Why inerrancy doesn't matter

[Billy Cox]

Saw this blog post earlier today and thought it might be a good discussion starter.
http://www.rogereolson.com/2010/08/19/why-inerrancy-doesnt-matter/

There is a lot here, but this paragraph especially jumped out at me:


...for most of us the word “inerrancy” has become too problematic uncritically to embrace and use. To the untrained and untutored ear “inerrant” always and necessarily implies absolute flawless perfection even with regard to numbers and chronologies and quotations from sources, etc. But even the strictest scholarly adherents of inerrancy kill that definition with the death of a thousand qualifications. Some who insist that you must be evangelical to be faithful to Scripture’s authority say inerrancy is consistent with biblical authors’ use of errant sources. In other words, they say, the Bible is nevertheless inerrant if it contains an error so long as the author used an errant source inerrantly.

That 'death of a thousand qualifications' term was a very familiar refrain to my ears.

(btw, floggings will be meted out for anyone who attempts to make substantive comments without reading the article. :tongue:)

[Steven Martinez]

What’s ironic is that many strong inerrantists who insist belief in the Bible’s inerrancy is necessary for authentic evangelical faith define inerrancy in highly questionable ways. In other words, “inerrancy” has become a shibboleth. So long as you affirm the word you can go on to define it however you want to and you’re still “in.”

This to me is the sad reality. So many relationships severed over the potential of being "in." With stuff like this it amazes me who of those who are currently "out," the lost, would ever desire to be "in?"

[David Gerber]

I was going to respond without reading the above mentioned blog mostly because I guess there is a bit more Adamic nature in me. I loved the article. However, when I read the responses I was saddened. Evidently you cannot believe in something being true without every last Iota being true. If the Scriptures are not without any error than I am in danger of deciding that Jesus is not real because I decided that the numerical errors between Chronicles and Kings were an error.

I can hear it now: "There's Jesus! He has finally come."

"That can't be Jesus. That sure wasn't any kind of trumpet I've ever heard. Besides, my GPS says that East is more that way. The Bible said East not East Southeast."

"Seriously?! That's Jesus."

"How can it be Jesus? The Bible said that every eye would see him, right? So what about the curvature of the earth? Hmm? what about that? How is everyone going to see him if the earth is round? Hmm? Tell me that."

"Why do you think television was invented? I bet CNN and Fox are covering this right now."

"CNN isn't. You know that."