The Epistle of First Rod

If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear Dr. Rod Rosenbladt speak, you’re missing out. Dr. Rosenbladt is Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Apologetics at Concordia University-Irvine, and co-host of the radio program The White Horse Inn.

Dr. Rosenbladt recently made four separate appearances on Issues, Etc.™, discussing the four Solas of the reformation. The following quote is from the fourth show on Sola Scriptura. While the quote gives you some idea of Dr. Rosenbladt’s wit and character, you really have to hear him to get the full effect.

Host Todd Wilken:

How would you respond to someone who says "Look, Sola Scriptura sounds great, but in fact, it really is putting God in a box, or God in a book. You’re limiting the voice of the Spirit." And we hear this from both charismatic types and from theological liberals.

Dr. Rosenbladt:

Sigh. Putting God in a box is a popularized piece of bad philosophy. Usually if you scratch that there’s nothing underneath it. What you want to find out is whether what Scripture says is true, whether it’s sufficient, and whether it’s "only." If you come to that conclusion, then all your meanderings, that you believe that the ethers and the spirits have given you, are to be judged by the text of Scripture and nothing else. You will never be able to verify that your latest dream is on the level of Holy Scripture. In fact, if I come to you with the book of First Rod, you should throw me out. That is, there’s nothing behind the book of First Rod. The last apostle who could have authenticated it is dead. His name was John. So if I write the inspired book 2,000 years later, sorry, you cannot get authentication for it, you should reject me.

You can listen to the entire Issues, Etc.™ show here: