Concepts of Inerrancy, Infallibility and Authority of the Bible

This article critically discusses the concepts of inerrancy, infallibility and the authority of the Bible. It explores the reliability and authority of the Bible and its inspiration, inerrancy, infallibility, clarity and sufficiency.

DISCUSSION

Outline and critically discuss the concepts of inerrancy, infallibility and the authority of the
Bible

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion concept of Inerrancy......................................................................................................2
Concept of Infallibility....................................................................................................................3
Concept of Authority of Bible.........................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................5

Introduction
The indications is about revival of interest in Bible which is numerous and encouraging. The
study of Bible is necessary for the development in Christian life, where the facts are about
Scriptures presenting the basis of faith in Christ and whole series of providential events. The
acquaintances are about the facts and prophetic, devotional and the hortatory discourses and
meditations to give occasions to understand the Old and New Testaments as records for holy
faith. Hence, for this, Bible is important for the people to know and understand about what God
needs and the failure The reliability and the authority comes with inspiration, inerrancy and the
infallibility, clarity and sufficiency. The consideration is on the marks of God’s word where the
believers can depend on it and yield to it as well 1. The doctrine of inspiration comes from the
biblical forms and standards, with speaking of God to “breath out” his word.
Discussion concept of Inerrancy
The biblical inerrancy is about the belief that Bible is without any error or fault in its teaching.
The scripture is about the original manuscripts which does not holds the affirmation that is
completely contrary to this fact. Hence, the inerrancy with infallibility requires to focus on
evangelicalism. The focus is how one can admit to inspiration, strict speaking, and then applying
to the autographic texture of scriptures 2. There are minorities of biblical inerrantists who argue
on the original texts that are perfectly preserved and passing through time. The word describes
about the nature of inspiration which renders the Bible infallibility where it cannot deceive an
individual. The promulgation of a belief is mainly in the literal word of Hebrew Bible where
Christianity adheres to inerrancy of scriptures as it tries to read about the assertions and the
different beliefs in the biblical authority standards. The Catholic Church view is expressed
through citing the declarations. The assertions are inspired by the authorities or the sacred writers
1 Barrett, Matthew. God's Word Alone---The Authority of Scripture: What the Reformers Taught...
and Why It Still Matters. Zondervan, 2016.
2 Wendland, E. R. "Exploring The lost world of scripture." A critical review [Review of the book The
lost world of scripture, by John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy]. American Journal of Arts and
Humanities 1 (2016): B9-B38.

who need to handle the assertions by Holy Spirit. They follow the books which needs to be
properly acknowledged and then used faithfully or without any error primarily. The literalist or
the Christians tend to teach the Bible generally lacks any error in any way like chronology,
history, biology etc. They also believe that there are scriptures for working in a right and
fulfilling manner with primary focus on revealing God, His vision and the purposes that are
important for humanity.
Some of the old traditions claim about the physically written factors which have been seen to be
in transcript. The inerrancy in autographic text and other modern versions certainly disagree
about whether the term of inerrancy relates only for the Bibles, texts on autographs 3. It is seen
that the disagreements are found to be in the autographic forms and texts, which do not seem to
survive for a long time, and the modern texts are considered to be inerrant. There are articles
which asserts on the factor that there are original texts which could be ascertained from any of
the available manuscripts with a greater accuracy, considering that there will be a lack of
originals. The textual tradition of New Testament requires to focus on copious quotes, across
centuries for scriptures. For a long time, biblical and the textual scholars have been examining
the manuscripts properly.
Concept of Infallibility
The concept is about the infallibility which highlights about how one is or unable to be wrong
and relates to epistemology or any other factor/religion. The discussion is about the humans and
the issues which are related to human standards who work on the philosophical standards. The
advocacy is about claiming that one needs to know anything with certainty which is much less to
be infallible4. The fallibilism generally holds a similar place with advocacy of subjectivism.
There are advocacy of reasons and rationality where one can easily work on gaining knowledge
certainty through a refinement process measure which is unlikely to be perfected enough. The
3 Mathews, Steven H. "Book Review: Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy." (2016): 160-162.
4 Kuiken, Van, E. Jerome, John Walton, and Brent Sandy. "John Walton's Lost Worlds and God's
Loosed Word: Implications for Inerrancy, Canon, and Creation/an Expanded View of Biblical Authority: A
Response to Van Kuiken." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 58, no. 4 (2015): 679.

Protestant and the other non-denominational Christian churches with evidence by requirement
with sources of knowledge that is not infallible. Due to the complexity for the infallibility, some
Protestant require to view and confuse the impeccability, with immunity from sin. The notions of
infallibility in Judaism is related to Tannaim and Amoraim of Talmud, with the modern day
Gedolim that is surrounded by debate5. The interpretation is through scientific claims of scripture
that needs to be interpreted through phenomenological nature for Biblical narratives. There are
certain places which seem to lack accuracy and precision which also undermines the inerrancy
and infallibility. The examples include the imprecise quotations, with the numbers and grammar
for accounts of certain same events or other unscientific descriptions. Bible is considered to be a
best book for reference which requires text with recounting the mighty acts of God on behalf of
people.
The idea is about the concepts related to the present-day proposal with handling the doctrine of
inerrancy of Scripture. Since God speaks in Sacred Scripture is mainly through men in a human
fashion.6 Bible claims about the prophetic message about being completely reliable. There is no
prophecy of Scripture with prophet’s owning interpretation of things.
Infallibility deals mainly with personal knowledge of Lord where inerrancy is about the scripture
details. The infallibility is for the terms, where one believes inerrancy and infallibility, but
reverse is not true. Bible contains error of fact where there are accomplishment of purpose,
where the final standards of authority is on all matters of faith and practice. The basic positions
are from the Bible Believers which is related to:
a. The inerrancy is true which is considered to be a test of fellowship, where the position
holds doctrine with consistent Christian doctrine for holding and concerning Bible. One
needs to claim to believe Jesus about the rejection on the inerrancy doctrine, which is not
welcomed in Christian fellowship.
5 Watts, Elizabeth. "Analysis of Creationism in the United States from Scopes (1925) to Kitzmiller
(2005) and its Effect on the Nation´ s Science Education System." (2018).
6 Kwakkel, Gert. "The Reformation and Historical-Critical Research in Biblical Interpretation." The
Reformation: Its Roots and Its Legacy (2017): 74.

b. The inerrancy is about the perspective belief with viewing and allowing for believers to
be inconsistent with idea of nature without any assumptions that they have to be
completely avoided by other Christian, as per the analysis 7.
c. The third position is set to hold inerrancy with not only a test for the fellowship with
believers. Here, there are no tests of Christian orthodox with stress on doctrine that holds
divine side of Scripture with admitting on human side as well.
Concept of Authority of Bible
The biblical authority is about the commandments and the doctrines which needs to be set for the
Old and the New Testament Scriptures. They are authoritative over the beliefs of human and the
conduct, where the extent is set to Biblical propositions which are completely accurate in matters
related to history and science. Here, the information is seen to be retrieved and contained in a
canonical book which is not considered to be of a human origin 8. Hence, this also entails for the
ones who are not exhausted by the questions which are seen to be rising by the inerrancy of bible
or the biblical interpretation. Here, the Authority and the Interpretation of Bible: A Historical
Approach, 1979 book, claims about the views where Bible has a complete authority over the
different social endeavors which needs to be issuing certain imperatives related to conduct and
then for the church organization as well. This is not only for the reportage of historical events
and the other scientific facts but also for the Scripture which is “inerrant” that matters history and
science. The challenge is about arguing for the different categories, where God’s word has
authority and is completely without any error. The assertions of the book are of a view that the
biblical authority has been completely normative and requires to focus on the positions which are
set through Christianity. The question of clarity comes with perspectives of authorship and
7 Folarin, George O. "Theology and practice of Christ Apostolic Church on Bible inspiration and its
authority in the context of Evangelical theology." HTS Theological Studies 74, no. 1 (2018): 1-9.
8 Perry, Samuel L. "Bible beliefs, conservative religious identity, and same‐sex marriage support:
Examining main and moderating effects." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion54, no. 4 (2015): 792-
813.
i9x

readership where the Bible has been able to take in perfect clarity 9. There are understandings
about divine author who is not only for elite and favoring human writers from diversified places
who does not undermine the clarity as well 10.
Conclusion
The Bible is for the people who are inspired, inerrant and clear for the faith and life. This is
considered to be a major earthly treasure which could be considered for a mankind with a life-
giving wisdom that generally leads to complete salvation and maturity as well 11. The belief is
about how Bible says for matters of faith and Christian practice. Here, the belief is about Bible
which is completely trustworthy that is considered to be a guide for salvation and life of faith.
The infallibility is considered to be strong with factors related to modern theologians insisting on
redefined forms with the relevant matters of faith and Christian practice.
References
Barrett, Matthew. God's Word Alone---The Authority of Scripture: What the Reformers Taught...
and Why It Still Matters. Zondervan, 2016.
Folarin, George O. "Theology and practice of Christ Apostolic Church on Bible inspiration and
its authority in the context of Evangelical theology." HTS Theological Studies 74, no. 1 (2018):
1-9.
Kuiken, Van, E. Jerome, Walton John and Sandy Brent. "John Walton's Lost Worlds and God's
Loosed Word: Implications for Inerrancy, Canon, and Creation/an Expanded View of Biblical
9 Young, Stephen L. "Protective Strategies and the Prestige of the “Academic”." Biblical
Interpretation 23, no. 1 (2015): 1-35.
10 McGee, David A. "A Mixed-Methods Study of the Variables that Influence Florida Southern
Baptists' Affirmation of the Inerrancy of the Bible." (2014).
11 Vanhoozer, Kevin J. "The inerrancy of scripture." Latimer Comment 65 (2018).

Authority: A Response to Van Kuiken." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 58, no. 4
(2015): 679.
Kwakkel, Gert. "The Reformation and Historical-Critical Research in Biblical
Interpretation." The Reformation: Its Roots and Its Legacy (2017): 74.
Mathews, Steven H. "Book Review: Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy." (2016): 160-162.
McGee, David A. "A Mixed-Methods Study of the Variables that Influence Florida Southern
Baptists' Affirmation of the Inerrancy of the Bible." (2014).
Perry, Samuel L. "Bible beliefs, conservative religious identity, and same‐sex marriage support:
Examining main and moderating effects." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 54, no. 4
(2015): 792-813.
Vanhoozer, Kevin J. "The inerrancy of scripture." Latimer Comment 65 (2018).
Watts, Elizabeth. "Analysis of Creationism in the United States from Scopes (1925) to Kitzmiller
(2005) and its Effect on the Nation´ s Science Education System." (2018).
Wendland, E. R. "Exploring The lost world of scripture." A critical review [Review of the book
The lost world of scripture, by John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy]. American Journal of Arts
and Humanities 1 (2016): B9-B38.
Young, Stephen L. "Protective Strategies and the Prestige of the “Academic”." Biblical
Interpretation 23, no. 1 (2015): 1-35.