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During the 18th and 19th centuries, various episodes of the Bible (for example the [[Genesis flood narrative|Noahide worldwide flood]],<ref>Plimer, Ian (1994), ''Telling Lies for God: Reason vs Creationism'', Random House</ref> the [[Genesis creation narrative|creation in six days]], and the [[Adam and Eve|creation of women from a man's rib]]) began increasingly to be seen as legendary rather than as literally true. This led to further questioning of the veracity of biblical texts. According to an article in ''Theology Today'' published in 1975, "There have been long periods in the history of the church when biblical inerrancy has not been a critical question. It has in fact been noted that only in the last two centuries can we legitimately speak of a formal doctrine of inerrancy. The arguments pro and con have filled many books, and almost anyone can join in the debate".<ref name="infallible">{{cite journal|last=Coleman|journal=Theology Today| volume = 31|issue = 4|year=1975|title=Biblical Inerrancy: Are We Going Anywhere?|doi=10.1177/004057367503100404|first1=R. J.|pages=295}}</ref>
In the 1970s and 1980s, however, the debate in theological circles, which centered on the issue of whether or not the Bible was
== Inerrancy in autographic texts and modern versions ==
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=== Limitations ===
Many who believe in the ''inspiration'' of scripture teach that it is
Proponents of biblical inerrancy generally do not teach that the Bible was dictated directly by God, but that God used the "distinctive personalities and literary styles of the writers" of scripture and that [[Biblical inspiration|God's inspiration]] guided them to flawlessly project his message through their own language and personality.<ref>[[s:Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy|"Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy"]], Article VIII</ref>
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In the introduction to his book ''Credible Christianity'', Anglican Bishop [[Hugh Montefiore]], makes this comment:
▲: The doctrine of biblical inerrancy seems inherently improbable, for two reasons. Firstly, the Scriptures contain what seem to be evident errors and contradictions (although great ingenuity has been applied to explain these away). Secondly, the books of the Old and New Testaments did not gain their place within the "canon", or list of approved books, as soon as they were written. The Old Testament canon was not closed until late in the Apostolic age, and the New Testament canon was not finally closed until the fourth century. If all the Bible's contents were inerrant, one would have thought that this would have become apparent within a much shorter period.<ref>Montefiore, Hugh. ''Credible Christianity: The Gospel in Contemporary Society'', London: Mowbray, 1993; Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1994. p. 5. {{ISBN|0-8028-3768-9}}</ref>
==== Meaning of "Word of God" ====
Much debate over the kind of authority that should be accorded biblical texts centers on what is meant by the "Word of God". The term can refer to [[Logos (Christianity)|Christ himself]] as well as to the proclamation of his ministry as [[kerygma]]. However, biblical inerrancy differs from this orthodoxy in viewing the Word of God to mean the entire text of the Bible when interpreted didactically as God's teaching.<ref>James Barr, ''Fundamentalism'' pp. 72ff, SCM 1977.</ref> The idea of the Bible itself as Word of God, as being itself God's revelation, is criticized in [[neo-orthodoxy]]. Here the Bible is seen as a unique witness to the people and deeds that do make up the Word of God. However, it is a wholly human witness.<ref>James Barr, ''Fundamentalism'' pp. 218–19 SCM 1977</ref> All books of the Bible were written by human beings. Thus, whether the Bible is—in whole or in part<ref>[[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] claims of the [[Ethical Decalogue]] and [[Ritual Decalogue]] that these are God's word.</ref>—the Word of God is not clear. However, some argue that the Bible can still be construed as the "Word of God" in the sense that these authors' statements may have been representative of, and perhaps even directly influenced by, God's own knowledge.<ref>Brown, RE., ''The Critical Meaning of the Bible'', Paulist Press, 1981.</ref>
There is only one instance in the Bible where the phrase "the Word of God" refers to something "written". The reference is to the [[Ten Commandments|Decalogue]]. However, most of the other references are to reported speech that is preserved in the Bible. The New Testament also contains a number of statements which refer to passages from the Old Testament as God's words, for instance {{Bibleref2|Romans|3:2}} (which says that the Jews have been "entrusted with the very words of God"), or the book of [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]], which often prefaces Old Testament quotations with words such as "God says".
While the phrase "the Word of God" is never applied to the modern Bible within the Bible itself, supporters of inerrancy argue that this is because the biblical canon was not closed. In {{Bibleref2|1Th|2:13|NIV|1 Thessalonians 2:13}}, the [[apostle Paul]] wrote to the church in [[Thessalonica]] "when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God".<ref>Nürnberger, K., ''Biblical Theology in Outline: The Vitality of the Word of God'', Cluster Publications, 2004, p. 65.</ref>
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== References ==
* [[Bart D. Ehrman]], 2003. ''Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew''. Oxford University Press, Inc. {{ISBN|0-19-518249-9}}
* [[Charles Caldwell Ryrie]] (1981). ''What you should know about inerrancy''. {{ISBN|0-8024-8785-8}}
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