues:

    Sorry, you may have lost me there as Carson I believe is on vacation and has not partaken in this particular thread. You may be referring to Bill. But, never the less your favorite debator phrase of "the static standard of truth" seems best modified as perhaps "my personal static standard of truth". Afterall who would argue against an authentic static standard of Truth.

    God Bless
    Stephen
     
  13. A_Christian

    A_Christian New Member

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    Stephen III:

    You believe in miracles and yet I bet you don't
    believe in 6 days of creation nor the Flood.
    To you (as your pope), I imagine, they are alligorical tales to fill the spirit and not
    the mind with reality.

    I actually believe most "Catholic" miracles are
    based on feelings and not reality. Sorry,
    spinning suns do nothing for me. The Bible
    does.
     
  14. Stephen III

    Stephen III New Member

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    AC writes:

    And would you be surprised to hear that a Catholic does believe that the flood literally took place (I believe it, and the Church grants me the leeway to believe it without being in error), Or 6 days of Creation (no problem...especially since God is not confined by the retraints of time.. a day is like a thousand years unto the Lord)
    Spinning suns do nothing for me either, but spinning what the Church proclaims as miraculous is a different matter.

    I actually believe you have never looked into the scrutiny process that the Church has established for its qualifying something as miraculous. You sound as if you believe a couple neat card tricks and an oxidizing rosary might qualify.

    Thanks for you comments though.

    God Bless

    Stephen
     
  15. Carson Weber

    Carson Weber <img src="http://www.boerne.com/temp/bb_pic2.jpg">

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    Hi John,

    You wrote, "It appears that Roman Catholics who publicly support higher criticism of the bible are speaking in opposition to their own church's view of scripture"

    It may appear that way, but you are incorrect.

    A Catholic reading of Scripture has already been outlined by the Pontifical Biblical Commission's 1993 Document, "The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church"; in it, you will discover a more detailed analysis of the proper use of the Historical-Critical Method in Biblical studies, which follows from the outline already set forth in Dei Verbum, which you linked to in your post above. It is in Dei Verbum that we read in Paragraph 12:

    "12. However, since God speaks in Sacred Scripture through men in human fashion, (6) the interpreter of Sacred Scripture, in order to see clearly what God wanted to communicate to us, should carefully investigate what meaning the sacred writers really intended, and what God wanted to manifest by means of their words.

    "To search out the intention of the sacred writers, attention should be given, among other things, to "literary forms." For truth is set forth and expressed differently in texts which are variously historical, prophetic, poetic, or of other forms of discourse. The interpreter must investigate what meaning the sacred writer intended to express and actually expressed in particular circumstances by using contemporary literary forms in accordance with the situation of his own time and culture. (7) For the correct understanding of what the sacred author wanted to assert, due attention must be paid to the customary and characteristic styles of feeling, speaking and narrating which prevailed at the time of the sacred writer, and to the patterns men normally employed at that period in their everyday dealings with one another. (8)"

    One does not have to repudiate the article of faith concerning the inspiration and subsequent inerrancy of Scripture if one takes up the Historical-Critical Method in ascertaining the intention of the Sacred author. The divorce between faith and reason in this regard is unnecessary, and a wholly Catholic Biblical scholar is sure to not only respect but facilitate their marriage.
     
  16. Frank

    Frank New Member

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    Stephen:
    There is no collaborative evidence for modern day miraculous power. It is wishful thinking and assertion on your part. This miracuolouss power was demonstrated among UNBELIEVERS. John 11:47, Acts 4:15-24. I make this challenge to anyone who claims this power. Meet me at a grave yard, tell the dead to rise and go forth. I will tell them to stay down. We will then see who has power to CONFIRM AND AUTHENTICATE.

    Stephen, I promise you I will have not takers to prove the miraculous power of confirmation exists today. This would be easy to prove. After all, I know where a bunch of dead folk are located. I am an UNBELIEVER. Now, the missing link is the one endowed with this power. Stephen, can you provide one who will demonstrate the mirculous power God required as proof of confirmation of his word? Since you claim they exist, it should be easy for them to prove to this unbeliever and save my soul. Surely, these miraculously endowed men would be willing to save me from the error of my ways. However, I am not holding my breath until this takes place today,tomorrow, or at any time in this world. Again, you have made unsubstantiated claims.
     
  17. Frank

    Frank New Member

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    Stephen:
    I am not a great debater. However, I understand the way language works. I did learn this skill in high school. Unfortunately, many must have missed out on this english class.
    The question in reference to God requiring mirculous confirmation has already been answered. However, I will post the scriptures on this again. Consider the following:
    The rule of God for inspiration was to confirm his message with signs following. These signs included the following:
    1. Raise the dead. Acts 20:9-11;9:37-41.
    2. Heal the sick. Luke 10:9.
    3. The lame walk. Acts 3:6-9.
    4. Overcome without harm deadly serpent bites. Acts 28:4,5.
    5. Cleanse the lepers. Mat. 10:8.
    6. Cast out demons. Mat. 10:8.

    This miraculous confirmation was irrefutable. Acts 1:1-8, II Cor. 12:12, John 11:47. The witnesses to these miraculous events that authenticated the scriptures were verified by both hostile and friendly witnesses. John 11:47, John 19:19, Mark 15:39, Acts 4:3-16.

    Jesus said in Mark 16:16-20, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
    17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
    18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
    19  ¶So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
    20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

    Furthermore, John said in John 20:30,31, And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
    31  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

    Moreover, Paul writes in II Cor. 12:12,Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
    I Cor. 2: 1- 5,And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
    2  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
    3  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
    4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
    5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

    This is the rule for inspiration based on the confirmed word of God and the testimony of eyewitnesses of the miraculous manifestations.

    Have a good one.
     
  18. Stephen III

    Stephen III New Member

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    Frank,

    Thank you for your response.

    You wrote:
    First, what would you consider to be "collaborative evidence". As you've stated in the subsequent post (that I will also include a response to herein)you do have a fine grasp of the English language, I would not dare attempt to challenge you in that area.

    However I don't understand the term "collaborative evidence", perhaps you meant "corroborative evidence"
    and towards that end I'll cite first of all what the Church establishes as a general guideline in considering medical healings as being of a miraculous nature or not.

    This issued in 1734:

    THE CHURCH’S CRITERIA
    From: De Servorum Beatificatione et Beatorum Canonizatione
    (liber IV, Cap. VIII, no. 2),
    with commentaries up to the end of the chapter -
    Author: Cardinal Prospero Lambertini,
    future Pope Benedict XIV, 1734.
    1.“ Primum est, ut morbus sit gravis, et vel impossibilis, vel curatu difficilis ” – Firstly, the disease should be serious, incurable or difficult to treat.
    2.“ Secundum, ut morbus, qui depellitur, non sit in ultima parte status, ita ut non multo post declinare debeat ” – Secondly, the eradicated disease should not be in its final stage or at a stage whereby it may involve spontaneous recovery.
    3.“ Tertium, ut nulla fuerint adhibita medicamenta, vel, si fuerint adhibita, certum sit, ea non profuisse ” – Thirdly, no drug should have been administered or, in the event that it has been administered, the absence of any effects should have been ascertained.
    4.“ Quartum, ut sanatio sit subita, et momentanea ” – Fourthly, the recovery has to take place suddenly and instantly.
    5.“ Quintum, ut sanatio sit perfecta, non manca, aut concisa ” – Fifthly, the recovery has to be perfect, and not defective or partial. 6.“ Sextum, ut nulla notatu digna evacuatio, seu crisis praecedat temporibus debitis, et cum causa; si enim ita accidat, tunc vero prodigiosa sanatio dicenda non erit, sed vel ex toto, vel ex parte naturalis ” Sixthly, it is necessary that any noteworthy excretion or crisis has taken place at the proper time, as a reasonable result of an ascertained cause, prior to the recovery; under these circumstances the recovery cannot be deemed prodigious, but totally or partially natural.
    7.“ Ultimum, ut sublatus morbus non redeat ” – Lastly, it is necessary for the eradicated disease not to reappear. First of all it is crucial that the disease in question is a severe one, involving a serious prognosis, incurable or involving an uncertain treatment; these were the author’s words


    Lourdes has their own review of supposed miracles that incorporate the criteria above and take into consideration some the newer scientific scrutinies as evidenced herein:
    L.I.M.A. (Lourdes International Medical Committee )states;
    In order to take into account the acknowledgement of a recovery, the premises of the following two fundamental aspects (which however need to be carefully distinguished) need to exist:
    1. The abnormal fact: the phenomenon of recovery itself, which is characterised by its being absolutely unexpected and unexplainable, compared to ordinary medical predictions and to scientific literature data, and which will be subject to an in-depth medical analysis;
    2. The sign: which leads to the belief of a special intervention by God, by intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes; this intervention has to be acknowledged by the Church, based on the report of the cured person. But at this stage, we also need to point out:
    a) The definition of miracle: this is an extraordinary and exceptional event, which cannot be explained through today’s scientific knowledge;
    b) The features of a miracle: this is a sudden or exceptionally rapid event, with permanent effects and no relapses, which can be assessed through a scientific and interdisciplinary methodology involving biology, forensic medicine, theology, etc.
    c) The context in which the miracle occurs: historic age, documentation and iconography, taking place within catholic religion and not other religious beliefs and/or cultures, etc.;
    d) The authority proclaiming the miracle: after the favourable judgement passed by the CMIL (Comité Médical International de Lourdes), this is the ecclesiastic ordinary of the diocese of origin or another authoritative representative of the Church.
    After 1977, following the proposal put forward by Mgr. Donze (who has recently died) to reword the rules laid down by Benedict XIV in the light of nowadays’ scientific and technological innovations, a 16 query scheme prepared by the LIMC was laid down; among other things, this introduced the need to rule out any psychopathic component, as well as any other subjective pathologic statea or manifestationa (which are therefore not verifiable), hence only taking into account the recovery acknowledgements relating to serious and provable affections, the only ones that could be deemed as “scientifically inexplicable”. And therefore, in this case it will be possible to close the medical report supporting a “certain and medically unexplainable” recovery, only when:
    1) The diagnostics and authenticity of the disease has been preliminarily and perfectly assessed;
    2) The prognosis provides for an impending or short-term fatal outcome;
    3) The recovery is sudden, without convalesce, and absolutely complete and final;
    4) The prescribed treatment cannot be deemed to have resulted in a recovery or in any case could have been propitiatory for the purposes of recovery itself.


    All this to prove that the Church has a way through "corroboration" that miracles do still occur and are acknowledged by the Church. But this is not to say that these miracles are to be viewed as proving divine inspiration of Church pronouncements. But then again that HAS NEVER been my claim.
    As you are probably aware the Church sees no need in declaring a "miracle" something that "must be believed", its more that believing in one proclaimed by the Church presents nothing that is contrary to the deposit of Faith the Church so scrupulously protects. In short believing the proclaimed miracle is authentic is not contrary to the Faith nor is it part of a defined dogma to be necessarily held.

    Frank, you have accused me of making unsubstanciated claims: This must be a fovorite phrase of yours as I've seen you use it one time with another.
    Just what claim of mine is unsubstanciated?

    I never claimed that miracles MUST accompany inspired Church pronouncements that was YOUR, as yet UNSUBSTANCIATED claim:

    I asked of you specifically:

    Yes you have a firm grasp of the English language, but a somewhat manipulative effect of using it.

    It is a debators ploy to use terms such as "unsubstanciated" when characterizing their opponents claims. But the ONLY thing UNSUBSTANCIATED is YOUR claim.
    The proof of this is in that the initial request still remains unanswered:
    Show me definitively in Scripture that " Anyone who claimed he was speaking by inspiration must prove it by the miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit." (italics: mine, Quote: YOURS)

    It is not enough to show that signs and wonders did accompany such teaching, as your statement is that it MUST accompany.
    I'll provide the format if you prefer Just fill in the info:
    Book:00 Chapter:00 Verse:00
    (I've seen someone use this ploy before ;) )

    Or if you prefer I'll start the Scripture requested as your proof: "Truly, Truly I say unto you that unless ALL official pronouncements of My Church are accompanied by miraculous cures or the raising of the dead, handling of serpents etc. etc. then they shant be deemed divinely inspired..."

    The gospel of Frank is your ONLY hope. And the authoritative Church whose pronouncements you reluctantly accept in the defining and closing of the NT Scripture does not include this gospel.

    Please don't answer with some long prose on challenging somebody to raise the dead, as that is obviously not part of anybody's claims of being a prerequisite but YOURS.

    My claims are that the Church still recognizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit and has a certain scrutiny in place that goes far beyond any other denominations process for doing so in regard to miraculous claims. In short Miracles exist, they can and have been corroborated, but they are not a neccesity to making official and inspired pronouncements.

    Your second post includes:
    Even I, in my inferior grasp of the English language can pick out this mighty, mighty flaw of logic in your claim to having answered the question.

    See if you can pick it out, and start with the word "required". And notice how, while all of the samples of Scripture you quote are signs utilized by Christ and His Apostles and disciples that NO WHERE do we find it being "a required" prerequisite.

    Which I've asked you to provide specifically.

    It's your claim, the burden of proof is on you.

    Besides if your logic was true then those that have faith "must" move mountains. As Matt 17:20 has Jesus saying: " I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there'and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you"
    By you logic someone with even a small amount of faith must move mountains.
    There are a lot of mountains in North Georgia, but I haven't heard of any being moved lately, yet I don't doubt you or anyone specifically in N. Georgia has faith.

    I consider it a feeble attempt at diverting the subject to one of your choosing. (And a "straw man" at that)to say that my "claims" are unsubstanciated.

    And since you did not answer this previously I'll post it again:

    God Bless
    Stephen
     
  19. Frank

    Frank New Member

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    Stephen:

    Let me make it real simple. There has been no verifiable evidence to prove your assertions about exorcisms performed by Catholic bishops or anyone else for that matter. NONE! This is what one calls unsubstantiated assertion. Now, if I am wrong, please, just prove it the way Paul, John or Peter did. This would be substantiating a claim.

    Stephen, are you saying that Catholic bishops make pronouncements of truth about scripture that are simply their OPINION. Are you saying, they do not make pronouncements by the power of the Holy Spirit. Which one is it? If yo say it is both,how do we know when we ar getting opinion and divine revelation from God through them?
     
  20. Carson Weber

    Carson Weber <img src="http://www.boerne.com/temp/bb_pic2.jpg">

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    Hi Frank,

    You wrote, "There has been no verifiable evidence to prove your assertions about exorcisms performed by Catholic bishops or anyone else for that matter."

    Wow, that's a bold pronouncement. How do you know that there is no verifiable evidence of this fact? Do you have a source to back up this assertion?

    I've been present at a deliverance (not an exorcism, which is a deliverance performed by a priest; the name is reserved for this instance), and I can testify to the power of Christians to deliver people from demonic posession, as I was personally involved in this particular ministry.
     
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