This will the last installment of Part V. I could go on, and there are other interesting statements made by more modern clerics in the Eastern and Roman tradition that affirm similar things. But I’m not going to get into those. You can contact me and I’ll send those sources if you’re interested. At the end here, we will jump forward to the High Middle Ages and look at some of Aquinas’ statements. Aquinas is a giant in the West and worthy of mention as I am son of the Western Church and her patrimony.

Theodoret of Cyrus (Cyrrhus)

“Do not, I beg you, bring in human reason. I shall yield to scripture alone.” (Theodoret, Dialogue 1)

Theodoret is speaking as multiple characters concerning various heresies. And the character defending the orthodox position is called Orthodoxos. He is the one who makes the statement above.

Augustine

“I have learned to yield this respect and honour only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error. And if in these writings I am perplexed by anything which appears to me opposed to truth, I do not hesitate to suppose that either the manuscript is faulty, or the translator has not caught the meaning of what was said, or I myself have failed to understand it. As to all other writings, in reading them, however great the superiority of the authors to myself in sanctity and learning, I do not accept their teaching as true on the mere ground of the opinion being held by them; but only because they have succeeded in convincing my judgment of its truth either by means of these canonical writings themselves, or by arguments addressed to my reason.” (Augustine, Letter 82, Ch. 1, Section 3)

Where’s the authority of Rome in this? Where’s the sacred Tradition?

“Better far that I should read with certainty and persuasion of its truth the Holy Scripture, placed on the highest (even the heavenly) pinnacle of authority, and should, without questioning the trustworthiness of its statements…” (Letter 82, Ch. 2, Section 5)

Here Augustine is writing to Jerome about the trustworthiness of Scripture which tells us of Peter’s denial of the gospel, and Paul’s rebuke of him. Augustine affirms that canonical Scriptures have higher authority for him than all other writings. And he even affirms that Scripture is placed at the pinnacle of authority. Not on a level playing field. Not as part of a larger Tradition. Not with the same authority as the successors of the Apostles. But at the pinnacle of authority, and not at the expense of lesser authorities. Augustine is known for conveying the idea of rightly ordered love. Here he is talking about rightly ordered authority.

See him say something similar in another letter:

“For the reasonings of any men whatsoever, even though they be Catholics, and of high reputation, are not to be treated by us in the same way as the canonical Scriptures are treated. We are at liberty, without doing any violence to the respect which these men deserve, to condemn and reject anything in their writings, if perchance we shall find that they have entertained opinions differing from that which others or we ourselves have, by the divine help, discovered to be the truth. I deal thus with the writings of others, and I wish my intelligent readers to deal thus with mine.” (Augustine, Letter 148, Ch. 4, Section 15)

Augustine preserves the honor due to godly men who may perhaps be mistaken in their teachings. And he goes on to say his own writings ought to be judged as a lesser authority than the writings of Scripture.

Thomas Aquinas

“All the intermediaries through which faith comes to us are above suspicion. We believe the prophets and apostles because the Lord has been their witness by performing miracles, as Mark (16:20) says: “…and confirming the word with signs that followed.” And we believe the successors of the apostles and prophets only in so far as they tell us those things which the apostles and prophets have left in their writings.”(Quaestiones disputatae de veritate Q14. Article 10. Reply 11)

Aquinas says that we only believe the successors of the apostles and prophets only in so far as they tell us those things which they left for us in their writings, which is The Scriptures.

“…although the argument from authority based on human reason is the weakest, yet the argument from authority based on divine revelation is the strongest. But sacred doctrine makes use even of human reason, not, indeed, to prove faith (for thereby the merit of faith would come to an end), but to make clear other things that are put forward in this doctrine. Since therefore grace does not destroy nature but perfects it, natural reason should minister to faith as the natural bent of the will ministers to charity. Hence the Apostle says: “Bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Hence sacred doctrine makes use also of the authority of philosophers in those questions in which they were able to know the truth by natural reason, as Paul quotes a saying of Aratus: “As some also of your own poets said: For we are also His offspring” (Acts 17:28). Nevertheless, sacred doctrine makes use of these authorities as extrinsic and probable arguments; but properly uses the authority of the canonical Scriptures as an incontrovertible proof, and the authority of the doctors of the Church as one that may properly be used, yet merely as probable. For our faith rests upon the revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical books, and not on the revelations (if any such there are) made to other doctors. Hence Augustine says (Epis. ad Hieron. xix, 1): “Only those books of Scripture which are called canonical have I learned to hold in such honor as to believe their authors have not erred in any way in writing them. But other authors I so read as not to deem everything in their works to be true, merely on account of their having so thought and written, whatever may have been their holiness and learning.” (Summa Theologica, Question 1. The Nature and Extent of Sacred Doctrine, Article 8. Whether Sacred Doctrine Is A Matter of Argument?)

Again, a strong appeal to the authority of Scripture as the standard by which we judge all other authorities.

“Now John states that his Gospel is true, and he speaks in the person of the entire Church which received it: “My mouth will utter truth” (Prv 8:7). We should note that although many have written about Catholic truth, there is a difference among them: those who wrote the canonical scriptures, such as the evangelists and apostles and the like, so constantly and firmly affirm this truth that it cannot be doubted. Thus John says, we know that his testimony is true: “If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:9). The reason for this is that only the canonical scriptures are the standard of faith. The others have set forth this truth but in such a way that they do not want to be believed except in those things in which they say what is true.” (Commentary on the Gospel of John, Part II: Chapters 21, Lecture 6, Section 2656, translated by Fabian R. Larcher, O.P. Magi Books, Inc., Albany, N.Y., 1998.)

Aquinas says only the canonical scriptures are the standard of faith.

“The sole way to overcome an adversary of divine truth is from the authority of Scripture—an authority divinely confirmed by miracles. For that which is above the human reason we believe only because God has revealed it.” (Summa Contra Gentiles, Chapter 9)

In this chapter he talks of two kinds of truths. Truths that can be arrived at by human reasoning, and truths that come from faith. And that faith perfects reason. But that we believe these things of faith because God has revealed it.