Dei Verbum and Protestant Confusion

It has come to my attention that some Protestants in American have been writing about me and my conversion to the Catholic Church. Having been away from America for six plus years and news of my conversion being over ten months old, I find it odd that people are still seeing it as newsworthy and as something worthy of their attention. But, many live for this sort of blogger gossip and so I am happy to help them out in having something to write about. They'll be leaving some other poor soul alone then. What I find interesting is how ignorant many Protestants are about what Catholics believe and teach about Holy Scripture. One such comment about me was my 'having to throw out the authority of Scripture' in order to become a Catholic. How bizarre for "professors" of Protestant seminaries to write such things in light of how documents on Catholic teaching on Sacred Scripture are so easily googled and found. One such document being Dei Verbum and the authority of the Church in relationship to the authority of Scripture. Catholics don't give up the authority of Scripture and to make such a comment makes the commenter look quite foolish. Here is one point from Dei Verbum on this issue.

10. Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church. Holding fast to this deposit the entire holy people united with their shepherds remain always steadfast in the teaching of the Apostles, in the common life, in the breaking of the bread and in prayers (see Acts 2, 42, Greek text), so that holding to, practicing and professing the heritage of the faith, it becomes on the part of the bishops and faithful a single common effort. (7)

But the task of authentically interpreting the word of God, whether written or handed on, (8) has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church, (9) whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This teaching office is not above the word of God, but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on, listening to it devoutly, guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully in accord with a divine commission and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it draws from this one deposit of faith everything which it presents for belief as divinely revealed.

It is clear, therefore, that sacred tradition, Sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God's most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.

Now, one can readily see that any accusation that Catholics give up the authority of Holy Scripture for the authority of the Church apart from the authority of the Bible are simply confused at best and may have other 'political' purposes at worst. The document goes on to say,

Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings (5) for the sake of salvation. Therefore "all Scripture is divinely inspired and has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, for reformation of manners and discipline in right living, so that the man who belongs to God may be efficient and equipped for good work of every kind" (2 Tim. 3:16-17, Greek text).

None of this document seems to say anything about throwing out the authority of Sacred Scripture but if anyone listens carefully to the Mass and participates in faith will see that all that we do is Catholics in our liturgy is a result from the Church being immersed in Sacred Scripture. To say that Catholics give up reformational and neo-reformational views of Sola scriptura would be more accurate since such concepts are found in the deposit of faith anyway. But, Catholics do not throw out the authority of Sacred Scripture. Quite the contrary really!