Loading the studies…

Beliefs, practices and traditions in the light of Scripture

Catholicism, the Reformation, Protestant Christianity and Judaism, each examined point by point with the Scriptures open: what they get right, and what Scripture doesn't support.

Most of us received our faith from someone: parents, a church, a synagogue, a pastor, a priest or a rabbi. That isn't a bad thing. But Yeshua gave one measure for every teaching, whatever its source: "Well do you set aside the commandment of Elohim, so that you may keep your tradition" Mark 7:9.

In the last two modules we saw how traditions of men replaced God's instructions in much of Christianity How things changed after the apostles, and how the same thing happened in rabbinic Judaism Only Scripture: the rabbinic writings and traditions. This module goes one tradition at a time, in the order they appeared in history:

  • Catholicism: what the Catholic Church teaches, in its own words, and what Scripture says.
  • Martin Luther and the Reformation: the good, the bad and the ugly. What he got right, what he missed, and what went wrong with the Jewish people.
  • Protestant Christianity: what most Protestant churches teach, and what Scripture says.
  • Judaism: what rabbinic Judaism teaches, and what Scripture says.

How to read this module

Each lesson begins with what that tradition holds that Scripture does support. Then comes an invitation to make an honest inventory: what have you been taught, or what have you been teaching? Write it down, and go through it point by point with the Scriptures open.

We examine teachings, not people. There are sincere, devoted people in every one of these traditions, and many of us came from them. Each tradition is described in its own words, from its own official or standard sources, so that no one is misrepresented.

And the same rule applies to us. Don't take our word for anything. Trust no man, including us Jeremiah 17:5. Do what the Bereans did: search the Scriptures to see whether these things are so Acts 17:11. Test everything, and hold fast to what is good 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

Lessons

Related studies

Open in the study app