Recent challenges in Biblical Inerrancy debate

Whitefield Theological Seminary 1605 E Gary Rd, Lakeland, FL 33801 Joshua Ishaya Mamza S-211016 EYN LCC Masil. PO Box 100 Uba. Askira/Uba LGA Borno State (+234) 8060047221 [email protected] DCC 901-Doctrine of Scripture Doctor of Philosophy (Christian Intellectual Thought) 1 COURSE THESIS PAPER: “MODERN CHALLENGES OF INERRANCY AND RESPONSE” A Research Paper Submitted to Whitefield Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment on the Requirements for the Course DCC 901-Doctrine of Scripture Doctor of Philosophy (Christian Intellectual Thought) By Joshua Ishaya Mamza B.A., Kulp Theological Seminary (KTS), 2016 M.A., Jos Ecwa Theological Seminary, 2020 Ph.D., Whitefield Theological Seminary, Ongoing… 2 Table of content 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..4 2. Definition of terms …………………………………………………...........................4 3. Historical perspective………………………………………………………………..6 4. Modernism and biblical inerrancy……………………………………………….…8 5. Contemporary challenges to inerrancy……………………………………………10 6. Response……………………………………………………………………………..18 7. Recommendation……………………………………………………………………25 8. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….27 9. Bibliography 3 INTRODUCTION In a dispensation where truth is considered relative, many vicars preach about Christ's grace and love without addressing sin and its consequences, manifesting in His wrath, judgment, or second coming. Emphasizing the authority of the scriptures becomes crucial for people in this confusing world. In this confused generation, it seems like people don't even know what they are looking for. Reasoning, science, individualism, and technology are among the trending trends in this world, and they are giving less regard to the work of God, as prophesized by Apostle Paul: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Tim. 4:3-4) and "Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth… these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds; disapproved concerning the faith" (2 Timo. 3:7-8). Because of the generation we are in, this research topic is undoubtedly worthy of any Christian, especially missionaries. This research work contains an introduction, the meaning of inerrancy, historical perspective, Modernism and biblical inerrancy, recent challenges in inerrancy, Contemporary challenges to inerrancy, response, recommendation, and conclusion. MEANING OF INERRANCY Inerrancy has been defined in many ways, but this research work aims to focus on the challenges, so the researcher will not ponder on the meaning but rather on the scholarly work on the challenges. 4 According to Manu and Oppong, "Inerrancy comes from the word 'inerrant,' and it is defined as 'that does not err; free from error; unerring.”1 Sometimes the terms 'infallibility' and 'inerrancy' are used interchangeably. For John M. Frame, "Inerrant means there are no errors;2 infallible means there can be no errors." While for Paul Helm, "Inerrancy focuses our attention exclusively on questions of truth and falsehood, whereas the older term, infallibility, when applied to scripture, emphasizes the fact that the Bible is an unfailing guide to whoever may read it, and especially to the Christian and the church, for the purpose for which it was given."3 Moreover, according to Wayne Grudem, "the Inerrancy of scripture means that scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything contrary to fact."4 The position that the Bible is inerrant means that the Bible is free from errors, and thus, we can trust it as an authentic word of God communicated to us in human language. It must also be noted that biblical inerrancy is applied to the original manuscripts of the Bible known as the autographs: the original scripts of the Bible by the writers."5 At the beginning of the twenty-first century, prominent Neo-Evangelicals are actively involved in an attempt to redefine the term “inerrancy” away from the historic, orthodox position of the church throughout its history. Theological liberals in the early twentieth century did the very same thing to the term “infallibility.” Infallibility lost its meaning and became a meaningless term. The same is now being done with “inerrancy” in the evangelical camp by historical-critical evangelicals. This section sounds forth the warning to God’s people of those evangelicals who are attempting to redefine the term “inerrancy.” It also explains its historic, orthodox meaning and characteristics held from the earliest foundations with special attention given to the historic International Council on Biblical Inerrancy and its Chicago Statements (1978) on Biblical Inerrancy and Hermeneutics (1982) developed to combat such a drive.6 Manu, Obeng peter and Oppong, Kenneth, “biblical inerrancy: A reflection “world wide journal of multidisciplinary research and development. Ghana: WWJMRD, 2017pp. 221-226 2 Frame 13 1 3 Helm 25 Grudem 90 5 Manu, Obeng peter and Oppong, Kenneth, “biblical inerrancy: A reflection “world wide journal of multidisciplinary research and development. Ghana: WWJMRD, 2017pp. 221-226 6 Vital Issues 4 5 Since this research work is not mainly focused on the meaning, the above-established meaning in light of the scripture is enough. The next topic introduces us to the challenges of the inerrancy of the scripture from a historical perspective. Historical Perspective "The philosophical influences of the Enlightenment are to blame for undermining inerrancy. The first influence that led to modern criticism of the Bible was inductivism, led by Francis Bacon (1561–1626)."7 In the first centuries of the Christian era, Don Carson asserted that Christians engaged in detailed and protracted debates with surrounding pagans. Some of this debate revolved around the credibility of the Bible, and the focus of that debate changed with time. Traditionally, Carson pointed out that Roman Catholics have thought of the Christian revelation concerning Jesus as a deposit entrusted to the Church and best thought of in two parts: (1) Scripture and (2) Tradition. Although valuing tradition as something to be respected and evaluated, Carson said Protestants hold that the final authoritative revelation is Scripture itself. In other words, traditionally Catholics hold that Scripture tells the truth, but that complementary truth is found in extra-biblical Tradition, as determined by the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. He further maintained that Protestants hold that Scripture alone reliably tells the truth. While both Catholics and Protestants hold that Scripture tells the truth, by introducing an additional source of truth, Catholics tend to domesticate Scripture to Tradition, while by adhering exclusively to Scripture, Protestants tend to domesticate Tradition to Scripture. These distinctions are complicated by different understandings of what is included in the Canon and by complex debates regarding the sufficiency and the clarity of Scripture.8 7 F. David Farnell Edt. Vital issues in the Inerrancy debate, (WIPF and stock, Eugene, Oregon: 2015) P. 30 D.A. Carson Ed. The enduring authority of the Christian scriptures, (William B. Eerdmans: Grand Rapid, Michigan/Cambridge: 2016) P. 180 8 6 In the New Testament, the astonishing influence of F. C. Baur (1792–1860) at Tübingen University convinced many that the dating, provenance, and authenticity of the New Testament books must be determined by one criterion only, viz. where they should be placed on the axis of the developing tension between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. All countervailing evidence was dismissed as untruth, whether that untruth was prompted by error or deceit. Carson readily weathered the storms as he did not set himself against the sweep of Christian confessionalism.9 9 Ibid 7 MODERNISM AND BIBLICAL INERRANCY Modernism is one of the greatest enemies of biblical Christianity; this is otherwise referred to as Christian Liberalism, which is part of a broader religious, political, and cultural movement in (first) Europe and then America that has as its foundation a secular humanistic worldview. "The reason that historians and theologians refer to Christian Liberalism as Modernism is the fact that Christian Liberals have bought into and adopted the modern secular worldview. They have adapted their teachings to reflect the spirit of this age."10 "Some common characteristics of modernism are a belief in Darwinian evolution, statism (communism, socialism, welfare, and fascism), negative higher criticism, historical and ethical relativism, and subversive gradualism."11 The foundational issue of the ultimate authority of the Bible has become the great dividing line between Modernism and biblical Christianity. However, "the foundation of Christian Liberalism is not the Bible but mankind or more specifically the modernist scholar, church leader, or bureaucrat. The great presupposition of Modernism is a fallible Bible."12 Additionally, Christian Liberalism encompasses a fairly wide range of heretical viewpoints regarding Scripture. They argue, by their anti-supernatural presuppositions, that "the Bible is a human record of the religious evolution of Middle Eastern tribes from polytheism to monotheism."13 According to Liberal Christian scholars, the Bible is full of legends and myths; thus, it does not tell us God's word but rather reveals the religious teachings of an ancient religious community. Their common slogans are: (a) The Bible is not truth itself but contains truth. (b) 10 Ibid Ibid 12 Brian M. Schwertley Writingscults and Heresies https://www.reformedonline.com/writings-cults-andheresies (retrieved on 20th Feb. 2022) 11 13 Ibid 8 The Bible is not a textbook regarding science. Therefore, one should not expect it to accurately reflect what occurred during creation, etc. (c) The Pentateuch, the Gospels, and other historical books were never intended to be taken as literal historical accounts. (d) The Bible is full of contradictions. (e) The Bible reproduces the scientific errors, ethical views, and social prejudices of the period in which it was written. Therefore, many of the Old Testament laws are unethical, unjust, and barbaric (f) the miracles recorded in the Bible should not be regarded as true, for they violate the laws of nature.14 Many ruminate that the Bible is full of inconsistencies and errors, thereby seeing it as an errant book. Below are arguments advanced in favor of such a position: 1. The Bible is historically inaccurate: "Anytime archeology or ancient history seems to contradict with Biblical records, those who do not believe in Biblical Inerrancy conclude that the Bible is wrong" 15 "Unless every biblical name is authenticated through research and every fact verified historical study, they assume that the Bible is in error" 2. The Bible is not scientifically reliable: Those who argue against Biblical inerrancy posit that "the Bible is full of scientific errors and therefore cannot be trusted in spiritual matters either... They question the truth of the sun standing still, the Israelites being fed with manna in the wilderness, and how Jonah survived that three days in the belly of the fish" 3. The Bible is outdated: "Those who do not believe in biblical inerrancy claim that the Bible was written many years ago, therefore, it has no relevance for our day. Simply, the Bible cannot be our guide because its principles are outdated" 4. The Bible is the work of man: The Bible is held by those who reject biblical inerrancy as the product of man's imagination and created stories. They see the Bible as man's word rather than God's word. To them, the Bible is just any other religious book like those is Mohammed and Confucius"16 By implication, the Bible cannot guide us to the way to salvation if it is just a religious book. Nigerians will say “Is the work of white people”17 But it has to be a comprehensive guideline for all matters of life. 14 Ibid Manu, Obeng peter and Oppong, Kenneth, “biblical inerrancy: A reflection “world wide journal of multidisciplinary research and development. Ghana: WWJMRD, 2017 pp. 224. 16 Sper 3. 17 Common among nominal believers in Nigeria 15 9 CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES TO INERRANCY Strauss held his appointment at the University of Zürich. When Das Leben Jesu first appeared in English in 1846, one notable reviewer, Anthony Ashley Cooper, the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, declared it to be "the most pestilential book ever vomited out of the jaws of hell." 18 Regarding this, Carson suggested that what should be clear by this point is that Christians concerned to defend the truthfulness of Scripture found themselves confronting opponents on two fronts: those from the heritage of the medieval church, which tended to domesticate Scripture's truthfulness by appealing to Tradition, and those from the heritage of rising philosophical naturalism, which tended towards the denial that God in Scripture has spoken the truth. First, Carson said many scholars pit actions against words to prioritize the former and diminish the latter. "This bifurcation has emerged in various ways. For example, several decades ago a cluster of scholars emphasized the actions of God as the focus of his revelation, downplaying the words of God."19 Ernest Wright continued that God's revelation is in the event of the burning bush, the event of the exodus, and the event of Jesus's resurrection; the words describing those events are not themselves revelation but merely "recitals" of the revelation. Despite some lingering adherents to this program, not many support it today. For a start, Carson noted that not many naked events are very significant unless words unpack them. Jesus was crucified, died, and rose again: unusual, no doubt, but so what? Don't we need words to explain that in dying Jesus bore our sins and that God resurrected Jesus from the 18 D.A. Carson Ed. The enduring authority of the Christian scriptures, (William B. Eerdmans: Grand Rapid, Michigan/Cambridge: 2016) P. 180 19 Wright G Ernest. God who act: biblical theology as recital, STB8: London: Scm, 10 dead for our justification? Words are very frequently required to assign to events their meaning.20 In his thought-provoking article, Timothy L. Price raises fundamental questions about the nature of scripture, encouraging readers to delve deeper into its definition and contents. He challenges the conventional understanding that limits scripture to the canonical 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. Instead, he contemplates the possibility that scripture might extend beyond these recognized texts, encompassing lost or suppressed books that scholars haven't included in the Bible. While we’re at it, we should ask what is scripture. Is it what we have in the canon: 66 books of the Old and New Testament? Are they just subcomponents of these books; interpreted as “inspired” not including the necessary grammar to make it readable? Could scripture be more than what has been put forward by scholars who we can’t say were inspired to produce their list of books, which we call the Bible? Worse yet, is the Bible a purposed misrepresentation of the “complete words of God” because it lacks certain books; lost to history or suppressed religious councils [not to be confused with the “Gnostic lost books”], which have gone unnoticed by believers and no great effort has been made to inform them of these details? 21 In the first part of his argument, Timothy prompts readers to consider whether the Bible as we know it is a complete representation of God's word or if certain inspired writings are missing due to historical events or religious councils' decisions. He draws attention to the potential misrepresentation of the "complete words of God" and suggests that some texts might have been excluded, intentionally or unintentionally, leaving believers unaware of their existence. Does the average church person know Paul wrote the Philippian church twice? Philippians 3:1 tell us, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.” The same question could be asked of 1 & 2 Corinthians and 3 John. Preceding letters are referred to in these books. Paul writes in I Corinthians 5:19 (KJV), “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.” We have no epistle to the Corinthians before 1st or 2nd Corinthians. Yet Paul notes here that an 20 D.A. Carson Ed. The enduring authority of the Christian scriptures, (William B. Eerdmans: Grand Rapid, Michigan/Cambridge: 2016) P. 180 21 https://godsleader.com/the-problem-with-inerrancy (retrieved date 25th 02, 2022) 11 epistle existed at a prior point; not just an indiscriminate personal letter to the brethren there at Corinth. In 3 John 1:9, John the apostle tells us, “I wrote to the church: but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, receives us not.” We have no reference to this fellow in any other book of the NT, but yet John tells us “he wrote” the church… So, what was contained in the former letter to the Philippians? How about the real 1st Corinthians and the real 3rdJohn? Are we ready to sweep aside these lost texts concluding that we have “the complete” word of God? Everything we still have from John and Paul is not questioned as to inspiration. So, why wouldn’t these other works also be inspired? We cannot assume that God intended these letters to be lost. If God meant for certain books not to be available in the modern Bible, why would He leave proof they existed?22 Proceeding with his arguments, Timothy explores Scriptural evidence and Moral basis to question the scope of scripture. He presents compelling examples, such as Paul mentioning previous letters he wrote to the Philippians and Corinthians, which aren't part of the current Bible. He also highlights John's reference to a letter he wrote to a specific church, indicating the possibility of lost works that could be equally inspired. The second part of Timothy's argument centers on the Moral basis to question the nature of scripture. He points out instances in the New Testament where authors express personal opinions or include details not universally found in all copies of the gospels. This leads him to challenge the notion of the scriptures' inerrancy, arguing that perfect works would not have missing texts or textual variations. In 2 Corinthians 8:10, Paul writes, “I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.” Is Paul’s opinion here what we should call scripture; an authoritative and inspired written piece we cannot minimize or avoid? In other places, we find details scholars give us concerning additions to the gospels of Matthew and John, which various collections of letters including the vaunted Textus Recepticus do not uniformly contain. Thus, we must question the claim of the 22 Ibid 12 scriptures’ inerrancy. Perfect works do not have missing texts, nor textual arguments between scraps or versions….23 Timothy's article skillfully raises crucial questions, inviting readers to critically examine the extent and contents of scripture. By blending insightful analysis with thought-provoking examples, he encourages readers to question the traditional assumptions about what constitutes God's word and whether the current canon truly captures the entirety of divine inspiration. His arguments serve as a compelling call for open-mindedness and further exploration, prompting us to consider the possibility that God's message might extend beyond the boundaries of the recognized Bible.Concerning the inerrancy of Apostle Paul, as quoted in 2 Cor. 8:10, "I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this but also to desire to do it." And 2 Cor. 7:12, "To the rest I say this (I, Not the Lord) If any brother has a wife..." and 1 Cor. 7:25, "Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord..." It is apparent that Paul was not speaking his mind; rather, he says that he does not have the sayings of Jesus to confirm what he was about to write. However, he writes as one who has apostolic authority and is under divine inspiration. This is confirmed in the last part of 1 Cor. 7:25, "Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who, by the Lord’s mercy, is trustworthy." This means that Paul's writing, which has no direct words from Jesus to use as a reference, should still be considered God's word. Verse 40b further highlights Paul's belief in his inspiration, as he wrote, "... And I think that I have the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 14:37-38). This clarifies everything after Paul depicted that if anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what he is writing is a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 23 Ibid 13 Another challenge is that of accommodation. According to this set of people, "To err is human," and God has accommodated himself to human weakness. They hold the view that to uphold inerrancy is to squeeze out the human dimensions of holy writ. Virtually all Christian theologians use the language of accommodation to describe how God uses human writers, including their experiences and their use of language, to describe the different modes of inspiration. Nevertheless, confessional Christians insist that error is not part of the essence of what it means to be human: any individual human may say something that is unequivocally truthful, even though it is not an exhaustive statement. The many biblical texts that attest to God's glorious kindness in accommodating himself to our limitations also attest that in his providence he preserves his Word in its truthfulness. Among the 50+ post series from the classic work by Wayne Grudem on July 25, 2019, some interesting facts drew attention to this research work. The Bible contains no errors. But it may not be apparent to the critical reader of Scripture. One reason is the Bible often communicates in everyday language. Similar to the way we communicate in common parlance, the Bible often estimates numbers, gives approximate quotations, and tells other true things in a way that would be understood as true by its original readers but not always to 21st-century readers. In addition, the Bible sometimes includes non-standard grammar or styles, but what is being communicated is still true. The Bible is not a 21st-century academic research journal. It is a collection of manuscripts that were written thousands of years ago by a group of people living thousands of years ago. The precision we expect in current academic papers cannot be transferred to documents where the original readers did not expect the same level of detail. So when reading the Bible, we expect general precision as did the original readers of the Bible. It is true, but quotations may be loose and numbers may be estimated. Nevertheless, the words recorded in Scripture are still without error.24 Dr. Wayne Grudem depicted that: Many objects to the Bible’s own teaching about inerrancy. There are several reasons why people object to the truthfulness of the Scriptures. One common objection is the non-biblical assertion the Bible is only true in matters of “faith and practice.” They divide the Bible into “faith and practice” areas and “fact” 24 Grudem, Wayen. Systematic theology. Lei center, England: inversity press, 1994: reprint Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000. 14 areas. According to the argument, the Bible is true in the “faith and practice” areas, but cannot always be trusted in the “fact” areas.25 DA himself rejected this attack by claiming that the issue with this contention is that the Bible does not make such a differentiation. Instead, it affirms that "all Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16, emphasis added). Moreover, the authors of Scripture who cited passages from the Bible never separated the areas of "faith and practice" from the rest of the text. They relied on all the details of Scripture, such as David eating bread (Matthew 12:3-4), Jonah in the great fish (Matthew 12:40), or Elijah living with the widow at Zarephath (Luke 4:25-26). No "fact" presented in the Bible is challenged by its own writers, even if it entails miracles or appears difficult to believe.26 Another challenge addressed by DA was It is a non-biblical term and some scholars are uncomfortable with non-biblical terminology describing attributes of the Bible. This is a weak argument especially since theology utilizes many terms to describe what the Bible teaches, though the terms are not contained in Scripture. Consider the words Trinity or incarnation – neither of those important terms are found in the Bible and yet both describe important areas in theology. Part of mature field of study includes a growing vocabulary to describe the findings in a field. Others object to inerrancy on the grounds we do no longer have the original manuscripts. Since those who believe in inerrancy of Scripture only affirm inerrancy for the original manuscripts, it seems disingenuous to believe in the inerrancy of documents that no longer exist. The problem with this objection is that we know what the original documents recorded up to 99 percent accuracy. In other words, there are very few areas of the Bible that are in question-related to the original documents because of the progress of textual criticism – the science of understanding an original ancient text. Another important objection inerrancy relates to how the Biblical authors accommodated their message to the hearers and thus affirmed or taught false ideas in the process. This objection suggests that biblical authors affirmed, even incidentally, falsehoods for the sake of accommodating to their hearers who believed falsehoods at the time. Although this charge makes sense to anyone who doubts the divine authorship of Scripture, it’s a variation of the previous charge of saying some things are simply untrue in the Bible. The same God who wrote and preserved the Scriptures for readers through redemptive history, is the same God who can communicate without error regardless of whether the hearers believed some false things. 25 26 truthstory.org/blog/the-inerrancy-of-scripture-chapter-5/ (retrieved date 25 02,2022) Ibid 15 Finally, others have simply charged the Bible with containing simple errors – whether scientific, historical, or other such errors. By either explicitly stating or implying the Bible contains inaccuracies, these critics suggest the Bible cannot be trusted because of multiple passages that contain errors. Those who believe in inerrancy agree with the critics there are “problem passages.” Throughout church history, many theologians and apologists have attempted to answer these problem passages in a way that maintains the inerrancy of Scripture. Sometimes the explanations to the difficulties are easier to spot than others and other passages are more difficult to explain. Yet all of these problem passages can be explained to those who will read the Bible with a charitable perspective.27 In “The Art of Imperious Ignorance” Carson further maintained that the ignorance of the Council was not a humble agnosticism but an imperious imposition. Some strands of postmodern thought follow a similar route. They claim to know, most imperiously, how much we cannot know about what the Bible is saying. If they were less certain about their epistemology, they might be more certain about their ability to read. Virtually every Christian doctrine has had doubt cast upon it by some people, but nothing has been more repeatedly undermined than what God has said, beginning as early as Genesis 3:1. Historically, it has been common to relativize Scripture's authority by adding other authoritative sources; in recent times, it has been more common to question the Bible's truthfulness, historical reliability, moral probity, and interpretive coherence, by taking away from Scripture its transparent qualities. "Responding to such challenges is not the picky pastime of defensive cranks but the inevitable result of holding the same view of Scripture reflected by Jesus himself."28 According to Grant, "it is everywhere taken for granted that Scripture is trustworthy, infallible, and inerrant... No New Testament writer would ever dream of questioning a statement contained in the Old Testament."29 Moral Challenges 27 truthstory.org/blog/the-inerrancy-of-scripture-chapter-5/ (retrieved date 25 02,2022) Wenham, John. Christ and the bible Grand Rapids: makerbooks, 1994 29 Grant, C. Fredrick. Introduction to new thought. New York: Abingdon- lo kesbury press, 1950. P 75. 28 16 Finally, Carson said at different periods in the history of the church, and especially so during the last half-century, some critics have sought to undermine the truthfulness (and thus the inerrancy) of Scripture by holding up to ridicule various elements of biblical ethics, including accounts of genocide, and what the Bible says about hell, homosexuality, women's rights, and religious exclusivism. Some of these topics are briefly treated elsewhere. It is enough for our purposes to make clear how many challenges to inerrancy are, in reality, a discomfort with biblical truth in its terms. Late Clark Pinnock asserted that “The Bible has predictions that were not fulfilled; Jesus even made a false prophecy; God is not bound to his word.”30 And others. Bart D. Ehrman, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a leading expert on textual criticism as well as "one of the strongest academic voices speaking against the inerrancy of Scripture" admits the following: 31 (a) The original manuscripts were not reliable and are non-existent. (b) The transmission of manuscripts was unreliable. (c) Many changes in the manuscripts are significant. These changes affect the doctrine of inerrancy, etc. 30 Norman L. Geisler and Willian C. Roach, Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of scripture for a New Generation, (Baker publishing group: Grand Rapid, Michigan; 2011). P. 46 31 Ibid p. 65 17 RESPONSE In response to the recent challenges to inerrancy, God did bless us with people who are not just scholars but men filled with the Holy burn with passion for the word of God. Below is a collective of a few responses among others. Before we get to people like Norman Geisler, let's start with a Distinguished Professor of Archaeology called Steve Collins. Here is his response about Biblical inerrancy: As an archaeologist who deals with material evidence along with Ancient Near Eastern cultures and texts, and who is also an evangelical Christian, I often find the debate about biblical inerrancy puzzling, if not irritating. For me, the concept of inerrancy is tied to divine intent. It is clear to me that Scripture has come to us as God’s unique representation of reality, an aggregate of authentic ancient records and eyewitness accounts driven by divine selectivity toward the ultimate goal of bringing forth the final record of the New Covenant through Messiah, Jesus. Because it is self-evident that God does not superintend error, ‘doctrinal’ inerrancy is axiomatic. Further, on the pragmatic side of the issue, my 45+ years of examining biblical texts in the light of archaeology and history (and vice versa!) have given me unequivocal confidence in the Bible’s ‘inductive’ inerrancy; i.e., I have yet to identify anything in it that I would consider being in error. In my mind, an errant Scripture is an affront to logic, science, and faith.32 Kenny Rhodes depicted that the “Inerrancy is the epistemological rationale for all theological knowledge, a sublime first principle; without its ground and defense, fallen man is left as both arbiter and judge of what God hath said. Inerrancy is grounded in the nature and character of God. God cannot err, therefore, God’s ‘breathed-out’ word, in the original autographs, cannot err33. late Michael J. Ovey. It is well exemplified, Ovey says, in the Council of Sirmium (AD 357) that: The historic position has always been that God speaks to His people through the Bible, which is inspired by God and thus is fallible (or inerrant) from cover to cover"34 By this "the Bible is absolutely errorless in any of the subjects it touches on in teaching whether statements about history, natural history, ethnology, archaeology, 32 https://defendinginerrancy.com/inerrancy-quotes (Retrieved date 10th February, 2022) Ibid 34 Ibid 33 18 geography, natural science, physical or historical fact, psychological or philosophical principle, or spiritual doctrine and duty35 This denotes that the Bible is the ultimate and final authority in all matters of worship, doctrine, and discipline. The three-axiom presented by Farnell are excellent responses worthy of consideration. First being “Garmmatico Historical (does not equal and cannot be equated with) Historical Criticism; Second A bad methodology/ideology always leads to bad theology Thirdly: Lordship always over scholarship “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom” (Prov 11:2) or, stated more bluntly in another way in the warnings of the New Testament: “It is required of stewards of God’s Word that one be found trustworthy” (1 Cor 4:2); “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2); “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Tim 4:3–4)36 William R. Eichhost said "If Scripture contains the communication of God to man, it can be logically inferred that its contents will reflect the nature of God. Both the nature of God and the character of Christ are at stake in our view of the Bible" 37 John Calvin once said, “Our faith in doctrine is not established until we have a perfect conviction that God is the author of Scripture”38 Ed Hindson has it to say that No one defended the inerrancy of the Scriptures more than Jesus. He quoted biblical passages in responding to his disciples (Matt 16:21), his critics (Matt 22) and the devil himself (Matt 4:4, 7, 10). He referred to almost every controversial story in the Old Testament including Noah, Jonah, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, and Daniel. He emphasized technical details of interpretation (Ps 110:1) and dared to claim the entire Old Testament message was all about him (Luke 24:44). We are ultimately left with one of two choices: poor dumb Jesus or poor dumb scholars. I’ll stick with Jesus every time.39 Ramesh Richard Unless the Bible is free of error, the Christian faith is minimized to an intriguing phase in human moral development. That reduction carries Christological, salvific, even eternal consequence. Further, the epistemological conviction and missiological 35 Bahnsen 152-153- www.anthonyflood.com/bahnseninerrancy.htm (Retrieved on 10th February, 2022) F. David Farnell Edt. Vital issues in the Inerrancy debate, (WIPF and stock, Eugene, Oregon: 2015) P. 527 37 (Eichhost 5). 38 John Calvin 39 https://defendinginerrancy.com/inerrancy-quotes (Retrieved date 10th February, 2022) 36 19 confidence needed to reach spiritually lost people, and especially those who hold to the inerrancy of their Scriptures, are rendered vacuous at best and void at worst.”40 He continued that "if the Bible is the word of God but is not completely true, it must be either because God was deliberately lying or because He was ignorant of the facts. Neither of these alternatives is acceptable to the Christian. Deceit and ignorance are not characteristics of God. To associate such attributes with His word would be equally devastating"41 Thus, Archer states: "The original manuscripts of the Biblical books must have been free from all mistakes, or else they could not have been truly inspired by the God of truth in whom is no darkness at all. God could ever have inspired a human author of Scripture to write anything erroneous or false" 42 The issue of the erosion of inerrancy has been carefully examined. Several questions were posed at the outset: Can this view of total inerrancy be reaffirmed for the twenty-first century? Does the ICBI statement need to be revised or even discarded? Is it possible to be a biblical scholar and still believe in unlimited inerrancy? After reviewing all major arguments thoroughly, my considered response is that we can and should reaffirm inerrancy for a new generation. After careful examination, it is evident that the real problem with contemporary deviations from inerrancy is not factual but philosophical. Some of these new ideas come from the philosophy of meaning, some from the philosophy of language, and some from the philosophy of hermeneutics. But at root, they are all philosophical problems.43 Franklin Graham stated To demonstrate trust in the inerrant Word of God is to exhibit faith in the One who spoke life into existence. History and human nature prove the truth of the Bible every day, but the greatest evidence is seen in changed lives that cannot be denied. Tis infallible Book is its own great commentary: ‘The entirety of your word, Lord, is truth’ (Psalm 119:160)44 Ravi Zacharias says “The Bible is the Word of God, and God cannot err. So, to deny inerrancy, rightly understood, is to attack the very character of God. Those who deny 40 https://defendinginerrancy.com/inerrancy-quotes (Retrieved date 10th February, 2022) Ibid 5 42 Ibid 43 Norman L. Geisler and Willian C. Roach, Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of scripture for a New Generation, (Baker publishing group: Grand Rapid, Michigan; 2011). P. 344 44 Franklin Graham 41 20 inerrancy, soon enter the dangerous terrain of denying all Scriptural authority for both doctrine and practice.”45 Norman Geisler The inerrancy of Scripture is the foundational doctrine in which all other doctrines rest, and the Psalmist rightly said, ‘If the foundation is destroyed, then what can the righteous do?’ John H. Munro Senior Pastor, Calvary Church, Charlotte NC; WorldWide Bible Teacher of Back to the Bible “If I did not believe in the inerrancy of Holy Scripture I would resign as a preacher and teacher of the Bible which is the Word of God written. I can authoritively say, ‘Tus says the Lord’ when I preach the Bible as it comes from a God who cannot lie. ‘Let him who has my word speak my word in truth’ (Jeremiah 23:28). To question the inerrancy of Scripture inevitably leads to weak and confusing preaching with disastrous consequences!” John Warwick Montgomery Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy, Concordia University; Director, International Academy of Apologetics “The inerrancy of Holy Scripture is the watershed theological issue in the church today–as it has been in every generation since the rise of modern secularism and rationalistic biblical criticism. Every single denomination, theological seminary, and Christian college that has departed from it has begun an inexorable decline and loss of biblical witness. The saving gospel itself cannot be sustained apart from a trustworthy Statement on the Importance of Inerrancy from Prominent Christian Leaders.46 John Ankerberg Show that The Bible provides the foundational beliefs of Christianity. Biblical inerrancy, properly understood, affirms Scripture’s accuracy in every area it’s addressing. God’s Word records the history of humanity, the teachings of our Savior, numerous fulfilled prophecies, and the principles of our faith. Despite numerous attacks by skeptics and opponents, its words continue to stand true and change lives today.”47 Mark L. Bailey Both the incarnation of Jesus and the inspiration of the Bible, as products of the Holy Spirit, can and must be without error or we have challenged the ability and impugned the character of Almighty God to do what his Word says he did (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20, 21; 1 Cor 2:9–16). If an omnipotent God by his Spirit can take a human agent and conceive his perfect Son, that same omnipotent God can use human agents through whom his Spirit can communicate his mind to humanity through the Holy Scriptures.48 45 Edt. F. David Farnell Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate (Wipe stock; Eugene, Oregon: 2015) p.530 Norman L. Geisler and Willian C. Roach, Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of scripture for a New Generation, (Baker publishing group: Grand Rapid, Michigan; 2011). P. 47 Edt. F. David Farnell Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate (Wipe stock; Eugene, Oregon: 2015) P. 534 48 Ibid 46 21 Paige Patterson The inerrancy of Scripture is an essential and not optional doctrine for the church. Otherwise, we are cast on a raging sea of subjectivism with a high priesthood of scholars who assume the position of God, telling what we should and should not believe.”49 Al Mohler President “Inerrancy is nothing less than the affirmation that the Bible, as the Word of God written, is totally true and trustworthy. When the Bible speaks, God speaks. Richard Land President, Southern Evangelical Seminary The inerrant Scripture is our fixed, North Star by which we can be led by God to a saving knowledge of him and his plan and purpose for our lives. Once you surrender the objective, infallible, inerrant nature of God’s revelation of himself to us, all you are left with is each interpreter’s subjective, autobiographical, idiosyncratic God, who may bear little or no resemblance to the one, true, immutable God with whom we must all deal ultimately50 Walter's main point is that the Inerrancy of the Bible asserts that all its claims are true and align with real-life and historical events as intended by its writers. Scripture's total truthfulness is crucial because it is what Scripture itself teaches, and without it, we would be left to interpret God's word subjectively.51 According to Daniel “The doctrine of inerrancy is ultimately an issue of Christology. Jesus affirmed the complete truthfulness and reliability of Scripture. Matthew 5:17–18; Luke 24:25– 27; John 10:35, 17:17 make this abundantly clear. To live under his Lordship is to hold his view of the Word of God.”52 Elmer L. Towns believes that inspiration guarantees the accuracy of every word in the original language. Therefore, he advocates for studying, translating, and understanding the meaning of Scripture to live by its teachings, with a focus on the Holy Spirit's role in its inspiration.53 49 Edt. F. David Farnell Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate (Wipe stock; Eugene, Oregon: 2015) P. 534 Ibid 51 Ibid 52 https://defendinginerrancy.com/inerrancy-quotes (Retrieved date 10th February, 2022) 53 Edt. F. David Farnell Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate (Wipe stock; Eugene, Oregon: 2015)P. 534 50 22 Farnell emphasizes the importance of inerrancy, rooted in the perfection of God's character. To question the accuracy of God's Word is seen as blasphemous.54 Howe points out that if we can't trust the Word of God in earthly matters that we can verify or falsify, how can we trust it in heavenly and spiritual matters that we cannot verify? Trust in the accuracy of Scripture is fundamental.55 Roach highlights the axiom of inerrancy as an article of faith and a guideline for biblical interpretation. It affirms that God speaks His mind to humanity through the agency of human writers, resulting in errorless, cognitive-propositional revelation.56 Bruce has it to say that “Inerrancy is entailed in our understanding of inspiration and without it, divine promises would give no assurance, and divine commands would require no obedience.”57 Weiland a Professor of Biblical Studies at the Veritas Evangelical Seminary depicts that There is a real sense in which ‘inerrancy’ is the most important doctrine of the Bible, for every other major (and minor) doctrine is derived from that one source, whether it be the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, or salvation by faith alone in Christ alone. Inerrancy is taught throughout the Bible, but the words of Psalm 19:7 powerfully crystallize the teaching, ‘The law of the Lord is perfect.58 Phil Roberts “There is no greater encouragement to the evangelist, proclaimer or teacher of God’s Word than to know that the Bible they use is trustworthy, reliable and inerrant. Such truth is as wind to the sailing ship. “I, the Lord, speak the truth.’ Isaiah 45:19.”59 Mark emphasizes the importance of holding to the inerrancy of Scripture to focus authority on the divinely inspired texts of the Old and New Testaments, rather than relying on fallible human judgment. 60 54 Ibid Ibid 56 Ibid 55 57 Edt. F. David Farnell Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate (Wipe stock; Eugene, Oregon: 2015)P. 534 https://defendinginerrancy.com/inerrancy-quotes (Retrieved date 10th February, 2022) 59 Ibid 58 23 Phil Ginn, a Senior Resident Superior Court Judge in Western North Carolina, advocates for upholding the inerrancy of God's Word, as compromising its foundation would lead to the downfall of true Christianity. 61 Hoffman, an Attorney at Law, emphasizes that the inerrancy of Scripture reflects the power of God. Analyzing alleged errors is essential to reaffirming the perfection of God's Word. 62 The recommendation by Donald provides ten guidelines for Evangelical scholarship, promoting a balanced and coherent approach to the study of Scripture. 63 60 Ibid Paul K. https://staypcusadotinfo.files.wordpress.com/2015/. (retrived date 11 January, 2022) 62 F. David Farnell Edt. Vital issues in the Inerrancy debate, (WIPF and stock, Eugene, Oregon: 2015) PP. 530538 63 Hofmeier, James K., and Dennis R. Magary, eds. Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith? Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012. 61 24 RECOMMENDATION The first recommendation will be the Ten guidelines for Evangelical Scholarship by Donald: 1. See what is there, avoiding maximal conservatism, anachronistic approaches, harmonizing and homogenizing, and partial appeals to historical evidence. 2. Affirm the full humanity of the scriptures, recognizing that they are the word of God in the words of men. 3. Define the nature of inspiration inductively, not deductively, by examining the phenomena of scripture and doing justice to it as it is. 4. Acknowledge that no presupposed position is entirely possible, and strive to step outside of our presuppositions and imagine "what if." Recognize that only a relative degree of objectivity is attainable. 5. Modify the classical historical-critical method to allow openness to the transcendent, the action of God in history, and the possibility of miracles. Develop a method that is appropriate to the subject of study. 6. Maintain a unified worldview, avoiding a schizophrenic attitude toward truth and criteria for validation. Recognize that all truth is God's truth, whether arrived at through rationality or faith. 7. Acknowledge that in the realm of historical knowledge, matters cannot be definitively proven or disproven, but are based on probability and inference from the evidence. Engage in good historical criticism that provides the most coherent explanation of the evidence. 8. Avoid the extremes of pure fideism and pure rationality-based apologetics, understanding that both faith and reason have their proper place. Seek a creative synthesis of both approaches. 25 9. Develop humility and avoid undue confidence and arrogance of critical orthodoxy, which may depend on presuppositions alien to the documents themselves. 10. Approach criticism with a creative tension between intellectual honesty and faithfulness to tradition, continually reexamining both sides, and trusting that rightly engaged criticism will ultimately vindicate Christian truth. Note: The Holy Spirit cannot be appealed to in solving historical-critical issues or issues of truth claims. However, for believers, the inner witness of the Spirit confirms the truth of existentially or in the heart. Concede that our knowledge is fragmentary and partial, and our wisdom is limited. Full understanding will only come after our perfection, and then it will no longer be understanding alone but also worship. 64 The inerrancy of Scripture is crucial for every Christian to pay attention to. As Paul urged Timothy to "Study and show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15), this warning is relevant for Christians in this generation where truth is often considered relative. Many regard the Bible as an old book to be stored away in archives. Christians must return to studying the Word of God with faith as the lens for understanding and tools of evaluation. This is the only way to counter the harmful influence of philosophical reasoning and scientific approaches that may hinder our understanding of Scripture. 64 http://blog.bakeracademic.com/don-hagners-ten-guidelines-for-evangelical-scholarship . 26 CONCLUSION In conclusion, just as Eichhorst concluded his argument by saying that if the Bible is God's word, 'it must reflect his attributes,' for He is a God of truth and light, and the Scriptures repeatedly affirm the veracity of God (1 John 1:5). Inerrancy serves as a safeguard against human spontaneity usurping the normative authority of Scripture in the life of the church. As Norman wrote..."Beware of Philosophy: A Warning to Biblical Scholars.” The exhortation still stands, the casualties still mount, and sadly many of the people discussed in this book are among them. My academic advice has not changed. How can good, godly, and scholarly persons avoid the pitfalls of adopting philosophies that undermine the historic evangelical stand on inerrancy? My advice is the same: (1) Avoid the desire to become a famous scholar. (2) Avoid the temptation to be unique (3) Do not dance on the edges. (4) Steer right to go straight. (5) DO not trade orthodoxy for academic respectability. (6) Reject any methodological inconsistency with the Bible or good reason.65 65 Norman L. Geisler and Willian C. Roach, Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of scripture for a New Generation, (Baker publishing group: Grand Rapid, Michigan; 2011). P. 344 27 Bibliography Carson, don. Contemporary challenge to inerrancy: An assay TGC us Edition https://www.thegospelcoalition. 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West minister theological journal, 2010. 28 Grudem, Wayen. Systematic theology. Lei center, England: inversity press, 1994: reprint Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000. Wikipedia bible inerrancy https:line.m.wikipidia.org/wiki/biblical-inerrancy. Accessed on 21. Dec, 2021. Roberts, Kyel. Seven problems with inerrancy (evangelicalism, II2). Vnsystmetic theology: pathios, 2015. Accessed on 21. Dec, 2021. Manu, Obeng peter and Oppong, Kenneth, “biblical inerrancy: A reflection “world wide journal of multidisciplinary research and development. Ghana: WWJMRD, 2017pp. 221226. 29