Inerrant, Infallible: Why We're Not Emergent....

The scripture is inerrant. The scripture is infallible.

Now comes the controversial part. If you have no interest in maintaining a conversation with me or with my friends, stop reading now. If you are purely "sola scriptura" REALLY stop reading now. In fact, here's a link to take you away from this site.

http://www.cnn.com

DeYoung and Cluck, in "Why We're not Emergent" attack this topic and those in the emergent conversation with a fervor. I am exceptionally impressed with their ability to present the issues without dropping to name-calling. They nailed it with the following statement.

"It is possible for Christians to esteem the Bible wrongly and equate the Bible with God, but it is not possible for Christians to esteem the Bible too highly."

The Bible was written by men. I believe, however, that every word was inspired by God. While I horribly dislike committees (today, they are called V-Teams...but they’re still committees.), I recognize the councils that prepared the canon of our modern Bible as divinely inspired.

I, as an emergent Christian, recognize the bible as inerrant. However, thanks to the protestant reformation, and Mr. Guttenberg, interpretation is not inerrant. But, now, let me explain this....from my perspective....

The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. I'm following. Wesley described his quadrilateral of spiritual growth as Scripture, Tradition, Experience and Reason. Those of you who read my blog regularly probably tire of me repeating that. So, my experience is that every time I read the Bible, I am given new, fresh, relevant and inspiring insight. My interpretation of scripture is affected by what I read, what I hear, and answers to prayer. I believe that God -- the Holy Spirit -- provides me understanding of scripture based on what I'm ready to understand. Note: Not WHAT I WANT to understand.

I am open to guidance, but I am not open to a piece of doctrinal scripture meaning one and only one thing. There are sections in scripture that are propositional and True. However, there are others that are NOT propositional, but that doesn't mean that they aren't true.

If I told you that the Staples Center is in Los Angeles, that would be a proposition and a truth. If I told you to go there, that would be a command. If that is all I told you, then there has to be some level of interpretation. Do you drive? Take a bus? Plane? Walk? What if you are overseas? Do you need anything before you can follow my command to go? Who defines what those things are? Who defines when you can go? While this is not a Biblical example, it is. Even the "Great Commission" in Matthew requires interpretation. (Oh, by the way, the moniker "Great Commission" isn't actually used by the writers of the Bible, but was added later by men....just thought I'd mention that.) Now, before you all start jumping up and down on me. I believe the GC is very clear about WHAT we are to do...but gives little on HOW. Take baptism...how many controversies are there on whether it has to be full immersion vs. sprinkling...part of the GC, but up for interpretation.

So, if someone tells me they know EXACTLY what a piece of scripture means, I will thank them for their insight. If I disagree, I may enter into conversation with them. If they expect to blindly accept their comments as TRUTH, and will ostracize me if I don't, then they have lost the most valuable thing they can get from me.

Respect.

Now, understand, a disagreement does not mean that I cannot be persuaded. But, persuasion should be gentle, allowing me to ask questions, allowing for Spirit-led compromise. Not, “You’re a heretic, and you’re gonna burn!” That doesn’t persuade me.

So does this make me a relativist. **SIGH** No, it does not. What it makes me is a “Theological Currentist”. My theology matches where I am currently. I am on a journey, and the Spirit has led me to this point on my journey. There are others who are farther along. There are others who are not as far along. The end result, the destination, is an ability to embrace all truth and to share that truth with others to help them along their journey. I am here and Jesus/The Bible is teaching me here. It’s where I’m at.

Am I sincere? Absolutely.

Can I be sincerely wrong? Even more absolutely.

But, I have every belief that if I continue to search, my God will lead me to that place of understanding, and I won’t be wrong. But I have to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling. Is there absolute Truth? You bet there is…and I’m getting there. But, I’m not there, yet. I can’t honestly say that I will ever be there. But there is absolute Truth.

So, what do you think? Those of you who fall into an emergent bucket? Those of you who don’t?

Note, I didn’t put in any examples of propositions I believe to be true. Thus, some will say that I don’t believe any to be true. Let me make this clear. That’s not true. I just didn’t think it added value to this conversation. You want proof-texting? I don’t normally, but I can for what I’ve said. Once again, didn’t think it added value.