SOURCES OF WISDOM AND AUTHORITY

Biblical authority

The extent of the Bibles authority over beliefs and practices

Different literary types in the bible

History, poetry, proverbs, laws, letters, prophecy, should they all have the same amount of authority?

Textual variations in the bible

The New Testamant manuscripts were written in Greek, they contain variant readings, and translated

Canonical decisions in the bible

Church authorities decided which texts to include in the New Testament

Contradictions in the bible

The bible contains many contradictions including different accounts of creation in Genesis 1 & 2

The response of Christian’s to issues about the bibles authority (contradictions, different translations canonical decisions etc)

God gave the writers the exact words to write, it’s human interference that caused issues, the bible is a human interpretation of how God expressed himself through Jesus

Evangelism

good message or good news

Revelation

Gods disclosure of himself to humanity

Conservatism as a theory about biblical inspiration and authority

• Strong authority and inspiration

• Two main approaches:

• 1. Evangelical Protestantism → distinctive beliefs about salvation and the Bible, that Christian’s are saved by grace, people who convert experience being “born again” and saved from sin, based on their views on 2 Timothy “all scripture is inspired by God”, God dictated the books of the bible and the text is without error.

• 2. Catholicism → catholic teaching on biblical inspiration forms an organic whole, emphasizing the relationship between scripture, tradition and Church authority, a dynamic approach, the Holy Spirit is active within the church, scripture and tradition share the same divine authority, apostolic tradition and succession, magisterium, sacred scripture is the word of god, both testaments are without error

Apostolic tradition

Jesus commanded them to preach the gospel to all people, orally

Apostolic succession

The idea that the church authority derives from Jesus’ apostles through the succession of bishops who came directly after them

Magisterium

The bishops in communion with the pope, who have authority to interpret scripture and tradition

Neo-Orthodoxy as a theory about biblical inspiration and authority

Rejection of the bible being fully true, scientifically or historically, bible contains the word of God, god reveals himself through Jesus, personal experiences through reading the bible makes us aware we are sinners needing forgiveness,

Liberalism as a theory about biblical authority and inspiration

Reject the idea that the bible is literally the inspired word of god, The Social Gospel Movement (uses Christian ethical theories to address social issues, social action was more important than doctrinal debates), Process theology → god is not the creator, is not all-powerful, does not intervene in the world, and the bible is entirely human document

The Bible as inspired by God but written by human beings

• The Catholic view → God’s Holy Spirit is the main author of scripture, evidence of human authorship (each gospel is with a named human author i.e Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, each book in the Bible has a characteristic style and language), a catholic teaching document states “Our God comes willingly to be immersed in our humanity”

• Karl Barth’s Neo-Orthodoxy view → scripture becomes inspired, revelation always comes in a fallible human vehicle, the text is both fully divine and fully human

Catholic quote from a document

“Our God comes willingly to be immersed in our humanity”

2 Timothy

All scripture is inspired by God

The cascade of authority

1. God as primary authority (all others forms of authority are subject to God)

2. The Bible as special revelation (provided knowledge of God, the trinity, the incarnation)

3. Reason and conscience as general revelation (natural moral law, allow understanding of humanity’s place in the world)

4. The authority of church tradition (each church has a body of holy tradition)

Elements of church tradition.

• patterns of worship and ritual

• Approach to ecumenical councils (councils of church leaders and scholars who meet to discuss matters of doctrine and practice)

• Leadership structure and organization

The catholic perspective of church tradition and authority

• Apostolic tradition

• Apostolic succession

• Equal authority of bible and church

• Only the church has authority to interpret scripture correctly

• Bible and church are inextricably linked through the work of the Holy Spirit

• Dei Verbum (Vatican Council document) “sacred scripture is the word of God”

The Protestant perspective on authority of the church

• Sola Scriptura (the sole authority of scripture) → Martin Luther, “the sure rule of Gods word”, church teachings must align with the Bible, the church is the creation of the Word, the he church cannot be the judge of scripture, all believers are priests, all stand equally before God, based on 1 Peter

• Sola fide (justification by faith alone)

1 Peter

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood

Jesus’ authority as Gods authority

• divine authority

• God incarnate

• Trinity

• “Son of God” → honorary title, a future messiah, New Testament usage,

• “Son of Man” → Jesus’ human nature and vulnerability, concealing divinity, Jesus is alongside the father and the Holy Spirit based on Matthew “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”

Jesus” authority as only human

• Adoptionism (Adopted by God at his baptism)

• Arianism (Jesus was not truly divine but was created by God for a specific purpose)

• Catharism (physical matter was too corrupt for the perfect God to be incarnate)

• Unitarianism (Jesus is a great prophet and teacher)

• Liberal approach → represents Gods authority rather than literally being divine, Jesus was close to God as a great teacher and spiritual leader

Scientific approach → reject supernatural elements like miracles

Implications for understanding Jesus’ authority

His teachings carry moral and inspirational weight, allowing Christian’s to apply this to moral situations

Those who accept Jesus’ authority as Gods authority

Christians who believe Jesus is God incarnate read these commands as divine requirements, for example taking the command to resist evil become pacifists

Those who accept Jesus’ authority as only human

Feel free to interpret and evaluate his teachings according to their experience and judgement, moral disagreement about things like pacifism, individual rather than state ethics, Unitarian position (individual interpretation of his teachings)

Jesus’ value as a role model

• model of behaviour through his divine qualities

• Evangelical denominations use the phrase “what would Jesus do”

• If Jesus is understood as fully human, his example becomes more directly applicable since he faced the same limitations and challenges

• The gospels show Jesus as peaceful and non-violent in some situations but forceful in others (turning tables in the temple because of merchants)

• Model for Christian living

• Love thy neighbor “ Matthew