Biblical inerrancy

Biblical inerrancy is the view that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is in every detail infallible and without error in the original autographs. This view was ably expressed in 1978 in the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, an interdenominational statement of evangelical scholars and leaders to defend biblical inerrancy against the trend toward neo-orthodox conceptions of scripture. It proclaims: "The authority of Scripture is inescapably impaired if this total divine inerrancy is in any way limited or disregarded, or made relative to a view of truth contrary to the Bible's own; and such lapses bring serious loss to both the individual and the Church." Article XII states: "We affirm that Scripture in its entirety is inerrant, being free from all falsehood, fraud, or deceit."

Related Topics:
Bible - Inspired - God - Autographs - 1978 - Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy - Neo-orthodox

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Biblical inerrancy is believed by many of those who subscribe to a more conservative Christianity. It is one of the tenets of Fundamentalist Christianity, as well as of several conservative varieties of Evangelicalism. The doctrine arises in direct line from the Protestant Reformation principle of sola scriptura.

Related Topics:
Conservative Christianity - Fundamentalist Christianity - Evangelicalism - Sola scriptura

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Compared to Papal Infallibility, the Protestant doctrine of biblical inerrancy does not necessarily imply that any particular traditional interpretation of the Bible is without error. Instead, it seeks the intention of the author of the text, and commits itself to receive the statement as fact, depending on whether it can be determined or assumed that the author meant to communicate a statement of fact. Biblical inerrantists acknowledge that there are many kinds of literature in the Bible, besides statements of fact.

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Some of the Evangelical traditions which adhere to the doctrine are reflected by the signers of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. Nearly 300 noted scholars put their names to the document, including James Boice, Norman Geisler, John Gerstner, Carl F. H. Henry (founder of Christianity Today), Kenneth Kantzer, Harold Lindsell, John Warwick Montgomery, Roger Nicole, J. I. Packer, Robert Preus, Earl Radmacher, Francis Schaeffer, R. C. Sproul, and John Wenham. Signers are from conservative Reformed and Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Baptist denominations, as well as representing conservative movements within liberal denominations.

Related Topics:
Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy - James Boice - Norman Geisler - Carl F. H. Henry - Kenneth Kantzer - John Warwick Montgomery - J. I. Packer - Francis Schaeffer - R. C. Sproul

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