[secede] -- Orthodoxy
The Protestant Reformation sought to cleanse Christianity from centuries of clerical abuses and hairsplitting legalism spawned from the bureaucracy of the Catholic church. To this end, it gradually articulated five “solas” that it hoped would bring the focus back to the individual soul —
(1) Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)
(2) Sola Fide (by Faith alone)
(3) Sola Gratia (by Grace alone)
(4) Solus Christus (Christ alone)
(5) Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone)
The first is the most problematic.
Where does the Bible come from? Who edited its books? Who decided which were canonical and which were apocryphal? Who articulated the idea of the divinely inspired and inerrant Word of God in the first place? All of these concepts come from Sacred Tradition.
Extra scriptural tradition is found even in Scripture itself. John’s gospel and the letters of Paul quote ancient hymns circulating in the early Christian community before the New Testament was even written.
Most importantly of all, Scripture plainly states that it is limited.
There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.
-John 21:25
Sacred Tradition, not Scripture, is therefore primary. The question now becomes — where is Tradition best preserved?
As of this writing, Orthodoxy is the answer. It had no Reformation. It did not neuter its liturgy and throw away hundreds of years of music and prayers like Catholicism did with Vatican II. It zealously guards its ancient icons and chants.
In 2024, many people are discovering that Western culture *is* Christianity. Sadly, Western Christianity is sick and weak. Paradoxically, those who want to save the West should start by looking East.