The Arguments of Romanists from the Infallibility of the Church and the Testimony of the Fathers in Behalf of the Apocrypha

The Arguments Of Romanists From The Infallibility Of The Church And The Testimony Of The Fathers In Behalf Of The Apocrypha by James H. Thornwell is a polemical 1844 treatise written amid a heated Protestant–Catholic controversy in the United States. Thornwell argues that the Apocrypha are not inspired scripture and that Papal infallibility is untenable, defending Protestant canon and private judgment. Structured as a sequence of Letters I–VI, the work critiques Council of Trent claims, unwritten tradition, and papal authority, while emphasizing the sufficiency and self-authenticating nature of Scripture. It engages Catholic interlocutors such as Dr. Lynch and honors Rev. Robert J. Breckenridge, situating the debate within broader questions of canon, authority, and scripture. The analysis covers the Old and New Testaments, patristic testimony, and historical councils, arguing that early Fathers and Jewish canons do not substantiate infallible ecclesiastical power. The tone is combative, scholarly, and historical, aiming to uphold private judgment and the Protestant understanding of canon and inspiration.