wts documents released

24 April 2008 — art

The documents that were prepared by the Historical and Theological Field Committee against Peter Enns’ book Inspiration and Incarnation as well as the response to their report by the Hermeneutics Field Committee (in favor of Enns) were handed out to interested students yesterday. Today, they have been released on Westminster’s website.

Along with these reports are also the Edgar-Kelly Motion, the Faculty Minority Report, and an essay by Dr. Peter Lillback.

These documents are extremely enlightening. I’ll be sure to weigh in on them in the near future.

Posted in Peter Enns, WTS. Tags: , , , . 61 Comments »

the infallible rule?: interpreting scripture by scripture

24 April 2008 — art

The Westminster Confession of Faith 1.9 states:

The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.

I believe this statement fully, but disagree with some people’s interpretation of it. Some people within the Reformed world use this section of the Confession to combat or downplay the role of secondary sources (archeology, ANE texts, second Temple Judaic texts, etc.) in our interpretation of Scripture. Unless Scripture is being interpreted by Scripture itself, some will say that this section of the Confession has been violated.

I find this viewpoint to be inherently flawed for two major reasons: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Critical Rants, Pipes Cigars and Alcohol (PCA), WTS. Tags: , , , . 7 Comments »