The nature and authority of the Bible

Two conservative approaches to the Bible

• Catholicism

• Evangelicalism

What do Evangelicals believe about the Bible?

• infallible

  The greek word for inspired derives from ‘God- breathed’ meaning the authors were directly inspired by God

• Any contradictions in the Bible were due to the limitations human intellect, not God so there are no real contradictions

• Interpret it literally so 6 day creation story is correct

What do Catholics believe about the Bible?

1. Bible is inspired by God but was written by humans

2. look at the Bible holistically

3. Genesis 1 was never intended as a factual scientific account of the origins of the universe

4. Use the living tradition and Magisterium to interpret the Bible as it is a product of its time

Neo- Orthodox approaches to the Bible?

1. Bible is not the word of God, it contains the word of God

2. the way humans can experience God, realising their need for forgiveness and divine mercy shown through Jesus

3. Not inerrant with respect to science, history and religion as its writers were a product of their time and subject to limitations of intellect

Example of a Neo-orthodox Christian?

Karl Bath- Swiss Protestant Theologian

Social Gospel Movement believes what about the Bible?

1. Not the inerrant word of God but contains important messages for life now

2. We should use the Bible to deal with issues in the world like war and poverty

Liberal approaches

• Some believe those who wrote the texts were guided by God and some believe they’re entirely human document

• Product of culture and age

• The Bible is not inspired, but may be inspiring to individuals

An example of the Bible inspiring individuals!!

• Jesus’ statement in Matthew 26:52 that those who draw the sword will die by the sword may inspire some Christians to adopt a pacifist approach to war

Examples of a Liberal approach in action

• The Sea of Faith Network

• Claims the faith is a purely human creation, so the Bible has no authority other than any that an individual might choose to give it