Patrick Madrid leads a team of three Catholic apologists, including Dr. William Marshner and Bob Sungenis, against a three-man team of Protestant apologists: Dr. Robert Godfrey (Calvinist; president of Westminster Theological Seminary, Escondido), Dr. Rod Rosenbladt (Lutheran; professor of theology, Scripture, and apologetics at Concordia University), and Dr. Michael Horton (Reformed Episcopalian; author and host of "The White Horse Inn" radio show).

 

The first day of debate (four hours) was on the question of sola scriptura. The Protestant side did its best to defend this Reformation theory, offering an articulate but ultimately incoherent set of arguments for the notion of the sufficiency of Scripture.

The Catholic team countered with a devastating biblical and historical critique of sola scriptura, showing that "Scripture alone" is utterly unbiblical and alien to historic Christianity. It is not what Christ or the Apostles taught, it was not believed or taught by the early Church, and it has wrought incalculable theological damage and division within Protestantism over the last 500 years.

The second day of debate focused on the Reformation slogan of sola fide (Latin: justification by faith alone). Again, the Protestant team labored to vindicate their belief. Arguing primarily from Scripture, they attempted to demonstrate that we are justified by faith alone, and that the Catholic teaching on justification and salvation is "unbiblical."

The Catholic team offered a robust critique of sola fide, showing from Scripture and the early Church that this pivotal Reformation principle is alien to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Powerful, dramatic, challenging, and grace-filled! A must-listen debate for all serious students of Catholic apologetics.