Do I have
to believe
that the
Bible is true?
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NO!
Your Father in heaven has given you free will to make up
your own mind.
Through Jesus, He invites you to make an informed decision
as to whether – and in what way – the Bible is true
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The Bible – which is, in fact, a collection of
books – claims that it holds truth:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3 16
… but this is only persuasive if you start out
believing it to be true!
In reality, all Christians apply some form of
interpretation to their reading of the Bible – and
may see it as “true” in different ways
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“… anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right
eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it
away. It is better for you to lose one part of
your body than for your whole body to be
thrown into hell …. Matthew 5 28,29
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Conservative
Charlie
Fundamentalist
Fred
Liberal
Larry
Postmodern
Pippa
Evangelical
Eve
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“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness …” 2 Timothy 3 16
“Have you no faith?” Mark 4 40
“Where is your faith?” Luke 8 22
“O you of little faith!” Matthew 8 26
“Fundamentals”
 verbal inerrancy of scripture
 the divinity of Jesus
 the virgin birth
Fundamentalist  substitutionary atonement
Fred
 physical resurrection and bodily
return of Jesus
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Because the Bible says that it is Godbreathed (in-spired), it is completely true –
every word is from God
God commanded the deaths of
idolatrous and sinful people
Fundamentalist
Fred
The Bible –
literally
true
The universe was created in six literal
days, in 4004 BC
Homosexuality is an abomination
which deserves the death penalty
Jesus must have said, “Have you no faith?
Where is your faith? O you of little faith!”
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Conservative
Charlie
Evangelical Eve
Emphasis on Scripture as
the foundation
Commitment to sharing
the Good News
Centrality of Jesus
Emphasis on Jesus’
death for us
Commitment to caring
social action
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At one end of the “conservative evangelical”
spectrum:
Conservative
Charlie
 standing firm against any dilution of
the Good News
 defending the inspiration of scripture
 studies and knows the Scripture
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Because the Bible says that it is Godbreathed, it is infallible. However, this is
“as originally given” .
God commanded it. His ways are not
our ways.
Conservative
Charlie
The Bible –
infallible
It is possible that the six “days” were
seasons of time; but Charlie is rather
suspicious of talk about evolution.
Gay orientation is acceptable
provided there is celibacy.
All statements true “as originally given”
Just Looking
At the other end of the “conservative
evangelical” spectrum:
Evangelical Eve
 wanting to be “culturally relevant”
 committed to the Bible – but aware
of “issues” of interpretation
 learns more from sermons and
worship than from study
 in practice, may not do everything
she believes the Bible says
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Speaks of the Bible as “authoritative”
rather than infallible; apparent minor
conflicts in Scripture are from transmission.
These verses trouble Eve. She knows
they should be true. She avoids them.
Evangelical Eve
The Bible –
authoritative
Accepts the Big Bang – but God banged
it! Accepts “theistic evolution”, but points
out that the evidence is weaker for
species to species.
Eve has gay Christian friends. She is
troubled because her teaching says they
are sinning – but she sees Jesus in them.
Each gospel recorded or translated
what Jesus actually said differently.
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Liberal Larry
 Larry’s starting point is the love of God
- this is the test for every belief
 He prefers the New Testament to the
Old, and is very Jesus-focussed
 He thinks the picture of God in the Old
Testament says more about the Bible
writers than it does about God!
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Considers the Bible “inspirational”, but has
no problem with radical re-interpretation.
Some parts are simply wrong or untrue.
A God of love would never do this. It must
reflect the writer’s (mistaken) beliefs.
Liberal Larry
The Bible –
inspirational
What’s the problem? Science tells
about science, and within the Bible we
find ways to find God.
What’s the problem? God is the
source of all love, gay or straight.
What’s the problem? The Bible stories
are clearly shaped editorially and
show the authors’ points of view.
Just Looking
 Pippa has not chosen her standpoint –
she’s imbibed it.
 She is not sure that there can ever be
absolute truth.
 She thinks everyone should “become their
Post-modern
own person”.
Pippa
 She takes the impact of experience very
seriously, and it shapes what she believes.
 She loves the mysteries of Celtic faith.
 She distrusts institutional religion.
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Reads the parts of the Bible that “speak” to
her – on the basis of personal impact.
Post-modern
Pippa
The Bible experiential
Ancient wars aren’t relevant, and don’t
have any connection with how we live.
That part of the Bible reflects an out-dated
institutional Christianity.
Accepts science … but is happy for others
to believe whatever is “true” for them.
Gay and lesbian people live the life that is
right for them, and others should not judge.
Different people see “truth” in different
ways.
Just Looking
How did Pippa become a Christian?






she (genuinely)encountered the love of Jesus in her
Christian friends
she experienced the touch of the Spirit in worship
she met Jesus within Scripture - and loved Him
she needed – and asked for –forgiveness from God
all she knows about Christianity is what she has heard in
church. Her pastor may have assumed she knew more when
she sought baptism.
because she chooses which parts of Church life to embrace,
she will probably keep on living the Christian life that is “true”
for her, and take time to extend her faith
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Conservative
Charlie
Fundamentalist
Fred
Liberal
Larry
Postmodern
Pippa
Evangelical
Eve
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