As I sit here writing, I am surrounded on all sides by books. Much to my surprise my wife allows me to fill our living room with bookshelves for my theological library. I have books on Church history, commentaries on the Bible, Books on doctrine, Dictionaries of various languages, Pastoral ministry books and a few books of fiction as well. At any moment I can walk over to a shelf and begin to read a sermon by Spurgeon, a treatise on the kenotic theory, a pondering thought by Lewis or discover what truly lurks in the chamber of secrets. With so many books to choose from why would I look for just one book? Why would we call this site just one book?
The answer to that question is apparent to anyone who knows me or Clint or knows something of Christianity (at least of the conservative evangelical sort). That one book is the Bible. 66 books two canons in one that make up God's Holy Word. In fact most of the books that surround me are focused on some aspect of the content of that book, and every book around me implicitly has something to do with the meaning of that book. How can that be? You say. Are you truly that arrogant that you think this Bible is supreme?
You bet your cookies I do. (I have no idea what that means). The Bible is not God's holy word because I said so. It is not God's holy word because my church, my denomination or the Pope says so. It is not God's holy word because at a few councils and some guys letters a canon was chosen. The holiness of the book comes from its divine authorship. Its "inspiration" is unlike any book ever written. Its content is quite different, even though less quality copies have been reprinted throughout the ages. It is different because of what we call revelation.
This concept of revelation is a topic which must be dealt with at another time. Perhaps a future conversation between Clint and I. Know that just one Book is a blog that seeks to keep two students of the bible ever yearning to know it better and serve the world for the sake of God made known to us through Jesus Christ who empowers us by his Spirit.
The answer to that question is apparent to anyone who knows me or Clint or knows something of Christianity (at least of the conservative evangelical sort). That one book is the Bible. 66 books two canons in one that make up God's Holy Word. In fact most of the books that surround me are focused on some aspect of the content of that book, and every book around me implicitly has something to do with the meaning of that book. How can that be? You say. Are you truly that arrogant that you think this Bible is supreme?
You bet your cookies I do. (I have no idea what that means). The Bible is not God's holy word because I said so. It is not God's holy word because my church, my denomination or the Pope says so. It is not God's holy word because at a few councils and some guys letters a canon was chosen. The holiness of the book comes from its divine authorship. Its "inspiration" is unlike any book ever written. Its content is quite different, even though less quality copies have been reprinted throughout the ages. It is different because of what we call revelation.
This concept of revelation is a topic which must be dealt with at another time. Perhaps a future conversation between Clint and I. Know that just one Book is a blog that seeks to keep two students of the bible ever yearning to know it better and serve the world for the sake of God made known to us through Jesus Christ who empowers us by his Spirit.
4 comments:
it seems as though revelation would be as Barth said, "God revealing Godself to us." I believe that was in Barth's dogmatics in outline. And of course, Godself is contained in God's Holy Word..ie the Bible.
Dear Anonymous,
Like I said there will be a work forth coming on revelation, but let me add a note here. I am not advocating a Barthian view of revelation where the Bible merely contains God's word or can become God's word. AS B.H. Carroll said in his book on inspiration, "That is fool-talk." (p. 20)
The Bible is revelation. Let me state that here.
Madison
You bet your cookies I do.
Nice.
B.H. Carroll eh? I don't pretend to know much about him. I do know that wikipedia said he was close to the former president of Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. So, I can hardly expect a student (or former student) of that school of thought to be different. Nevertheless, Barth laid the foundations upon which all systematic Biblical thought was built. I believe that Barth would agree that the Bible is revelation (there's a whole book in there on that!) I kid...I know the whole book is revelation. If you're going to do work on revelation, I encourage you to consider and build on a Barthian view. We must have a rock on which to build.
Post a Comment