For Christians, the Bible is a sacred book but they view it differently and argue about how to interpret its contents. When it comes to Scripture, Christians are A House Divided.
In this post, I consider two major ways Christians view the Bible and what that means for faith, relationships, and society.
I also provide you with a variety of quotes about the Bible so you can see how Christians describe their differing views.
If you are a Christian or if you've been around Christians, you know they can disagree about all kinds of things. Even Christians who have studied the biblical texts in the original languages disagree about, which ancient manuscripts to use, how to translate those texts, and how to interpret the texts that have been translated.
Two Views of The Bible
Despite the great variety of groups that identify as Christian, when it comes to views of the Bible, there are two major groups.
1. God's Life Manual. God is the author of the Bible, which is inerrant and infallible in its original manuscripts. In short, the Bible is God's Word. The focus is on what God has to say rather than on the men who wrote the different documents within the Bible over some 1,000 years.
2. Sacred Anthology. The Bible is a collection of different literary works by two groups of inspired authors. The oldest group were Israelites who wrote the works Christians call the Old Testament over hundreds of years. The newest group were mostly Jewish men who wrote about Jesus' life and teachings in gospels and letters some 1900 years ago. These New Testament works were mostly written in the second half of the first century.
The Two Groups
Several factors gave rise to the two major perspectives on the Bible we have today. Hundreds of years ago, men agreed on what ancient documents should become part of the Bible we see today. If you are familiar with Bibles, you know there are core contents common to Christians around the world but some Bibles have documents, called books, that are different. Despite the different contents, the major disagreements occur in how the contents of the Bible should influence how Christians live.
Sacred Anthology Group
The concept of a Sacred Anthology (my term) gradually emerged from two major fields of study coming out of the period in history known as the enlightenment.
Since the middle ages, scientists discovered new things about the world that did not fit a literal translation of biblical texts. For example, the world was round and did not have four corners as would be true of a flat earth (Isaiah 11:12). In another famous example, Galileo was arrested in the 1600s for his teachings about astronomy that appeared to contradict the theology of his day about the relationship of the earth to the sun. And of course, Darwin's 1859 On the Origin of Species continues to separate groups of Christians about the origin of life.
In addition to the scientific study of the world, Bible scholars examined ancient biblical manuscripts and learned more about ancient languages and cultures. They applied their understanding to the biblical texts, which eventually led to a series of improved translations, which identified variations in the old manuscripts and possible ways to understand ancient words and phrases. Scholars were thinking critically about the biblical texts. In addition to language studies, scholars attended to literary styles and how the ancient biblical writers dealt with the people and events of the times in which they lived.
The Sacred Anthology would eventually emerge from a combination of advances in scientific knowledge and scholarly analyses of the biblical texts plus a desire to deal with the rise of fundamentalism as seen in the next paragraph.
God's Life Manual Group
Not surprisingly, some Christian leaders were alarmed by what looked like a multifaceted attack on the Bible in the late 1800s when scientists were reporting discoveries, which seemed at odds with the biblical statements about the world. These Christians established what they saw as fundamental beliefs that Christians needed to affirm and honor if they were going to have a firm foundation for biblical faith. At the core of their concern was the Bible.
Read more about fundamentalism and sacred texts.
The tenets of faith were grounded in the Bible. The Bible was not just a guide for salvation from hell in the afterlife but it was a guide to right living. If you could not trust the biblical statements about history or the world, how could you trust those parts of the Bible that dealt with eternal life or morality? Scientific explanations of the origins of the universe and life were pitted against a literal understanding of Genesis. The Genesis texts have also been used as part of the arguments fundamentalists use to support a binary division of the sexes (male or female) and to tie gender (man or woman) to observable sexual characteristics.
The Ten Commandments were not mere suggestions. Christians may not have to sacrifice animals like the ancient Israelites did, but God's ideas about right and wrong did not change. People still needed to live according to biblical laws and principles. What God said about the world and the creation of life must be accepted as factually true. Simultaneously, what God identified as sin cannot be brushed aside.
The Bible is God's guiding light. The Bible explains how people can be saved from eternal damnation and live in a right relationship with God who loves them. In the stories and teachings of the Bible, Christians learn how to live a life that is pleasing to God and remain free from the perils of sin in this life and the next. The Bible is God's Life Manual.
The Scholar's Dilemma
In my view, evangelical scholars are in a no-person's land between a fundamentalist view of the Bible as God's Life Manual and a rejection of the Bible as an interesting collection of works but having no particular value for living life today.
Some evangelical scholars have lost their positions in conservative schools because of their challenges to a literal interpretation of the Bible as God's Life Manual. It isn't just about creation vs. evolution, although that remains an issue. But, as I have written elsewhere (e.g., A House Divided), many issues deal with sex-linked moral concerns like birth control and abortion. It is well known that there are biblical passages limiting the role of women in the church and the home and of course, same-sex sex is sinful.
There isn't much room for evangelical scholars any more. They seem to either keep silent or endorse the fundamentalists' perspective on the Bible. Of course, fundamentalists disagree, which is why there are so many different protestant groups. Nevertheless, they have found common cause over some of the aforementioned moral issues and work to change societies based on these views derived from a commitment to the Bible as God's Word--God's Life Manual.
In recent decades, some evangelical scholars have left their fundamentalist groups and joined mainline churches. Some, if not many, are loosely identified as progressive Christians. Scholars like Marcus Borg and Peter Enns have offered a way to take the Bible seriously but not literally. This new narrative embraces the truth in ancient stories as seen through the eyes of ancient writers. These modern scholars explain many extraordinary biblical stories in terms of similes, metaphors, hyperboles, and other literary devices. They embrace a new spirituality as a reality without taking stories about talking animals, floating axe heads, and a giant fish literally. For these writers and their followers, the Bible becomes a Sacred Anthology. Christians may return to the Bible again for fresh insights into spiritual truths without being defensive about events that seem too magical to be true.
Read more about
The Purge of Righteous Minds in Christian Higher Education
Difficulties in Christian Higher Education Illustrate Sharp Divisions
The Bible in Society
Some Research
It is no surprise when scholars disagree about the contents and interpretation of the Bible. Perhaps what is more important is an appreciation of how Christians engage with the Bible.
Fortunately, The American Bible Society (ABS) provides an annual report called The State of the Bible. As you read about the findings, differences in views become apparent. Their language of contrasts is literal reading compared to symbolic reading.
In 2022, they found that 77% of Americans own a Bible. They found a decline of 21% in Bible Users from 2021 to 2022--people who use the Bible 3-4 times a year on their own (that is, outside of church). That decline places users at 39%. In fact, 40% never use the Bible on their own. Daily use is at 10%.
How does the Bible influence morality? The survey asked about America's morality and found that 86% agreed that American moral values are in decline. What is the cause of America's Moral Decline? Several choices are presented. Most thought it was a "lack of positive parental involvement" with much lower percentages considering a "low level of respect for the Bible as a moral guide."
What about the Bible and character development? Close to half (49%) agreed that "Bible reading is an important component of a child's character development."
What do Americans believe about the Bible? About 1/4 (27%) see the Bible as the inspired word of God without errors. Another response was a 15% endorsement of "The Bible is the actual word of God and should be taken literally, word for word."
God's Life Manual. Although I created the term based on my research, I was surprised to see the following item, which comes close to my idea. Here's a quote from the ABS report.
"Nearly half of American adults (49%) agree with this statement: The Bible contains everything a person needs to know to live a meaningful life. Fewer than one-third (31%) disagree."
Why do Bible users read the Bible? Many reported "It brings me closer to God" (41%).
In the ABS report, you will see more details along with suggestions for why the 2022 data have changed. See how they think of the pandemic as a factor.
**********
In 2017, Lifeway Research asked: How much of the Bible have you personally read? Only 11% had read the Bible and only 10% had not read any of it.
How do people view the Bible? These responses help understand the concept of God's Life Manual.
Lifeway asked: "Which of the following describe the Bible?
About half thought the Bible is a good source of morals (52%). Several descriptions were in the 34-38% range so, close to 1/3: Historical account 38%, helpful today 37%, True 36%, Life-changing 35%, a story 34%. Some negatives were: outdated 14%, bigoted 8%, harmful 7%.
**********
Comments
We know that the Bible is a part of American life with about 3/4 of the population owning a Bible. Among those who read or use the Bible, about half associate the Bible with morality and a guide to a meaningful life. Although strict literalism is low, for many, the Bible is God's Life Manual.
Of particular interest is the low level of Bible reading, which leaves Christians vulnerable to the influence of clergy and others when it comes to understanding what is in the Bible and how they ought to live. This has likely been true for centuries given the fact that so many people were illiterate for most of history. Thus, it is perhaps more important to know what clergy know about the Bible and what they believe and teach. And to what extent clergy sermons or guidance influence congregant behavior.
Some Christians take care to be more precise about their views of the Bible than others do. There are some terms worth considering.
Infallible - incapable of making mistakes or being wrong
Authoritative- able to be trusted as accurate, true, or reliable
Inspired-God is the source of the contents of Scripture
Related Books and Resources
Reading the Bible Again for the First Time
Discipline with Respect: Christian Family Edition
👉 Bible Software- See various collections
Please check out my website www.suttong.com
and see my books on AMAZON or GOOGLE
STORE
Also,
consider connecting with me on FACEBOOK Geoff W. Sutton
TWITTER @Geoff.W.Sutton
You can read many published articles at no charge:
Academia Geoff W Sutton
ResearchGate
Geoffrey
W Sutton
Some Views on the Bible
Southern Baptists 2000
[Retrieved 2022, Aug 31]"The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation."
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
*****
Assemblies of God (Pentecostal) [Retrieved 2022, Aug 31]
THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED (AG 16 Fundamental Truths)"The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct."
2 Timothy 3:15-17 [KJV/NIV]
1 Thessalonians 2:13 [KJV/NIV]
2 Peter 1:21 [KJV/NIV]
*****
US Catholics. [Retrieved 2022 Aug 31]
"Sacred Scripture is the inspired word of God, the collection of sacred books that hand on the truth of Revelation in written form."[Note, the Catholic position is nuanced. Read more for details.
*****
Disciples of Christ. [Retrieved 2022, Aug 31] See https://disciples.org/our-identity/
"We study scripture for ourselvesWe are called to study and read scripture for ourselves. Rather than having tests of faith and creedal statements, we critically and thoughtfully study scripture, taking into account the history and background – the context – in which it was written."
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God revealing the love of God to the world. 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; John 3:16. Source https://billygraham.org/about/what-we-believe/
Thanks Geoff!
ReplyDelete