American Church Inerrancy Controversy Essay

PROTESTANT VIEWS OF INERRANCY AND ITS CULTURAL IMPACT ON THE AMERICAN CHURCH A range of views of Biblical inerrancy has implications for the cultural impact on the American Church. Conservative views of inerrancy lean towards fundamental and dogmatic doctrinal beliefs and practices. Liberal views of inerrancy promote an arena for exchange on doctrinal issues, leaving difficult passages of Scripture open for interpretation. This spectrum often leaves the American church at odds with itself. Three arenas within the American church where differences can be clearly seen are denominationalism, academia, and church culture. Inerrancy and Denominationalism Across Protestant denominations, questions of Biblical authority are answered by some scholars

This gave rise to scientific fundamentalism, which claims that science produces absolute truth. Research of personal, psychological, religious, attitudinal, and theological factors reveals various views on the matter. Within academia, the accusation is made that inerrancy gives ground to a literal reading of the creation account, which leads to skirting genuine biblical difficulties. Some scholars claim that modern scientific discoveries disprove the accuracy of certain biblical texts. The claim is made that religious belief and practice has a negative effect upon studies in the scientific arena. Researchers claim that science is often ignored by inerrantists in support of the credibility of Scripture. Academic Science (for inerrancy) Research reveals many scientists and intellectuals who adhere to religious beliefs. Inerrancy is used as a platform to combat doctrinal issues, such as a literal six-day creationism model from Genesis 1-3. In academic settings, inerrancy has come to be associated with a literal reading of Genesis

Even so, human beings are fallible and sinful, lacking the capacity to truly understand the Bible as infallible or inerrant. A variance in doctrinal conclusions is often drawn as a result. Traditionally, Evangelicals view the Bible as central and inerrant. From a conservative standpoint, widespread commitment to the doctrine of inerrancy came about late in the 20th century. Questioning inerrancy places one outside of Evangelicalism. Inerrancy is often presented as a dogma where failure to embrace is problematic. North American Evangelicalism is broadly committed to asserting the Bible as factual and should be believed. Walter Elwell notes Classical Liberalism and radical biblical criticism as drivers in the argument for orthodox views of inerrancy. By and large, evangelicalism adheres to the centrality of the Bible as inerrant. In some Protestant streams, inerrancy is often refuted. Some Protestants who deny the doctrine of inerrancy hold to orthodoxy in other doctrines. Questions of Biblical inaccuracy have presented a serious issue within