Christians can certainly learn a great deal from t...

2007-11-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

Christians can certainly learn a great deal from texts/writings outside of the Bible, both historic and modern. In fact, I think that is impossible to fully understand the Bible and interpret it accurately without the use of other sources, because we do not live in the same time, place, and culture out of which the biblical texts arose. Other sources often serve as an authority for understanding certain matters.

That said, the Bible is still the final authority for Christians in that we need to measure up everything else we read and hear to it. If it doesn't match up to the Bible, it is not a legitimate authority. Even as the early Christians were debating about the nature of Christ, the Trinity, etc. they used the these same biblical texts to come to an understanding in those controversial matters. The conclusions that came out of the various councils in the first few centuries of Christianity have been ever since that time authorities in Christian doctrine. But all of their conclusions rest on a greater authority, the Bible, so they really only supplements, or clarifications.

One interesting thing to consider is that when we rest on the authority of the Bible, what we are really doing is resting on the authority of the early church who agreed on what texts should be in the canon. We must trust their judgment in selecting texts that were accurate and well-preserved.

Will... respond... later... so busy... at the mome...

2007-11-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

Will... respond... later... so busy... at the moment...

Comments on Shared Religious Thought: Authority

Christians can certainly learn a great deal from t...

Will... respond... later... so busy... at the mome...