The Problem of Sola Scriptura and Sexual Ethics

Just because you have a Bible verse, doesn’t mean you have theology.

Sola scriptura (Scripture Alone) may be a necessary critique when councils, churches, and Christian communities get carried away by the tides of political and cultural influence. (*aka. my field of sexual ethics). However, it has also served to isolate the individual from the broader Christian tradition and given credence to a proliferation of unhelpful ideas that claim the title of "Christian" (aka. the Crusades, Nazi Germany, the Spanish Conquest of South America).

"Protestantism was characterized by a belief – a radical, liberating, yet dangerous belief – that scripture is clear enough for ordinary Christians to understand and apply without the need for a classical education, philosophical or theological expertise, clerical guidance, or ecclesiastical tradition, in confident expectation that difficult passages will be illuminated by clearer ones.”
- Alistair McGrath (p.4)

Just because you have a verse, does not mean you have theology.

As one of my former mentors, Kevin James Bywater often said, "context is king!" when it comes to biblical interpretation.

Unfortunately, the problem of protestant context has accelerated with modern social media trends. Viral posts are more likely to reflect a misappropriation of texts that agree with mainstream cultural norms instead of reflecting a thoughtful engagement with the Christian tradition. Some may have nothing at all to do with the Christian faith beyond a misunderstanding of its sacred texts.

This can be true of entire faith communities today, just as it was true in the days of Martin Luther. However, the response of turning toward scripture individually without also honoring the historical Christian community of faith may lead to an epistemology of populism: power and influence become the ultimate arbiter of "God's truth." Karl Barth's reflection on Christian support for Nazi Germany shows the dangers of this approach to theology. It is easily misappropriated in support of values that are blatantly anti-Christ.

Let's just say this is a major reason why I chose to attend a protestant seminary with an emphasis on biblical languages and theology. A majority of influencers in my field of sexual ethics either re-iterate unquestioned "historical" positions, or pick and choose whatever they personally want to see in the text. However, a historical misunderstanding of the Bible cannot be corrected by a modern misappropriation.

The more I study the historical and theological context of this conversation, the more I see a lack of clarity around Christian teachings on sexuality since the earliest days of the faith (more often an intentional distortion, driven by fear). However, I am also deeply concerned by the imposition of a modern lens onto the biblical texts. The roots of this problem run deep - all the way back the very beginning. But they are not impossible to unravel or transplant into better soil. As a starting point, I recommend checking out the “ONE FLESH Bible study series” from this summer.

Christianity is not just an individual set of beliefs...it is an ancient tradition in conversation (and sometimes in conflict) with itself. Theologians, biblical scholars, and teachers of sexual ethics who refuse to recognize their own historical and cultural situation might do little more than perpetuate popular opinions at the cost of truth.

#SolaScriptura #theology #sexualethics #truth #epistemology #karlbarth