I made a live video a bit ago on what I (at the time) felt was a reasonable way to hold to the doctrine of sola scriptura. I did this by comparing infallibility with inerrancy. My argument was that Scripture alone is infallible (cannot err) but that the councils are inerrant (have not erred).
Though well intended, it was revealed to me by multiple people that I was using these terms in an erroneous and incorrect way. That being said, the live video has been removed and I have amended my position.
At the end of the day, Sola Scriptura is not a sustainable position in light of church history and the Scripture itself. This is why I will continue to promote the doctrine of Prima Scriptura. This doctrine has a larger place in Anglicanism than many would like to admit. Really, only the Puritan and Evangelical side of Anglicanism hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura in a strict sense. Prima Scriptura has won the day, so to speak. Especially in the era of the Caroline Divines, and more heavily, during the Oxford Movement, Prima Scriptura won the day and has become normative.
Interestingly, the 39 Articles themselves do not demand strict Sola Scriptura adherence. On the contrary, they state:
"Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church."
The view in the articles of religion do not leave room for any partim partim view, but it also doesn't necessitate an absolute formal sufficiency view either. For example, I believe in the material sufficiency of Scripture, and this Article would definitely allow for that. That being said, nowhere in the Article does it demand Sola Scriptura.
All this to say, I have a video coming out tomorrow responding to The Other Paul and River Devereux on their defense of Sola Scriptura. I will be defending the authority of the Church to bind the conscience of Christians with authority. I hope to demonstrate that if you hold Scripture as preserved throughout time reliably, you have no reason to believe that the oral tradition will lack divine protection.
This is the first video reflection for the Great Fast.
Welcome to the Mere Catholicity Locals Community! Here, you will find like-minded Christians with a desire to live ecumenically and pursue Christ in all things.
The Mere Catholicity movement runs only through listener support. The work that I (Jonah) do requires time and money. Without the financial support of my Locals community, I would not be able to continue making content. Simple as that. It is only thanks to this group that I can continue providing you with content that (hopefully) both edifies and challenges!
The good news for you is that joining the community itself is completely FREE! Once you sign up, you will be able to see most posts, live streams, and even content posted by other users. However, you will only be able to observe. You will not be able to comment, post, or see any exclusive content. This might be a good way to see if you want to support later down the line. So please join! Even if you cannot afford to give at this time!
Now, for those who do wish to give ...
Friends - as I consider the various platforms that I operate, I find Substack to the most conducive to the model of online ministry that I am aiming for. Though I still plan to post here, as many of you still support me through this platform, Substack is where I will be focusing the majority of my time. If some of you wish to move your subscription from here to Substack, you are welcome to do that. Those who continue to support here, I will continue to post here — mostly the stuff that is behind the paywall on Substack so that you are getting the exclusive content regardless of where you are subscribed.
Hope you all are doing well. Lord bless you.
- Rev. Jonah
I've been gone again for a time preparing for my ordination. I was ordained a Deacon in the Holy Catholic Church on March 8th, 2025.
It was a joy beyond words. I am now back in full swing with ministry, media, and work.
I hope you all have been doing well. More to come soon.
Good morning everyone. I wanted to quickly update you on the Mere Catholicity Podcast. I’ve been posting videos on my channel, but it has been quite sometime since my channel has had a podcast episode release.
With my new job as a classical teacher, scheduling interviews has been a challenge. However, my plan is to use my summer breaks as time to double down on planning and recording new podcasts. The idea will be to record a ton of interviews that will then slowly release throughout the school year, expiring around the time the following summer arrives. This will ultimately result in a consistent once a month interview.
All that to say, the podcast will resume here in May or June of 2025 with some excellent interviews lined up!
Blessings on your Sunday!
