Book Review - Rescuing Inerrancy

 

Book Review

Rescuing Inerrancy: A Scientific Defense

The book, Rescuing Inerrancy: A Scientific Defense, by Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe (reasons.org), digs into some of the modern controversies surrounding the inerrancy of scripture and the relationship between the Book of Scripture and the Book of Nature.  Doctrines that have been long held by the Church up through the 20th century are now being questioned or seriously modified.  This book analyzes some of the reasons and motivations behind this movement, and the author proposes constructive resolutions that don't require throwing away historic Christian doctrines and beliefs.  

This book looks at possible causes of the controversy and then specifically addresses recent views on how to understand the creation accounts in light of modern views on Ancient Near East (ANE) cultures, and also how the widespread acceptance of evolutionary theory is used to justify how these accounts are viewed. Throughout, this book's content dives into some of the historically held doctrines of the Church including: inerrancy, the trustworthiness of Scripture, and the concordance of the two books of General and Special Revelation.  Finally the author presents a case for an integrative approach that preserves both scriptural integrity while allowing freedom to follow the evidence wherever it leads.

Inerrancy

Up until recently, the Church fathers and other prominent theologians universally agreed that Genesis was a factual account of material origins, including creation ex nihilo.  Norman Geisler is quoted as saying,  "Inerrancy was indeed believed by Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Luther, and virtually all the great theologians in the history of the Church till modern times."  They had a fundamental belief in concordance between God's dual revelation in scripture and his world.  They believed that the Bible is reliable in all that it reveals.  This is eloquently stated in the Belgic Confession of 1861,

We know him by two means:

First by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God. … 

Second, he makes himself known to us more openly by his holy and divine Word, as much as we need in this life, for his glory and for the salvation of his own.

More recently, the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI) affirmed that God is the author of all truth, and that there is harmony between general and special revelation.  

Recently, however, some prominent theologians are rejecting this historic view.  In fact they claim that God made accommodations for the human authors of scripture by allowing errors in science and worldviews to be included in their writing.  They claim that the extent of inerrancy is strictly spiritual, like how to serve others or relating to God and his redemptive plan, but not much else.  Some have even denied that supernatural miracles in the Bible are mere theological stories or have natural explanations.  One formerly conservative professor, Bruce Walke, even goes so far as to say that to deny the reality of biological evolution is "spiritual death" for Christianity.

In other words, they believe that Christians have been mistaken for 2000 years about the truthfulness and reliability of the Bible.  Now we get to pick and choose what parts of the Bible to believe, based on what is plausible or what fits our current understanding of science.  This book strongly opposes that point of view and presents sound reasons why Christians should not abandon the historic doctrine of inerrancy.

ANE Worldview Similarities and Differences

Rescuing Inerrancy addresses the controversy over the content and genre of the creation accounts in the Bible.  It discusses whether or not it is myth, legend, religious stories, mytho-history, or historical narrative.  The claim is that it was never intended to be actual history, and had no concern about material origins, but rather just theological or political.  The scriptural author's writings were firmly grounded in the worldview and cosmogony of the time and look just like other Ancient Near East (ANE) myths.  As a result, even a historical Adam and Eve are considered to be "an anachronism", and just serve as literary devices.  They say that even NT people, such as Jesus and Paul, embraced and taught using these incorrect worldviews.

Hugh Ross, on the other hand, points out that these have long been considered to be in the genre of historical narrative, with poetic or figurative language included.  He makes the case that the differences between ANE and biblical creation accounts are greater than their similarities.  They are radically different given that the Hebrews believed in One God who

• created everything and transcends his creation

• is morally perfect

• began a purposeful progression of history

• uniquely created humans in his image

This book thoroughly documents that ANE science generally thought study of nature was important.  They made observatories and supported astronomers/astrologers, discovered the spherical shape of sun, moon, earth, and even calculated the relative size and distances to sun, moon, and stars.  They were far from ignorant of the natural world and they cared deeply about it, and neither was the author of the creation account.

Concordance

The Church has long held the doctrine of harmony between Scripture and facts of nature.  Only recently has there been significant redefinition, disregard, or denial of concordance.  It appears that this is mainly an overreaction to scientific discoveries and a wish to avoid any possible conflict with naturalistic models.  Because they claim that science is in constant flux, it is wrong to find concordance with scripture that could be embarrassing later on.  This book disagrees with this perspective, and points out that science is better viewed as a series of refinements, as opposed to complete overthrows of knowledge.

Ross takes a different approach, stating that we can view faith and science as either enemies, strangers, or partners.  He believes that partnership is a better way forward, since that enables discovery and keeps dialogue open between men of science and men of strong religious conviction.  We should anticipate that science can inform theology, and theology to inform science.  We can be free to discern between what is debatable and what is firmly established, without being hostile.  In fact, extreme concordance favoring either the scripture or science can be divisive, and a complete disconnect between the two is damaging.  

Moderate concordism recognizes that no one can claim to have a perfect, unbiased interpretation of what the Bible and nature teaches.  It allows respectful dialogue, prevents over- under-interpretation of various passages with respect to science, and makes allowance for the revision of interpretations on both sides.

As an example, the Day Age View, is presented as one compatible view of concordance.  This model has been extensively studied and promoted by the organization Hugh Ross founded, Reasons to Believe (RTB).  He acknowledges that this is not the only view, and that like any model has strengths and weaknesses.  But this model does allow a historical reading of scripture and concordance with natural science, especially when the critical frame of reference in Genesis 1 is realized.  Their testable model approach allows debate and consideration by both religious and scientific audiences.   

A Historical Adam and Eve

In this book, the author claims that the historical Adam and Eve are too important to Christian theology to simply discard based on the objections to concordism.  It is really impossible to cast the claims of Moses, Jesus, and Paul as just reflections of their worldview, and still hold to any reasonable view of the Bible as being the inspired, authoritative Word of God.  

He lists some of the arguments against the historical Adam and Eve, and for a literary version, that is not historically true.  They claim genomics and population dynamics make it implausible under evolutionary models for mankind to have come from a single pair.  Rather than an original pair, there were thousands of individuals and God just chose representatives, and so were not specially created by God.  Some may believe that God miraculously gave them spiritual awareness, while others even deny that, holding to a strictly evolutionary process that God drove behind the scenes.  But if we are not descended from one man and one woman, it is hard to reconcile this with Bible genealogies and other teachings.  

Ross argues that it raises too many problems with existing Christian theology.  What does it even mean that God created man "In his image"?  Does this mean that God gave this likeness and spiritual nature to a non-human hominid that later evolved?  How was it transmitted to the rest of the population?  Are humans truly exceptional or unique in contrast to other hominids?  What implications does this have for salvation, the atonement, original sin, and more?

In Conclusion

This is an important book for the modern church which has already lost believers, compromised doctrines, and appears irrelevant to many.  It is thought provoking and a great "modest defense" of Biblical Inerrancy.  Christianity does not need to discard long-held doctrines in the face of recent theological accommodations of modern scientific interpretations.  Taking a modest concordist approach will lead to better integration between God's two books of revelation, while reducing the heat and conflict.  Christians don't have to fear that they will suddenly find that science conclusively has shown their faith to be disproved, nor does the scientist need to deny his faith while pursuing his studies of nature.  

Ministry of Truth Timely Update - 16 Sep 2024 - Ear Shot

 

Ear Shot

The Ministry of Truth insists that we should not have sympathy for enemies of the state that escape assassination attempts.  Since the inept assassin "mostly missed" the shot and only hit the target's ear, that doesn't count, so his supporters and wife should drop it and keep it out of public earshot.

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Ministry of Truth Daily Update - 16 Sep 2024 - Woke Moral Reasoning

 

Wokeological Reasoning

Woke moral reasoning is ethically superior to traditional objective morality, since this methodology applies the values of Critical Theory to the struggle against oppression (i.e. the oppressed vs. the oppressors). 

The 3-step Wokeological argument goes:

1. All things are permissible in the struggle against oppression.
2. A group (e.g. VictimsRUs) claims to be oppressed.
3. Therefore all actions by the group and/or its members are permissible.

Thus the following actions of the oppressed are wokeologically justified:

• Rape, kidnapping, and intentional murder of those associated with the oppressors (including women and children)
• Bombings, lobbing missiles, and assorted acts of terrorism (like when "somebody did something")
• Killing born and unborn human beings because they are "occupiers"
• Riots, theft, property destruction, and assaults in the name of equity and justice
• School shootings and assassinations
• Hate, persecution, and genocide of the privileged (e.g. Jews, Whites, or Christians)
• Violence against and murder of law enforcement personnel
• (can you think of more?)

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Apologetics 101 - Christian Case-Making - Intro to Apologetics

 

Christian Case-Making

in a Modern World

Apologetics 101

Introduction to Apologetics 

What is Apologetics?

Apologetics is the study of how to make the case for your Christian beliefs, like a lawyer makes an argument or a reasoned defense.  It is not making excuses for "having faith" in something that you know to be untrue!  The term comes from the Greek "apologia" ( ἀπολογία ) which means to make a defense.  For example, it is used here by Peter, the apostle of Jesus:

But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. 16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.  1 Peter 3:15-16

It was also used by Paul several times (Acts 26:2; Phil 1:7-16; Acts 22) referring to defending the gospel and making arguments for his beliefs. 

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to be his witnesses within our spheres of influence, from our families, our local communities, our nation, and ultimately the whole world.  You don't need a college degree or to be a professional speaker.  But to be effective, you need to be able to give people reasons to trust in Jesus.  Some people just need someone to tell them the Good News, while others may have real objections that are keeping them from following God with their whole hearts.  Others may need their faith strengthened to withstand the onslaught of a culture that tears away at their moral foundations.  We don't need to be everything to everyone, but we should be ready to share what we have when the opportunity arises.

The Goal of Apologetics

The goal of apologetics is to know what you believe and why, and to be able to defend it when asked. The goal is not just to gain knowledge, or to be able to "destroy" those who believe differently than you do.  The ultimate goal should be to build up the body of believers in Jesus Christ, including yourself, and thus be able to impact the world with the truth of the Gospel.

A Christian has a responsibility to share his or her faith in Christ with other people in a respectful manner, remembering that we are God's ambassadors.  Sometimes people have said, "You can't argue someone into the Kingdom of God".  I find that viewpoint troubling because the disciples, and Jesus himself, did make apologetic arguments for believing.  The truth is that only God can open their hearts, but sometimes they need to first hear reasons that they can relate to overcome their anger, fears, misunderstandings, or objections to the truth of Christianity.  Being "argumentative" is generally counterproductive to that end.  We really are trying to win the war and ultimately clear the path for them to accept Christ as Lord and Savior, not just win an argument in such a way that they no longer are willing to listen or dialog again.  

Why study apologetics?

Here are three reasons to become proficient in apologetics:

SHARE your Faith

• Make the case for Christianity to people when the opportunity arises.  

• When we are challenged about why others should believe in God, the Resurrection, Creation, or objective Truth, we should be willing and able to engage.

• Though valuable, we don’t need more professionals.  We do need thousands of “one-dollar” apologists to go out and share what we can and give reasons for why we believe.  Put a stone in their shoes and leave them with something to consider that challenges what they believe.

INOCULATE your Faith 

• In a mission field, workers are exposed to lots of dangers and diseases.  To protect them, we inoculate against diseases and train them to handle the dangers they may face.

• We live in God's mission field every day.  We need to be exposed to some of the real-world challenges that we will face when sharing our faith, and to be prepared to stand up to them.

• We need to know what cures exist (reasonable answers), and that we are not the first ones to deal with particular claims or challenges to Christianity.  We need to know where to go to get the resources we need when we don't have the answers handy.

BULLET-PROOF your faith

• During training, some police detective's actually shoot at their vests (taken off first, of course) to get confidence that it will hold up under fire.  We can do the same by looking at the best challenges to Christianity and seeing that there are solid answers to their challenges that have stood for hundreds of years.  

• Historically, many of the world's most influential scholars and deepest thinkers have believed in God.  There are compelling, rational answers for those who are willing to listen and who wish to seek the Truth.  

• You will grow by reading opposing views and by interacting with non-believers.  But don't make the mistake of doing this exclusively or when you are unprepared, since that can lead to a shipwrecked faith.  You need the support of other like-minded believers to guide, mentor, and encourage you when you are wounded.

Resources

This takes time and effort, just like learning to use any tool or training your muscles for a race.  There are many resources available in books, video clips, lectures, and discipleship from others who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences.  Some Christian apologetic organizations and individuals that have greatly impacted my journey, and which I highly recommend, are:

• Reasons to Believe www.reasons.org 

• Founded by Christian astrophysicist Hugh Ross, RTB is committed to faithfully reconciling faith in God with scientific discoveries of God's World.  Their diverse scholar team supports and encourages dialog between believers with different perspectives on science-faith issues, while also reaching out to the scientific community and non-believers with evidences showing the compatibility of God's Word with observed facts of nature.

• Stand to Reason www.str.org 

• Founded by apologist Greg Koukl, STR has a firm commitment to rational and thoughtful engagement with skeptics and those willing to dialogue.  They are well known for taking a tactical "Colombo"  approach to apologetics, using questions to draw people out.  Greg has often said that it is better to just get in the game and aim for putting a stone in their worldview shoes, than trying to get them to immediately convert on the spot.  STR is also known for a strong stance against the logical fallacies of moral relativism.

• Cold-Case Christianity https://coldcasechristianity.com/ 

• Former cold-case homicide detective, J. Warner Wallace, takes a unique approach to evidences for the Christian faith, analyzing the facts and data as he would a crime scene. 

• He also came from a Mormon family, and is well-versed in how to talk to the LDS.

• I would highly recommend both Cold-Case Christianity and God's Crime Scene.  These books  make the case for the claims of the gospels and resurrection accounts, and God's creation, respectively. 

• I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist https://crossexamined.org/ 

• Frank Turek engages the culture, often on college campuses, with wit and directness.  He uses apologetics to argue for the rationality of the Christian worldview and why Christians should not be afraid to engage in the public realm, including politics and culture wars.

This is far from an exhaustive list.  There are classic authors such as C.S. Lewis, Walter Martin, William Lane Craig, and Josh McDowell who pioneered apologetics for many.  There are many good Christian podcasts, blogs, books, and campus speakers as well.  I would suggest finding someone you can relate to and that you can learn from.  And it is really okay to not agree with every position, approach, or argument that they use.  My wish for you is that you find ways to better understand what you actually believe, with objectively true reasons for your trust in Jesus that go beyond "blind faith".  Then you can share from your heart.

My goal for this series of posts is to cover a variety of apologetics topics that will give introductions to some of these topics, provide food for thought, and motivate further learning and growth on your part.

More Apologetics Topics

Ministry of Truth Timely Update - 14 Sep 2024 - Opportunity Economy

 

Opportunity Economy

A "specific" economic plan recently offered that promises to help the middle class reach their lawncare dreams.  By investing in the ambitions and aspirations of people with ambitions and dreams, this economic plan helps them to aspire to have pride in their lawns again.  They deserve to have their dreams fulfilled, and we will fuel those dreams and aspirations with this opportunistic economic plan, "ya know?"  

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Ministry of Truth Just Kidding Update - Liquid Littering

 

Liquid Littering

Dangerous eco-terrorists have been stopped from blowing mega bubbles in public spaces.  This "bubble artistry" actually pollutes the environment, even though they claim that they are just bringing joy by their bubbleology.  This has drawn outrage from environmentalists, and Ministry of Love enforcers are ticketing and threatening arrest if they don't cease and desist.

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Ministry of Truth Daily Update - 12 Sep 2024 - Saving Democracy

 

Saving Democracy

"We must save Democracy" by ignoring the will of the primary voters, encouraging Big Brother to abdicate, and installing Big Sister lite as the heir apparent.  By doing what is best for the 4 Ministries, regardless of the votes of the ignorant masses, we will prevent Democracy from being destroyed by the opposition candidate(s).  This is akin to encouraging loyal passage of bills and spending measures pre-approved by the Ministry of Truth, so that it can be revealed what wonderful progressive initiatives they contain. 

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Ministry of Truth Timely Update - 11 Sep 2024 - Fact-Checkers

 

Fact-Checkers

Uncheckable enforcers of official Ministry of Truth doctrine who are the final arbiters of controversial content and purgers of untruths or misinformation.  They are responsible for policing all media formats including personal speech, debates, political opinions, social media posts, websites, or even private text messages.  Any dissent will be reported to Big Brother.

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Ministry of Truth Daily Update - 11 Sep 2024 - Allyship

 

Allyship

Being supportive of marginalized people, such as transgender athletes.  We must welcome and empower all who "deserve equal access to the lifesaving power of sport, and that no one should be banned from playing sports simply because of who they are."   Allies must stand for representation of oppressed groups, whether it is because of racism, outdated morality, or legal status. 

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Ministry of Truth Timely Update - 10 Sep 2024 - "For the People"

 

"For the People"

Sacrificial slogan of the preferred candidate to replace Big Brother, which declares that all the people of the world deserve the same benefits, privileges, and voting rights as current citizens.  She is also for all the oppressed rioting people, the radical activist people, the pro-terrorist people, and the criminal people abused by our police and military.  Selfish opposition candidates are only looking out for themselves, with a myopic country-first agenda.

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Ministry of Truth Daily Update - 10 Sep 2024 - Mandatory Weapon Buyback

 

Mandatory Weapon Buyback

Voluntary gun confiscation with noncompliance penalties for those who still cling to their guns and Bibles.  Good citizens should willingly give up weapons that can be used to assault people.  The Ministries of Love and Peace must implement safety laws that ban any "weapon of war" that could be used to kill so that Big Brother has no resistance.  We can no longer allow unapproved access to projectiles, guns, arrows, water bottles, bricks, and corrosive chemicals.

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Ministry of Truth Daily Update - 09 Sep 2024 - Abortion-palooza

 

Abortion-palooza

The official Party of Big Brother hosted an electrifying, joyful celebration of abortion at their recent convention with free sex toys, contraception, and medical procedures.  The central theme of their campaign platform and values is called by some as the women's MAFA (Making Abortion Free Again).  In contrast to pro-life haters, MAFA glorifies it as the crowning achievement of the women's right movement.  Elections will be landslide wins because women know that being unburdened from raising a child is more important than the economy, voting rights for immigrants, trans-women's sports rights, and taking from the rich and giving to the poor. 

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Ministry of Truth Just Kidding Update - 06 Sep 2024 - Ladder Factory

 

Ladder Factory

According to a Ministry of Truth hopeful, we need to invest in climbing tools to provide disadvantaged migrants help in getting over the unjust border Walz. 

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Ministry of Truth Timely Update - 05 Sep 2024 - Press-canceling Headphones

 

Press-canceling Headphones

To avoid answering questions from hostile media, unprepared presidential candidates need to wear noise-canceling ear wear so they can wade through reporters while pretending not to hear their questions.  Unconfirmed rumors have it that she was listening to the Leadership for Cowards 101 podcast.

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Ministry of Truth Daily Update - 05 Sep 2024 - Memory Holed

 

Memory Holed

Removing videos, social media posts, documents, photographs, or other historical records from public access.  For personal or political reasons information is intentionally altered or made to disappear, making it seem like something never happened. See Gaslighting.

 

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