[Alex Murphy]

I'd be happy to exchange pings with you, of course. I am pinging you because you often post articles about Catholicism and I appreciate your interest in my Church.

Then in the interests of respect and fairness, I'm positive you won't mind pinging all the other Protestants and non-Catholics who post articles about Catholicism, each and every time that you ping me as well!

[papertyger]

Then in the interests of respect and fairness, I'm positive you won't mind pinging all the other Protestants and non-Catholics who post articles about Catholicism, each and every time that you ping me as well!

LIke you people don't ping your myrmidons at the first sign of intelligent opposition in the first place....

[annalex]

Will do, please suggest the list of them.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

How did the Reformers try to cope with this fundamental weakness in the logical structure of their own first principles? John Calvin, usually credited with being the most systematic and coherent thinker of the Reformation, tried to justify belief in the divine authorship of the 66 books by dogmatically postulating a direct communication of this knowledge from God to the individual believer.

Huh? Calvin postulated that? No, God's holy word "postulated" that, and Calvin rightly affirmed it.

Calvin makes it clear that in saying Scripture is "self-authenticated," he does not mean to be taken literally and absolutely. He does not mean that some Bible text or other affirms that the 66 books, and they alone, are divinely inspired. As we observed in step 4 above, nobody ever could claim anything so patently false.

But that is exactly what Calvin wrote and meant and claimed and affirmed...for all those with ears to hear.

Calvin simply means that no extra-Biblical human testimony, such as that of Church tradition, is needed in order for individuals to know that these books are inspired. We can summarize his view as Proposition D: "The Holy Spirit teaches Christians individually, by a direct inward testimony, that the 66 books are inspired by God."

Isn't this exactly what the author said Calvin didn't do?

The trouble is that the Holy Spirit Himself is an extra-Biblical authority as much as a Pope or Council.

Yep. Spoken straight from Rome -- "the Holy Spirit Himself is an extra-Biblical authority."

BBWWWAAAHH!!!

Adding insult to injury, this goofy author continues to show his ignorance by actually equating in some manner or another the Holy Spirit to "a Pope" or "a Council."

And this author is attempting to show the illogic of the Protestant faith?

Illogic is believing there is "another Christ" and that there is a "Co-Redeemer" and that there is another mediator between God and men but Christ Jesus. That's illogical at best, and at worst, those words will condemn those who believe them.