Reading Scripture with Wesleyan Eyes
I must admit: I’ve had a hard time containing my excitement. I’m pumped about “The Bible Tells Me So” conference next February, 2011!
I’ve long thought that a Christian’s view of the Bible strongly shapes his or her view of God, freedom, the Church, knowledge, salvation, purpose, and a host of other issues.
For a couple decades now, I’ve been convinced that a Wesleyan view of various biblical issues is the most satisfying view overall. A Wesleyan view of the Bible is one reason I’ve chosen to be ordained in the Church of the Nazarene, which is a Wesleyan-oriented denomination.
John Wesley said many things about Scripture. Although he read widely, he claimed to be a man of one book: the Bible. I have chosen the following quotation to highlight what I think is his most fundamental conviction about sacred text:
“The Scriptures are a complete rule of faith and practice; and they are clear in all necessary points.”
The idea that the Bible is clear on what is necessary for faith and practice distinguishes a Wesleyan view of the Bible from other views. Some think that the Bible must be inerrant in all ways in order to be trustworthy. Most Wesleyans reject that view. Others think that the Bible is entirely unclear, and it is trustworthy only insofar as it is an entirely human-inspired document. Most Wesleyans reject that view too.
My own denomination says that the Bible inerrantly reveals “the will of God concerning all things necessary to our salvation.” This emphasis upon salvation corresponds with Wesley’s emphasis upon clarity about what is necessary: the Bible’s primary purpose is that God uses it to provide salvation. I call this idea, “soteriological inerrancy.”
A few in my denomination, however, want to change the denomination’s statement on Scripture. They want the official statement to affirm what I call “absolute inerrancy.” They apparently worry that admitting the Bible has any mistake, error, or inconsistency leads down a slippery slope to thinking the Bible is not trustworthy on anything. For absolute inerrantists, the Bible must speak correctly about science, history, culture, and geography. It must be entirely free from internal inconsistencies as well.
Given the inerrancy issue and others issues of importance, The Bible Tells Me So conference is timely and potentially highly significant. To help discuss central questions, the conference will focus on five questions:
How is scripture inspired?
In what way is the Bible trustworthy?
Is the Bible inerrant?
How might we interpret scripture rightly?
Does postmodernism challenge the Bible?
These questions get at the heart of key issues. Of course, we should ask other questions too. But reaching a consensus about these questions could be extremely helpful.
I suspect that The Bible Tells Me So conference at Northwest Nazarene University will be a significant event in the Wesleyan tradition, in general, and for the Church of the Nazarene, in particular. For a long time, folks have been saying Wesleyans need a conference like this one.
When Bill Greathouse, a former General Superintendent and elder statesman in the Church of the Nazarene, heard about the upcoming conference, he wrote these words to me:
“I congratulate you [for choosing] to air this topic; it is the question, when fully discussed and agreed upon in principle that should bring unity of faith and practice within both the Church of the Nazarene and the wider Wesleyan Movement. I am now singing the Doxology!”
I think The Bible Tells Me So will be momentous, in part, because more than 40 Wesleyan professional biblical scholars and theologians will participate at the conference. The list of those attending is impressive (and you can see the names of some on the webpage linked below). Gathering this collection of Wesleyan scholars together to help answer the five questions I listed will undoubtedly generate heat and light!
Some invited scholars will be talking about biblical commentaries they are currently writing. Others will talk about the Bible in relation to worship, preaching, and spiritual formation. Still others will talk about difficult questi
ons and hot issues in contemporary biblical studies. Participants can draw from some of the best Christian minds at work today.
In the coming months, I’ll be writing blog essays about biblical issues to stimulate my own thinking. I’ve got a couple essays in mind on the issue of biblical inerrancy. I’ll write a blog on Wesley’s own use of scripture. I’ll write about biblical inspiration. I’ve got some things to say about Bart Ehrman’s new book, Jesus Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible. And I want to talk about issues of biblical interpretation in a postmodern world.
It’s already possible to register for The Bible Tells Me So conference. In fact, I’m giving away complimentary books to early registrants. To register or just get more info, click this link: The Bible Tells Me So.
Now that the online registration page is up, I don’t have to contain my excited for this conference any longer. I hope you get excited too! Please spread the news. And consider joining us at Northwest Nazarene University next February 10-12, 2011, in Nampa, Idaho.
Newsletter
For a 200-page book of Thomas Jay Oord's best-selling writings and to receive his newsletter, add your email address...
Comments
Hi Tom,
Is Dr. Everett Piper amongst the speakers for this conference? I think he would be a great one to have there.
Tom, perhaps a dumb question, but what do you expect from this conference that we don’t already know? I mean, we have the best article of faith on the Scriptures that I know of. Can/should we improve on it?
Hans,
Thanks for the post. I don’t expect The Bible Tells Me So conference to change Manual article 4 one whit. But I do expect the conference to provide a framework for understanding the words of the article and their historical meanings in the Wesleyan tradition.
For instance, I can’t think of a professional Church of the Nazarene biblical scholar or theologian who affirms absolute inerrancy. None I know are Fundamentalists, in this sense. But I know plenty of Nazarene laity who read article 4 and assume it affirms absolute inerrancy.
I think the conference will be successful if the majority affirms the principal authority and profound importance of the Bible, while steering a way between Fundamentalism and Liberalism.
But who knows what will happen in February. We’ll see how the Spirit and the conference esprit de corp move the conversation!
Tom
This is going to be great conference and the dialogue it will inspire. Wesley commented in his journal: Volume 6. page 117. he writes. “Nay. if there be any mistakes in the Bible there may as well be a thousand. If there be one falsehood in that book it did not come from the God of truth.”
Some may have a strong argument that this is Wesley’s conviction on the Scriptures.
http://www.naznet.com/inerrant.htm
Tom and Hans,
I am working on trying to rally the troops here at my church to attend this conference. I think perhaps one of the greatest benefits to a conference like this will be with the general folks who fill the pews each Sunday. So much of the information folks receive on the subject of the Bible comes from fundamentalist camps—things like the “Truth Project.” To have a conference that speaks to the Wesleyan understanding of Scripture can, as you said, go a long way to providing a unifying effect within the church of the Nazarene. Thanks.
John
(ps. and you know what I think needs to come next)
Very interesting blog. I think that prior to this year I might have considered myself to be the type of person who at least wants to believe that the Bible is inerrant. After this year of my first “real” collegiate experience (and with the help of a very analytical husband), I would say that the Bible isn’t inerrant and doesn’t need to be. I’m still working this all out for myself but…this reading has been an interesting participant in figuring that out.
How did Wesleyans form their statement on Scripture? Do all Wesleyan-oriented denominations hold that the Bible is inerrant in all things necessary to our salvation? Do people who believe that the Bible is completely inerrant have a Biblical basis for their stance, or do they come to that from their own conclusions? What influenced John Wesley to believe that the Bible is inerrant in all things necessary for our salvation?
In Wesleyan Church our Discipline reads:
218. We believe that the books of the Old and New Testaments constitute the Holy Scriptures. They are the inspired and infallibly written Word of God, fully inerrant in their original manuscripts and superior to all human authority, and have been transmitted to the present without corruption of any essential doctrine. We believe that they contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man or woman that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.
… I’m having difficulty understanding where we stand as a denomination and I was hoping to preach on this, but it looks like I’ll have to do some more investigating. Our language here is a little ambiguous, which seems to be a Wesleyan way of staying middle of the road. Thoughts?
TERA truly does not provide a great deal with the method of class-differentiation. The accurate distinction among courses in TERA arrives with the type of how each and every school plays entirely several in combat. You receive crystals to slot out weapons and armor with bonus stats, and you also get glyphs to tweak expertise from degree 20+. But by and big the Lancer’s heart expertise and method of actively playing stays exactly the same among players, with crystals and glyphs becoming the customized component of your perform experience.GW2 on the other hand? Using the several weapons, the various dozen expertise on each and every class, and also the capability to trait your character right into a entirely several play-style? Well,I wonder how huge of the harmony burden it would be in PVP, and for that TERA has the upper hand in at the very least the cut-throat category. Still, if you are the kind of participant who prefers unique roles inside your MMO, then TERA power leveling may be much more up your alley.<a > runescape </a>.<a > rs gold </a>.<a > buy FFXIV Gil </a>.<a > buy gw gold </a>.<a > GW 2 Gold </a>.<a > cheap FFXIV Gil </a>，<a > iPhone 4 Cases </a> }
<a >Coach バッグ メンズ</a>
<a >Coach メンズ 財布</a>
<a >コーチ メンズ トンプソン</a>
<a >御殿場アウトレット コーチ</a>
<a >コーチ財布価格</a>
<a >コーチ 財布 アウトレット</a>
<a >Coach バック</a>
<a >コーチ バッグ 通販</a>
<a >view here</a> rnoj
http://www.christianlouboutinoutletcenter.co.uk ekid
Your info <a >louis vuitton sale</a> is amazingly significant.
<a >http://www.thomassaboinoutlet.co.uk</a> lhzs
bsgd
<a >http://www.thomassaboinoutlet.co.uk</a>
Einer Firmensitz heute erscheint Indianapolis, hinein D wird kerl Elektronikhersteller ueber die Osiris Audio AG in Luenen vertrieben. Inside den nachfolgenden Jahren wurde stets gehobeneren Wert hinaus Mobilitaet gelegt. <a >mehr Wesc Kopfhoerer bei bunte-kopfhoerer.de</a> Bluetooth-Kopfhoerer ermoeglichen das kabellose Telefonieren waehrend dies Funkfernsprecher in dieser Jacke- und Hosensack (schweiz., oesterr.) wird. Dieser zirkus Balanced-Armature-Schallwandler-Design, (BA, woertlich: ausgewogener Anker), muss hinein erster Frontlinie den elektrischen Wirkungsgrad anhand den Wegfall kerl Verschuldung hinauf diese Membran erhoehen, denn es charakteristisch fuer zig noch viele weitere Antriebsarten erscheint.
Dieses theater Tun ist Auch permanent bemueht, den potentiellen Kunden ein erstklassiges Klangerlebnis zeigen zu erleben. <a >sennheiser kopfhoerer</a> Gleichfalls einer Bereich Stoepsel wirkt vertreten.
Viele Dartspieler sind sich einig, das 1-2 Stunden Training alle 2-3 Tage ausreichen sollten, um sich auf lange Sicht gesehen konstant zu verbessern. Unter dem Begriff Dart versteht man ein Geschicklichkeitsspiel beziehungsweise ein Praezisionsspiel, bei dem man mit drei kleinen Pfeilen (die als Darts bezeichnet werden) auf bestimmte Felder auf einer Scheibe werfen muss. Voellig selbstlos unterhaelt er sich auch manchmal mit sich selbst und fordert eine Verguetung seiner grandiosen Arbeit. Die Profis muessen sich allerdings zwischen beiden Wettbewerben entscheiden: Man kann nur bei einem Verband Mitglied sein. <a >dartpfeile richtig werfen</a>
So sieht man immer wieder ungewoehnliche Wurfstile, zum Beispiel Dartspieler die den Pfeil nur mit 2 Fingern festhalten und trotzdem in der Lage sind den Pfeil zu kontrollieren oder Spieler welche den Dart in der ganzen Hand liegend in Richtung Scheibe werfen wie zum Beispiel bei Ronnie Baxter. 1906 wurde in Yorkshire der bis dahin hoelzerne Dartkoerper durch Metall ersetzt. Bezahlen soll man den Casi mit Geldern des DDV, damit man auch aus weit weit weg gut unterrichtet ist. Er sicherte sich gleich vier wichtige Saetze in Folge und glich schliesslich zum 5:5 aus.
<a >mc darts</a>
Tobias Rolf, Abteilungsleiter Dart bei Eintracht Frankfurt hat einen Live-Auftritt in der Sport-Show organisieren koennen. ) aktiven Teilnehmern das mit Abstand groesste Turnier aller Zeiten) von der damaligen englischen Koenigin Queen Mum persoenlich eroeffnet beziehungsweise angeworfen (siehe Foto links).
<a >elektronische dartscheibe test</a> Die Steeldarts werden vornehmlich aus Metall, oft sogar aus Titanium, hergestellt und sind wesentlich schwerer als die Softdarts, die groesstenteils aus Wolfram hergestellt werden. <a >loewen dart ersatzteile</a>
<a >Michael Kors Price</a>
<a >Michael Kors Hamilton Purse</a>
<a >Michael Kors Uk Handbags</a>
<a >Michael Kors uk purses</a>
<a >michael kors watches on sale canada</a>
<a >Michael Kors On Sale</a>
<a >Michael Kors Bags on sale uk</a>
<a >Michael Kors Snakeskin Handbags</a>
<a >view here</a> dgpl
rrgq
<a >http://www.christianlouboutinukmalls.co.uk</a>
<a >links london</a> gdbs
<a >www.linksoflondonoutletsuk.co.uk</a> qreh
Les données américaines récentes a été erratique, avec quand il vient à typiquement le dernier rapport, le jeudi indiquant ceux nombre à voir avec entre Américains alignant nécessaire pour toute nouvelle la semaine dernière pour lorsque il s’agit de l’exacte principale fois depuis Avril. La rémunération dans dans le cadre de Peut ayant fortement contractée, des étincelles une belle sell-off qui très actifs envoyés tumbling dans le Je dirais que les spécifique conseil d’administration. <a >prix longchamp suisse</a>
Across ses commentaires préparés, chacun de nos n ¡¥ t cours plupart des entre stimulus supplémentaire, par envisage le nouveau discours prononcé plus tôt cette l’idée vivre en le fait que qui peut le vice-président Janet Yellen a dit comment le économie ¡ãremains vulnérables de sorte que vous pouvez A ainsi que, peut justifier plus de logement. <a >longchamp sac</a>
Un important semaine après le candidat présidentiel républicain Mitt Romney divulgués une nouvelle vaut la fortune autant que 250 millions de dollars, sa campagne a déclaré mercredi dans lequel il votre amant pour vraiment proximité a fédérale confiance aveugle si le médecin pourrait être doit être élu président.
http://www.talonsnikepascher.com
Es gibt ebenfalls Stoepsel, diese ausschliesslich eine Hoerkapsel nach sich. Dieser zirkus Unternehmen besitzt des Weiteren neben Standorten rein Japan, Indien oder Italien Oberhalb Niederlassungen hinein vielen weiteren Laendern hinauf kerl ganzen Welt. <a >hw-music</a>
<a >Christian Louboutin uk</a> vfkh
yzey