Final Parry and New Topic

If you aren't Orthodox, then argue from your own position.

Fair enough. My position is close to that of the Anglicans. They have a three-legged approach which includes Scripture, Tradition and Reason. I, with the Orthodox, place Scripture in the context of Tradition, but I can't divorce my own reason from the equation. However, I don't place my Reason on par with Tradition although it was Reason (and, I hope, the Holy Spirit) which led me to submit, for the most part, to Tradition.

The problem with that argument is that the writings of the church Fathers are open to interpretation themselves.

Good point. When I say Tradition, I'm not talking about this or that Father of the Church. I'm talking about them all together, the councils usually. Even Scripture occasionally seems to contradict itself (as in the writings of St. Paul and St. James on works and faith). The key is to take them as a unified whole, not as separate voices.

I don't know if we've arrived at a middle ground. I think these two viewpoints are mutually exclusive. I remember, though, reading an article by a Roman Catholic regarding Ecumenical discussions. He said that, invariably, the first issue to come up is what we've been discussing. The root issue, he said is the fidelity of God in transmitting Truth to His people. Evangelicals believe it is done through Scripture, the RCC through Scripture interpreted ex cathedra by the Holy Father and the Orthodox through Holy Tradition. Ultimately, though, we can agree that God has things He means for us to Know.

Mooooooving on......what do you want to do next? Genesis and Original Sin? Mary and Saints? Whether or not God hates figs?