Into the Wardrobe

This is really picking up on some things from another thread. Rusmeister tells me he was raised a Baptist and is now Orthodox. He rejects the doctrine of sola scrptura. I want to suggest that the doctrine he is rejecting is not the classic reformed doctrine of sola scriptura at all, but the modern evangelical doctrine which sometimes goes by the same name. According to this modern doctine scripture, as interpreted by the individual, is the only authority in matters of faith and doctrine. According to the reformers who originally coined the term sola scriptura, scripture, when interpreted by the Church in the context of the rule of faith, is the final authority in such matters. It's a subtle difference but it means that the reformed doctrine was not in fact out of step with the traditional teaching of the Church both in the East and in the West whereas the modern doctrine, sometimes called solo scriptura is not only out of step with tradition but is incoherent. I think we could have a fruitful discussion about this, since many people of diverse traditions and approaches are represented in these forums.

Shouldn't this be in another subforum? "General Christianity", perhaps?

I don't see how I can get away from the responsibility of private interpretation. I am both private and an interpreter. Having an infallible Church doesn't help. First, I must privately decide if it is infallible (and how can I possibly know that, being fallible myself?), and then I must make sense of what it teaches.