October 31st, 1517. A Day that will live in Infamy. This is the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the University of Wittenberg Church in Germany. This cataclysmic event brought forth the entire Protestant Reformation, and the second major wave of people abandoning the Catholic Church, after the Great Schism of 1054 AD. The split of 1054 AD was more of a political divide than a theological divide, although certainly, theological issues concerning the Filioque and Papal Supremacy played a role. Vatican II reaffirmed the validity of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, as “separated brethren with valid sacraments and Apostolic priesthood.” The major difference between the schism of 1054 and the schism of 1517, was that the reformers in the 16th century sought to destroy the very basis of Church doctrine. First and foremost, this came through the rejections of the Church Fathers and the pronouncement of “Sola Scriptura.” This concept of “Sola Scriptura” highlighted that only Scripture is relevant to the teachings of the Church and that anything not contained in the Bible cannot contribute to the faith. This devolved quickly into the repudiation of transubstantiation, other widespread rejections of dogma, and promulgation of heresy. The purpose of this article, however, is only to redress the repudiation of the Church Fathers. Specifically, the teachings of “The Three Hierarchs”: St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, and St. Gregory the Great.
St. John Chrysostom, among other things, was the Archbishop of Constantinople in the late fourth century and early fifth century. Despite the political attacks and attempts to remove him from his post, he successfully defended the faith against the immorality and smut that had pervaded the Church. His sermon “On Marriage and Family Life” defends the importance of a strong household where both the father and mother work together for the betterment of the children. He writes, “The love of husband and wife is the force that welds society together. Men will take up arms and even sacrifice their lives for the sake of this love. St. Paul would not speak so earnestly about this subject without serious reason; why else would he say, ‘Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord’? Because when harmony prevails, the children are raised well, the household is kept in order, and neighbors, friends, and relatives praise the result. Great benefits, both for families and states, are thus produced. When it is otherwise, however, everything is thrown into confusion and turned upside-down. When the generals of an army are at peace with each other, everything proceeds in an orderly fashion, and when they are not, everything is in disarray. It is the same here.” In our current society where divorce rates have skyrocketed, and people care more about sexual deviance than raising a family, St. John Chrysostom’s words matter more than ever. The family is the center of all society and nothing can exist without a strong family; the lack of strong Christian families is the reason Western Europe is on the decline.
St. Basil the Great was the Bishop of Caesarea and St. Gregory the Great was the Bishop of Nazianus in the late fourth century, both writing a few decades before St. John Chrysostom. They both grew up together as close friends, and continually refuted the errors of Arianism, anti-Christian Emperor Julian, and those opposed to the Nicene Creed. Their works focused on addressing matters of theological importance and affirming the divinity of the Holy Ghost. They rejected the ideas of Arianism, the belief that Christ is not divine but instead a created being, and contributed to the finalized version of the Nicene Creed.
If we are to erroneously believe in Sola Scriptura, then not only all of the works of the Church Fathers but also the entirety of the Nicene Creed must be rejected since they were written by the Church Fathers in the fourth century; it wasn’t in the Bible. This is a ridiculous idea to believe since the Nicene Creed clearly states what we believe as Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Most protestants don’t understand that Sola Scriptura rejects all these teachings, and believe that it solely removes the hierarchical power of the Church. They are mistaken.
The interpretations of Scripture provided by “The Three Hierarchs” are instrumental to the true Christian faith. Modern-day protestants attempt to denigrate these men by accusing them of being antiquated, sexist, or anti-semitic. As was elaborated in previous articles by myself in the Torch, anyone who tries to criticize the traditions of the Church has no goodwill but instead solely tries to destroy any threat to their power. This is why the German princes so readily embraced Martin Luther in 1517, it had nothing to do with theological discussions but instead allowed them to remove themselves from the influence of the Pope. 16th-century heretics are just one example in a long list of groups such as the Pagans, Arianists, Iconoclasts, Jacobins, and Bolsheviks, who have sought to destroy the glory of the true faith. Overall, Sola Scriptura is not only heretical but is also another attempt to limit the power of the Church. Little do they know, however, that the power of the Church is not of this world, but of eternal life with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—and this is something that they can never destroy.
James “Δημήτριος” Markis is a senior at Boston College studying History, Political Science, and Ancient Civilization. He is a Greek Orthodox Christian, offering a unique perspective from the East on faith, scripture, and liturgical practices. His interests include right-wing politics, Church Fathers, and refuting Protestant heresy. His hobbies include basketball, baseball, and trivia, with the occasional adventure into the arena of chess.
- A Catholic Look at Modern Political Philosophy - October 12, 2024
- Rediscovering Christ: A Thank You - April 22, 2024
- Lost in the Wilderness: A Journey of Iconography, Prayer, & Friendship - March 20, 2024