What is biblical inerrancy and what is your position? of the Bible? This article explores an evangelical, yet undogmatic perspective.
The sensitivity of the topic of inerrancy in the latter half of the twentieth century is fascinating. The controversial Southern Baptist Pastor and research assistant with the American Bible Society, Robert Bratcher, supported limited inerrancy condemning a heightened view of inerrancy as heretical and idolatrous by stating that “only willful ignorance or intellectual dishonesty can account for the claim that the bible is inerrant and infallible” (MacArthur, 1997, 30). Drawing the ire of Southern Baptist fundamentalists who supported full inerrancy, Bratcher was asked to resign in 1981 not for lack of support from Bible Societies, but due to financial constraints placed on the American Bible Society by church donors vehemently opposing his views (Allen, 2010). Personally, I support the view of full inerrancy while remaining sympathetic to a cautious application of limited inerrancy and agreeing with Erickson (1998) that Harrison’s moderate harmonization is most adequate in addressing the phenomena of Scripture.
An adequate definition of inerrancy is “the view that when all the facts become known, they will demonstrate that the Bible in its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never false in all it affirms, whether that relates to doctrine or ethics or the social, physical, or life sciences” (Elwell, 2001, 156). The view of full inerrancy is supported by the Bible itself stating Scriptures are “inspired by God” (2 Tim. 3:16). Full inerrancy is also supported by the church throughout history including such theological stalwarts as Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and B. B. Warfield (Elwell, 2001). Finally, the epistemological argument, though less convincing, is valid because if full inerrancy is denied it would significantly increase the risk that Scripture would be unnecessarily questioned (Elwell, 2001).
Limited inerrancy views the Bible as both inerrant and infallible regarding soteriological doctrine; however, “scientific and historical references reflect the understanding current at the time it was written” (Erickson, 1998, 248). Based on Erickson’s definition it appears a sympathetic view toward limited inerrancy is not unreasonable under certain circumstances. For example, Jesus states that a mustard seed is the “least of all seeds,” but the mustard seed is not actually the smallest seed (Matt. 13:32). However, the Talmud suggests that in the Jewish mind the mustard seed was the “smallest thing the eye could detect” (Fuller, 1968, 75-83). If in Jesus’ omniscience he would have referred to the actual smallest seed it would have detracted from the revelatory intent of the message (Fuller, 1968). In this regard, limited inerrancy can add value while in no way diminishing the truthfulness of Scripture.
Finally, a moderate harmonization that attempts to reasonably reconcile apparent discrepancies based on current academic evidence without forcing unreasonable explanations appears to be most prudent (Erickson, 1998). In areas of Scripture where harmonization seems unattainable it can be assumed that either a portion of the data is lost and that discrepancies will be solved if and when comprehensive data is discovered (Erickson, 1998). Accordingly, the most adequate view of biblical inerrancy is that of full inerrancy while remaining sympathetic to a cautious application of limited inerrancy with a simultaneous application of moderate harmonization when addressing the phenomena of Scripture.
References
Bob Allen. Good News Bible’ translator Bob Bratcher dies. Associated Baptist Press. http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5338/53 (accessed August 31, 2011).
Elwell, W. A., ed. 2001. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Erickson, M. J. 1998. Christian Theology (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Fuller, D. P. 1968. Benjamin B. Warfield's View of Faith and History. Bulletin of the Evangelical Theological Society, 11.
MacArthur, J. 1997. Rediscovering Expository Preaching. Dallas: Word.