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The Reformation : The 5 Solas Of The Reformation

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In 1517, Martin Luther forever changed the Church when he posted his 95 Theses on the door of a German church and started the reformation. Deriving from this act, the 5 Solas of the reformation were formed. The Solas rewrote the way churches were to present the salvation of Christ to the congregation by striping down centuries of tradition to return to a form of early Christianity. Of the 5 Solas, Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone, is arguably the most important to the whole reformation movement. Reformers taught that scripture, being the Word of God, must be elevated to the highest position of the Church, above all other teachings or traditions. Sola Scriptura is the well thought out Protestant idea that Holy Scripture is the highest authority for the Christian community, and can withstand the criticism from other denominations. Sola Scripture (Latin means “By Scripture Alone”1) is the reformation idea that scripture is the highest and final authority for the Christian Church. This idea was formed by Martin Luther and other reformation theologians, like Calvin, Zwingli, and Tyndale, to combat the Catholic Church’s heavy use of traditions not found in the Bible.1 Sola Scriptura was a call to return to an earlier time when scripture was set higher than church traditions.4 Reformers saw a need for the individual believer to study scripture and experience divine revelation apart from the Church. They didn’t believe it was right for the Catholic Church to have complete

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