EFCA Theology Conference

The Doctrine of the ScripturesTrinity International University

January 28-30, 2015

Greg Strand

I. Introduction

II. Affirming Its Absolute Authority in Every Generation

III. Statement of Faith

and Doctrinal Survey

 EFCA SOF:

2. The Bible We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

 Five-Year Doctrinal Survey“The Bible is not authoritative in matters in which it touches on history or science.” • 93% disagree (36%) or disagree strongly (57%)

IV. History

EFCA SOF (1950)1. The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life. 

International Council on Biblical Inerrancy Summit I (October 26-28, 1978): The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy: James Montgomery Boice, ed., The Foundation of Biblical Authority (Zondervan, 1978) [six position papers]; Earl Radmacher, ed., Can We Trust the Bible (Tyndale House, 1979) [six sermons]; Norman Geisler, ed., Inerrancy (Zondervan, 1980) [further collection of papers].  Summit II (November 10-13, 1982): The Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics: Earl Radmacher and Robert Preus, ed., Hermeneutics Inerrancy and the Bible (Zondervan, 1984). Summit III (December 10-13, 1986): The Chicago Statement on Biblical Application (1986): Kenneth Kantzer, ed., Applying the Scriptures (Zondervan, 1987). 

TEDSJanuary 1, 1979: “List of Signers of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy”: 17 original signers associated with TEDS

D. A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge, ed., Scripture and Truth (Zondervan 1983); Hermeneutics, Authority and Canon (Zondervan, 1986).

EFCA SOF (2008)2. The Bible 

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

• Evangelical Theological Society: Evangelicalism, Inerrancy, and the Evangelical Theological Society: Retrospect and Prospect (November 2013)

• Marks and The Master’s Seminary: Inerrancy and the Church (October 27, 2014)

• EFCA Theology Conference: The Doctrine of the Scriptures (January 28-30, 2015)

• The Shepherd’s Conference Inerrancy Summit and TMAI (The Master’s Academy International) The Implications of Inerrancy for the Global Church (March 3-8, 2015)

• International Society of Christian Apologetics: Inerrancy and Evangelical Identity (April 10-11, 2015)

• Los Angeles Theology Conference: The Voice of God in the Text of Scripture (January 2016)

• D. A. Carson, ed., “But My Words Shall Not Pass Away”: The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures, 2 Volumes (Eerdmans, forthcoming).

V. Answering Contemporary Questions

VI. Format/Structure Lectures

Don Carson, Introduction to the Present-Day Discussion

John Woodbridge, The History of the Doctrine of Scripture

Kevin Vanhoozer, Inerrancy and Hermeneutics: What Every Evangelical Pastor Should Know About Biblical Truth and Interpretation

Phil Long, Competing Histories, Competing Theologies, and the Challenge of Old Testament Interpretation

Doug Moo, The New Testament use of the Old Testament: Bridging Christocentric and Christotelic

Graham Cole, The Theology of Canonicity: Why a Book, Why this Book, Why this Sequence of Books within the Book

Dan Doriani, Scripture in the Life of the Pastor

VII. Conclusion

 “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66:2).