Editing Sola scriptura (section)

== History ==
[[File:William of Ockham.png|thumb|260x260px|William of Ockham foreshadowed Luther's view of {{lang|la|sola scriptura}}.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Thiel |first=John E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IZ5CelJGUYEC&dq=William+of+Ockham+sola+scriptura&pg=PA18 |title=Senses of Tradition: Continuity and Development in Catholic Faith |date=2000-09-21 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-535031-9 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Heath |first=J. M. F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LfunhfdzJskC&dq=William+of+Ockham+sola+scriptura&pg=PA22 |title=Paul's Visual Piety: The Metamorphosis of the Beholder |date=2013-05-02 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-966414-6 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last1=McGregor |first1=Peter John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zOFaEAAAQBAJ&dq=William+of+Ockham+protestant&pg=PT101 |title=Healing Fractures in Contemporary Theology |last2=Rowland |first2=Tracey |date=2022-01-20 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn=978-1-7252-6610-0 |language=en}}</ref>]]
[[Augustine of Hippo]] is frequently cited by Protestants as a [[Church Fathers|Church Father]] who espoused the doctrine of ''sola scriptura''. The following is a passage in Augustine's letter (82) to [[Jerome]], which is given as evidence for Augustine's adherence to the notion that Scripture is of a uniquely infallible authority in contrast to the writings of all other men. It is also noteworthy that Augustine attributes his view to Jerome.<blockquote>I admit to your Charity that it is from those books alone of the Scriptures, which are now called canonical, that I have learned to pay them such honor and respect as to believe most firmly that not one of their authors has erred in writing anything at all. If I do find anything in those books which seems contrary to truth, I decide that either the text is corrupt, or the translator did not follow what was really said, or that I failed to understand it. But, when I read other authors, however eminent they may be in sanctity and learning, I do not necessarily believe a thing is true because they think so, but because they have been able to convince me, either on the authority of the canonical writers or by a probable reason which is not inconsistent with truth. And I think that you, my brother, feel the same way; moreover, I say, I do not believe that you want your books to be read as if they were those of Prophets or Apostles, about whose writings, free of all error, it is unlawful to doubt.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Letters, Volume 1 (1-82) |publisher=Catholic University of America Press |year=1951 |isbn=9780813215563 |editor-last=Parsons |editor-first=Wilfrid |location=Washington, D.C. |pages=392}}</ref></blockquote>Protestants also argue that Augustine professes the sufficiency of Scripture in this sentence from ''[[On Christian Doctrine]]'', "among the things that are plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern faith and the manner of life".<ref>{{Cite book |title=Augustine: On Christian Doctrine and Selected Introductory Works |publisher=B&H Publishing Group |year=2022 |isbn=9781087770314 |editor-last=George |editor-first=Timothy |location=Nashville |pages=54}}</ref>

In the 14th century, [[Marsilius of Padua]]{{efn|Rendered in {{langx|la|Marsiglius}}; and in {{langx|it|Marsilio da Padova}} }} believed that the only authority for a Christian is the scriptures, instead of the pope.{{sfn|Schaff|1998|pp=61–69}} The same point was made by [[John Wycliffe]] who foreshadowed the {{lang|la|sola scriptura}} doctrine in the 14th century.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Wycliffe condemned as a heretic {{!}} History Today |url=https://www.historytoday.com/archive/john-wycliffe-condemned-heretic |website=www.historytoday.com}}</ref>

[[Johann Ruchrat von Wesel]], [[Wessel Gansfort]] and [[Johannes von Goch]] also foreshadowed{{efn|name="Schaff quote"}} the Protestant view of {{lang|la|sola scriptura}}: they viewed the scripture as being the only infallible authority and denied the authority of the pope or the church as infallible.{{sfn|Schaff|1998|pp=550–552}} [[Peter Abelard]] believed that human reason was a means of understanding the scriptures, instead of submitting to everything the Catholic Church defines.<ref>{{Cite book |last=dePrater |first=William A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rXLDCAAAQBAJ&dq=Peter+Abelard+reformation&pg=PA37 |title=God Hovered Over the Waters: The Emergence of the Protestant Reformation |date=2015-03-25 |publisher=Wipf and Stock |isbn=978-1-4982-0454-5 |pages=37 |language=en}}</ref>

Some elements of sola-scriptura are also foreshadowed by [[William of Ockham]] and [[Girolamo Savonarola]].<ref name=":3" />{{sfn|Schaff|1998|p=258}}<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />