Why do people debate over Sola Scriptura and Church Fathers?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

The debate over Sola Scriptura versus Holy Tradition (the Church Fathers) is the fundamental dividing line between the Coptic Orthodox Church and Protestantism. The conflict exists because these two systems rely on completely different foundations for how a person knows the Truth.

Here is why the debate persists and the Coptic Orthodox stance on these issues:

1. The Source of Authority

• Protestant View: They argue that the Bible is the only infallible authority. They claim that the Church Fathers were just men who could—and did—make mistakes. Therefore, they believe every individual has the right to read the Bible and decide for themselves what it means.
• Coptic Orthodox View: We believe that the Holy Spirit did not stop working after the last book of the Bible was written. The Church is the "pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). We do not read the Bible in a vacuum; we read it through the eyes of those who received it from the Apostles. The Church Fathers, such as St. Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Cyril of Alexandria, are the legitimate interpreters of the Word because they maintained the "mind of Christ."

2. The Definition of "Tradition"

Protestants often confuse Holy Tradition with "traditions of men" that Christ condemned.

• The Conflict: Protestants cite verses where Jesus rebukes the Jews for their man-made rules. However, the Coptic Church distinguishes between customs (which can change) and Holy Tradition (the unchanging faith delivered to the saints).
• The Truth: As seen in the history of the early Church, the "Alexandrian Canon" and the development of the Creed were not innovations, but the Church defining what she had always believed. Without the Church Fathers to "stand in the breach" (as seen in the writings of Barsanuphius and John of Gaza), the faith would have been lost to heretical distortions.

3. The Problem of Disunity

The most practical reason for this debate is the result of Sola Scriptura. Because Protestants rejected the Church Fathers, they lost the "standard" of interpretation. This has led to:

• Thousands of different denominations, all claiming the Bible supports their specific (and often contradictory) views.
• The loss of the Sacraments (Mysteries), such as the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
• A "distortion of Christ," where Christianity is seen only as a "sum of theoretical and moral positions" rather than a "new life of saved humanity" (as noted by St. Hilarion Troitsky).

4. The Role of the Incarnation

A major theological point of debate is how we view the work of Christ. The Church Fathers emphasized the Incarnation—that God became man so that man might be deified (receive the life of God).

• Heretics and Protestants often focus heavily on legalistic or "theoretical" interpretations of salvation.
• Coptic Orthodoxy maintains that the Church is a hospital where we receive healing through the Sacraments. The Church Fathers are the "physicians" who passed down the "medicine of immortality."

Conclusion

The debate exists because Sola Scriptura allows for a "private interpretation" that can change with the culture or the individual's feelings. The Coptic Orthodox Church stands firm on the foundation of the Fathers because the Truth does not change. As St. Athanasius said, "Let us look at the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic [Universal] Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave, the Apostles preached, and the Fathers kept."