The phrase sola scriptura is used, in an abstract sense, to indicate the authority which a given Christian group gives to the Scriptures. However, it is enlightening to time actual usage in particular congregations: i.e. take a stopwatch with you and time:
- How much time is spent actually reading Scripture
- How much time spent commenting directly on that scripture
- how much time spent conveying the group’s traditions
- how much time spent conveying the speaker’s own opinion
In my experience, by this measure the Catholic mass is often closer to sola scriptura than the average service at some evangelical congregation.