Dear ______:
So good to hear from you! Glad to hear that you are doing well. Summer plans?
The confusing spot you are in is, in a way, a lovely benefits of a residential seminary: you regularly talk with other people who are in the thick of theological exploration.
They come from different backgrounds. They have different assumptions. They may be chewing on classes you haven’t taken. You’ll rarely find yourself in such a rich stew.
Now you are hearing people throw around technical terms about the Bible. Some say it is
inerrant.
Some say it is
infallible.
You wisely ask
What’s up with that?
Inerrant or Infallible
Google has led you in the right direction in terms of current usage. These words are a morass and a muddle, largely because American Christianity is theologically weak and historically agnostic.
I always start with original usage for “inerrant.” It comes from the “Princeton Theology” in late 19th century fundamentalism. Hodge & co. argued that the “original autographs” of Scripture, the manuscripts penned by prophets and apostles, were free of error — like they were 100% true in doctrine and facts. Great guys, Hodge, & co., but that’s not very helpful. The original manuscripts of every book of the Bible are long gone.
In current use the term can mean that, or just about anything else, depending on the theological leanings and education of the user. I see Seminarians regularly use “inerrant” in draft statements of faith when they really mean to say the Bible is “authoritative,” “reliable,” or “true.” (Those are three excellent words to use about Scripture, by the way).
“Infallible” has a different back story. You will find it in the Westminster Confession, but not primarily about the Bible. It says that there is an infallible rule for interpreting Scripture (Scripture itself) not that the Scriptures are infallible.
More emphatically it says God’s knowledge is infallible, and that you and I can be given infallible assurance of faith.
(In 1903 the Northern Presbyterian Church added a section on the Holy Spirit that does sound more like Scripture is infallible, but this was not in the original WCF.)
In common usage, people seem to use infallible to mean that their English translation of the available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts is without error of fact — effectively meaning the KJV or NIV or whatever is inerrant. Silly again.
How about “reliable” and “true”?
Westminster is wiser in what it says about the Bible. It says the Bible is our
rule of faith and life.
Scripture is our “rule,” not in the sense of a book of laws, but as a yardstick — a ruler. It lets you find out what is straight and measure things accurately.
As the rule of faith, Scripture’s subject matter is theology. It will guide you truly and reliably as you seek to know who God is and who we are in relation to God. It will teach you clearly what you need to know to find salvation.
As the rule of life, Scripture’s subject matter is ethical; it is about the way we live as God’s people. We know that the whole shebang is summarized as loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving neighbors as ourselves. Scripture, read broadly and deeply, will fill in useful details on how to do that.
I’ve always admired the wisdom of John R.W. Stott on this. He didn’t like either “inerrant” or “infallible” on the grounds that it is unhelpful to start Christian theology with a double negative. He said that he preferred to say Scripture is true in what it affirms.
So on its subject matter, theology and ethics, the Bible is reliable and true. I’m all over that.
Gotta go. Thanks for the good question!
Errantly and fallibly yours,
Gary
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Knowing the Bible Well Enough to Tell its Story
Want to know what the Bible really does teach, and make it your own? No better way to start than by getting a solid grasp on the Big Story that holds the Little Stories of the Bible together.
When you know that Big Story well enough to tell it yourself, following Jesus make more sense — because you come to see how the Bible makes sense. It is a huge help in being a confident, competent disciple.
I would love to help you get a confident working knowledge of the Bible so you can tell its story to your kids — or to anybody else actually.
I’m dreaming up a class to help you know the Bible like you’ve never known it before. Just click the button and I’ll keep you posted.
Thanks for addressing this so well. I wish more people would be willing to let it go at this.
Thanks Scott. Always a delight to hear from you.
Yes, “let it go” is a good word. Many get their knickers in a knot about these things. Better to spend time prayerfully reading and studying Scripture than arguing about these much later words.
Lovin’ the common sense and practicality of this discussion on scripture! thank you for putting it so well and calling people back to the real discussion – how do we use scripture?
A much better place the conversation to take place.
Peace,
Mark
Hey, Mark, thanks. So glad you are keeping in touch. Hopefully some of my readers will click through to Barefoot Follower!