R. C. Sproul has it wrong.

I just spent a few hours with a recording of him...again.

I had been given a cd of Dr. Sprouls speech to the Shepards Conference a few years ago. I had listened through the entire hour once back then, and he addressed the Catholic practice of indulgences and the Lateran Church Relics in an outright attack on RCC Doctrine and Trents councils published practice for receiving indulgences. 3 years ago...not having researched Trents documentation at all, he had a convincing argument against the RCC's practice. He quoted several Trent documents directly with what sounded like accuracy, and certainly, most undeniably, Dr. Sprouls talent and articulation of public speaking added to a high level of perceived credibility to his Lutheran points of attack.

So this week I loaded that speech into itunes, and sat down with some resources on Trent from the Vatican. It didnt take long to uncover why Dr. Sproul turned down a direct debate offer from Robert Sungenis. which is summarized by Mr. Sungenis as follows:

"Upon receiving the letter, Sproul had his secretary call me. She said he was simply too busy to engage in a formal debate, citing his many activities: books, radio, tapes, and so on. I asked her to tell Sproul that if he is going to travel the country accusing Catholics of heresy, he should stop hiding behind his schedule and engage with some respectable opponents who can answer his claims. After all, I said, 1 Peter 3:15 commands us to "give an answer of the hope that is in you to everyone that asks."

Not receiving a return call, I wrote Sproul another letter asking him to reconsider. I also asked that if he maintained his option not to debate, to let us know in writing rather than have his secretary call us. That he did. (See sidebar.)

In reading the letter I was immediately struck by the two-sided answer he gave. First, he attributed his incapacity to debate to the board of Ligonier Ministries, which apparently does not let him out but twice a year. I'm sure, however, that if Sproul really wanted to debate us he could. The second answer probably gives the real reason for his reluctance. He says that the "speaking committee doesn't see the value of my being involved in a debate on sola fide, and I am in agreement with the committee's decision." Here is a man who has spent virtually half his life attacking the Catholic view of justification and now has the audacity to say he doesn't see any "value" in being involved in such a debate."

Sprouls well delivered verbal painting that we can buy indulgences for days off in purgatory were actually dealt with by Trent directly, and are shown to be false.

I think its time someone take him on. I plan to do a podcast on this specific attack by Dr. Sproul, then hopefully some unsuspecting victim will catch our truth before falling for his false conclusion and incomplete research.