Part 380. 'Biblical Authority'.

The writings of Jim Rigby and Jim Palmer interest me. Both write clear expositions of their opinions untrammelled by jargon. The following is by Jim Palmer.

"7 ways that insisting one's beliefs be exclusively determined from the Bible can be problematic:

1. When the Bible is taken as THE "authority", we are likely not to explore and embrace truth and spirituality from other meaningful and significant sources.

2. When we assume that the Bible was meant to present a coherent picture of God and well-reasoned belief-system, we are likely to experience the futility of this expectation.

3. When we assume biblical theology is the best way of knowing God, we are likely to be dismissive of equally important fields of knowledge related to knowing ultimate reality.

4. When one's interpretation of the Bible is taken as superior over others, theology likely digresses into an argument over who is "right" and who is "wrong".

5. When we believe the Bible to be God's inerrant and infallible word and sole spiritual truth to the world, we are likely to be guilty of worshipping a book.

6. When we anchor our personal and cultural identity and existential security solely in the Bible we run the risk of vilifying and objectifying others who don’t.  

7. Assuming that there is a God who requires obedience and devotion to one belief-system as depicted in the Bible, opens the door to dangerous ideas of nationalism and theocracy.

Thank goodness one can find meaning in the Bible and not do any of the above."

Jim Palmer