Sola scriptura (Latin ablative, "by scripture alone") is the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Consequently, sola scriptura demands that only those doctrines are to be admitted or confessed that are found directly within or indirectly by using valid logical deduction or valid deductive reasoning from scripture. However, sola scriptura is not a denial of other authorities governing Christian life and devotion. Rather, it simply demands that all other authorities are subordinate to, and are to be corrected by, the written word of God. Sola scriptura was a foundational doctrinal principle of the Protestant Reformation held by the Reformers and is a formal principle of Protestantism today.


By contrast, the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches teach that the Scriptures are not the only infallible source of Christian doctrine. For them Scripture is but one of three equal authorities; the other two being Sacred Tradition and the episcopacy. These churches also believe that the Church has authority to establish or restrict interpretation of Scriptures because, in part, it implicitly selected which books were to be in the biblical canon through its traditions, whereas Protestants believe the Church passively recognized and received the books that were already widely considered canonical.


Sola scriptura is one of the five solas, considered by some Protestant groups to be the theological pillars of the Reformation.[2] The key implication of the principle is that interpretations and applications of the Scriptures do not have the same authority as the Scriptures themselves; hence, the ecclesiastical authority is viewed as subject to correction by the Scriptures, even by an individual member of the Church.


Luther said, "a simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it". The intention of the Reformation was to correct the perceived errors of the Catholic Church by appeal to the uniqueness of the Bible's authority and to reject what Catholics considered to be Apostolic Tradition as a source of original authority alongside the Bible, wherever Tradition did not have biblical support or where it supposedly contradicted Scripture.


Sola scriptura, however, does not ignore Christian history and tradition when seeking to understand the Bible. Rather, it sees the Bible as the only final authority in matters of faith and practice. As Martin Luther said, "The true rule is this: God's Word shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel can do so."[3]
The term heretical is commonly used by Protestants who denounce teachings and institutions that they accordingly view as deviating from Scripture.




According to sola scriptura, the Church does not speak infallibly in its traditions, but only in Scripture. As John Wesley stated in the 18th century, "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church."[28] For this reason, sola scriptura is called the formal cause or principle of the Reformation.

Protestants argue that the Scriptures are guaranteed to remain true to their divine source; and, thus, only insofar as the Church retains scriptural faith is it assured of God's favor. Following such an argument, if the Church were to fall away from faith through Scripture (a possibility which Roman Catholics deny but Protestants affirm), its authority would be negated. Therefore, the early Protestants argued for the elimination of traditions and doctrines they believed were based on distortions of Scripture, or were contrary to the Bible, but which the Roman Catholic Church considered scripturally-based aspects of the Christian faith, such as transubstantiation (John 6:51), the doctrine of purgatory (1 Cor 3:15), the veneration of images or icons (Numbers 21:8), and especially the doctrine that the Pope in Rome is the head of the Church on earth (Papal supremacy) (John 21:17).


-----just some excerpts from wikipedia, there is alot more info on WHY sola scripture was considered so very important.

fascinating stuff that gets you thinking. sola scriptura was not meant as a weapon against the RCC or to harm it, it was meant as a tool of reform that the church badly needed. the church responded violently seeing it as an attack on its authority and power, it denied it needed any reform and demanded obedience. hence the great split or schism.

i believe if the church had humbled itself, examined itself and cleaned house, no split would have happened. in my view the church brought it on itself.

not unlike a person claiming to be a christian who is confronted by other christians for their unchristian behavior. the person can examine themselves and repent of their errors or can get mad and say go to hell to the confronters. the RCC said in effect go to hell to those challenging it.

as i said, it is fascinating and would in a way be humorous or silly if not for all the people excommunicated, imprisoned, tortured or burned for daring to question the church.

very sad, very, very sad time.