A New Scripture out of Nashville

[Haruo]

Keeping up with the Smiths...

[Sandy]

Note that the "Nashville Statement" was of conservative evangelical, not exclusively Southern Baptist origin, but the declaration of its inerrancy did come from Southern Baptists across the river in Arkansas.

[William Thornton]

Note that the "Nashville Statement" was of conservative evangelical, not exclusively Southern Baptist origin, but the declaration of its inerrancy did come from Southern Baptists across the river in Arkansas.

That was rather dumb.

[Rvaughn]

While one might fairly charge them with a poor choice of words in using "without error," I think a charitable reading understands that they are simply saying that they agree with the declarations that the Nashville Statement makes about human sexuality.
https://www.arkansasbaptist.org/read/full-text-of-resolutions-approved-by-messengers-at-the-2017-absc-annual-meeting

Of course, probably none of the rest of us have ever claimed to agree with what someone else has written.

[William Thornton]

I think you're a bit too charitable. The reported quote was, "Arkansas Baptists went so far as to describe the Nashville Statement as “without error in its declarations based on biblical truths.”

The BFM famously uses "truth without mixture of error." The statement above claims an inerrant declaration. Or, do they mean that the declaration was inerrant only in its declarations that were based on biblical truths? Sounds rather like the mods of old.

It was dumb.

[Rvaughn]

I don't mind agreeing that it was dumb/poorly expressed/whatever. But, William, do you really think Arkansas Baptists (SBC) believe the Nashville Statement is inerrant in the same sense as the Bible? That seems to be what Bob Allen is trying to imply.

Anyway, they're your people, not mine; I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

[William Thornton]

My peeps sometimes do dumb things. Bob Allen didn't let this slide by...nor would I.

[Rvaughn]

So do you really think Arkansas Baptists (SBC) believe the Nashville Statement is inerrant in the same sense as the Bible? I don't.

My peeps sometimes do dumb things. Bob Allen didn't let this slide by...nor would I.

There's definitely room for inerrantists to discuss terminology, how to not say stupid stuff, do dumb things, etc. But I really don't see why the non-inerrantists would get their knickers in a twist about it, seeing they don't believe in inerrancy anyway. I think they are more troubled about anyone affirming homosexuality is a sin.

https://www.arkansasbaptist.org/read/full-text-of-resolutions-approved-by-messengers-at-the-2017-absc-annual-meeting

[John Sneed]

On this one, I have to agree with RVaughn in his reading of things. I see their statement as saying, In so far as what the Bible says, the Nashville Statement has not made any errors. I don't believe they are claiming inerrancy for the statement. I think people who don't like the Statement over-react so they can dramatize their disagreement.

[Haruo]

On this one, I have to agree with RVaughn in his reading of things. I see their statement as saying, In so far as what the Bible says, the Nashville Statement has not made any errors. I don't believe they are claiming inerrancy for the statement. I think people who don't like the Statement over-react so they can dramatize their disagreement.

I think I agree with you on this one. I posted it more for a little drama than for anything substantive.

[Haruo]

I think you're a bit too charitable. The reported quote was, "Arkansas Baptists went so far as to describe the Nashville Statement as “without error in its declarations based on biblical truths.”

The BFM famously uses "truth without mixture of error." The statement above claims an inerrant declaration. Or, do they mean that the declaration was inerrant only in its declarations that were based on biblical truths? Sounds rather like the mods of old.

It was dumb.

I agree with you, too.

[Rvaughn]

So, Leland, you really think that Arkansas Southern Baptists mean to say that the Nashville Statement is just as inspired and inerrant as the Bible?

[Haruo]

So, Leland, you really think that Arkansas Southern Baptists mean to say that the Nashville Statement is just as inspired and inerrant as the Bible?

No, I doubt if they meant to say that, but I think the way they said what they said set them up to be read that way, which was, as William put it, dumb.

[John Sneed]

A red letter (no pun intended) day at Baptistlife.com. For once, I think we are all in agreement.

[Rvaughn]

What is the old saying? "Miracles never cease."

[Dave Roberts]

This describes why most of the Baptists along the Appalachian Mountain chain have always declared, "No book but the Bible, no creed but Christ." In their declaration, Arkansas Baptists stepped in it, and it didn't smell good. Their words about human words are likely to haunt them.

[Haruo]

For me, their statement calls into question the degree to which they mean anything more than "I agree with the Bible because the Bible agrees with me" when they apply those words to the inerrancy of the Bible itself.

[Tim Bonney]

Of course, probably none of the rest of us have ever claimed to agree with what someone else has written.

I’ve never claimed anything any human being wrote was inerrant/without error/perfect, even if I agree with it. Given that a whole SBC denominational fight centered around the idea of inerrancy, you’d think inerrantists would be a smidge more careful as to what they apply the wording to?

[Dave Roberts]

Of course, probably none of the rest of us have ever claimed to agree with what someone else has written.

I’ve never claimed anything any human being wrote was inerrant/without error/perfect, even if I agree with it. Given that a whole SBC denominational fight centered around the idea of inerrancy, you’d think inerrantists would be a smidge more careful as to what they apply the wording to?

I guess in this case, they have the original autograph.

[Haruo]

I guess in this case, they have the original autograph.

Which from one perspective makes it more reliable than the Bible...