The authority and interpretation of the Bible : an historical approach
Jack Rogers, Donald K. McKim (Author)
"The authority and Interpretation of the Bible is an important and long-needed step toward calming a dispute that has needlessly factionalized the church; it demonstrates that an approach to the Bible from a solid historical position can also have contemporary relevance. Jack B. Rogers and Donald K. McKim, evangelical scholars writing from a Reformed perspective, offer a new paradigm and a fresh viewpoint for looking at the authority and interpretation of the Bible; they suggest a way to approach Scripture creatively, constructively, and in accord with the ancient creeds and the Reformation confessions. This book is a detailed and comprehensive study of attitudes toward biblical authority and interpretation held from the beginnings of the Christian era to the present day. In clear and readable fashion, the authors examine the writings of early church fathers, the medieval exegetes, and the leaders of the source of, and refute, the position of inerrancy. The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible demonstrates how the peculiar twists of American history have resulted in distorted views of the doctrine of Scripture. By setting American theology in the context of the older traditions of the Reformation and the early church, it enables readers to make a fresh evaluation of our American theological heritage. Rogers and McKim contend that the prevailing view of the Bible has traditionally been one of alert flexibility, embracing Scripture as the word of an infallible God adapted to the understanding of human beings in their historical and cultural context. They demonstrate that an "infallible" Bible is in keeping with the central church tradition and avoids the extreme positions often advocated today. The result is the most complete scholarly treatment now avalible in the current controversy over Biblical authority. It provides all readers the opportunity to further define and deepen their own theological and ecclesiastical roots." Publisher
Print Book, English, ©1979
1st ed
Harper & Row, San Francisco, ©1979