One of the main points of the Protestant Reformation stating that the Bible—not the church and its traditions— is the only authority for what Christians should believe and practice.
What is Sola Scriptura?
A manual of religious instruction that summarizes the Catholic Church's doctrine
What is a catechism?
In addition to direct statements of Scripture and inferences from them, this is another way in which we determine what God wants us to do.
What are the examples of practices of Jesus and the disciples?
The legal burden of proof required to affirm a conviction in a criminal case.
What is beyond a reasonable doubt?
A statement that expresses opinions, preferences, values, feelings, and judgments.
What is a subjective truth claim?
A 16th century German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor who was critical to the Protestant Reformation
Who is Martin Luther?
The teaching that bishops represent a direct, uninterrupted line of continuity from the first Apostles of Jesus Christ
What is the Apostolic Succession?
A conclusion that must be true if the premise or fact on which it is based is taken to be true.
What is a [necessary] inference?
Objective truth claims are always true.
What is false?
"Alabama Crimson Tide is the best college football team in the nation" is this kind of claim.
What is a subjective truth claim?
A Christian movement that intended to restore the practices and beliefs of the first Christians
What is Christian Primitivism?
The doctrine that the pope, acting as supreme teacher and under certain conditions, cannot err when he teaches in matters of faith or morals
What is [papal] infallibility?
Since the Ten Commandments are meant to shape behavior rather than simply acknowledge it, they are these type of statements
What are prescriptive?
A statement that can be proven or disproven based on factual evidence and does not depend on personal feelings, opinions, or beliefs.
What is an objective truth claim?
"When at sea level, water boils at 100o Celsius", is this type of claim
What is an objective truth claim?
According to Christian Primitivism, the Bible plus this is the standard of authority for Christian faith and practice
What is nothing?
In addition to the Catholic church, what other major religious denomination claims adherence to the Apostolic Succession?
What is the Orthodox Church?
In addition to a specific component, the statement "when at the store please get us something for dessert" has this type of component.
What is a generic component?
A late 20th-century movement characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason.
What is postmodernism?
A claim that is undercut by its own criteria.
What is a self-refuting claim?
The study of the methods or principles of interpretation (e.g. of the Bible)
What is hermeneutics?
A term used to refer to the pope and the bishops who jointly exercise the authority to teach and interpret the Scripture
What is the Magisterium?
"Have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living." According to this type of reasoning, we conclude that in some sense, Isaac and Jacob are currently alive.
What is [necessary] inference?
A European intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries centered on the idea that reason is the primary source of authority and legitimacy.
What is the Enlightenment?
The doctrine that there are no absolute truths in ethics and that what is morally right or wrong varies from person to person or from society to society.
What is [ethical] relativism?