Tuesday, January 27, 2009

What Still Divides Us

Tops on my wish list! What Still Divides Us

Held at a large Evangelical Protestant church in Southern California, this historic debate was attended by some 1600 people, most of whom were cheering for the Protestant side.

Patrick Madrid leads a team of three Catholic apologists, including Dr. William Marshner and Bob Sungenis, against a three-man team of Protestant apologists: Dr. Robert Godfrey (Calvinist; president of Westminster Theological Seminary, Escondido), Dr. Rod Rosenbladt (Lutheran; professor of theology, Scripture, and apologetics at Concordia University), and Dr. Michael Horton (Reformed Episcopalian; author and host of "The White Horse Inn" radio show).
The first day of debate (four hours) was on the question of sola scriptura. The Protestant side did its best to defend this Reformation theory, offering an articulate but ultimately incoherent set of arguments for the notion of the sufficiency of Scripture.

The Catholic team countered with a devastating biblical and historical critique of sola scriptura, showing that "Scripture alone" is utterly unbiblical and alien to historic Christianity. It is not what Christ or the Apostles taught, it was not believed or taught by the early Church, and it has wrought incalculable theological damage and division within Protestantism over the last 500 years.

The second day of debate focused on the Reformation slogan of sola fide (Latin: justification by faith alone). Again, the Protestant team labored to vindicate their belief. Arguing primarily from Scripture, they attempted to demonstrate that we are justified by faith alone, and that the Catholic teaching on justification and salvation is "unbiblical."

The Catholic team offered a robust critique of sola fide, showing from Scripture and the early Church that this pivotal Reformation principle is alien to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Powerful, dramatic, challenging, and grace-filled! A must-listen debate for all serious students of Catholic apologetics.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good morning!
I plan to listen to this debate.
Surprised By Truth is selling it for $50, but White Horse Inn is selling it for $15! If it's the same debate and is being sold by both sides of the argument, why do you suppose the prices are so different? Just curious. Can't wait to hear it. Found your nice blog thru Joseph's.

Soutenus said...

$15.00! That is great. I have no idea the reason for the cost difference. Let me know if you get the full debate.
Wow! What a find!

Patrick Madrid said...

If I had to guess, I am told that it's because the WHI refuses to sell the complete 8 discs of the 2-day debate (approximately 8 hours worth). Instead of making the entire, unedited debate available, I understand that the they will only sell a heavily redacted 2-hour version. Draw your own conclusions.

I have always and only carried the complete, unedited version.

You can also purchase the digital download version, much less expensively, here: http://www.surprisedbytruth.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=120

Thanks.

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