I am not sure how many of you have seen the recent report from “Project Reason” that was accompanied with a pretty shnazzy infrographic…but it is supposedly an “incredible testament to the power of data visualization” which is suppose to show the Bible to be “silly”.
The thought is that this is idiot free…a visual of all 439 contradictions in the Bible. “You’ve got bars at the bottom representing the 1,189 verses of the King James Bible. White’s for the Old Testament, gray’s for the New Testament. Then a red arc links all the verses that contradict each other.”
Got it, stupid?
The goal of the project? …”So to anyone who thinks the Bible’s the last word on anything, remember this: It isn’t even the last word on itself”
Got it, stupid?
Let’s get serious, just a brief run through of the supposed contradictions is laughable….
#2: Was Abraham justified by faith or works: Romans 4:2, James 2:21
Wow…
(Side note: Read this pretty humorous post by Doug Wilson where he randomly picks contradictions #208 and #211 and shows how there is in fact NO contradiction.)
Now, the reason for this blog post is not to explain why this “stunning, provocative infographic” is a pile of crap! Nor is it an exhaustive explanation/argumentation on why you should believe the Bible, not only to be authoritative in your life, but to be completely without error. We dont have enough space on this blog, you dont have enough time to read it, and we dont have the time or brain power to pull it off. But I can point you to some pretty amazing resources that could help you wade through this in an intellectually honest way (that was a purposeful shot at Project Reason!)
The good news is that many trees have been cut down to produce the paper for the books written on this subject. Good news for you and me, bad news for the trees. I mention the plethora of books because I dont want you to have any unrealistic expectations for this blog post…such as this feeble college minister will be able to offer anything new to the discussion. BUT, no need to fear, I think I can point you to a few resources!
Drum Roll please….
10 Resources to help you stand firm when it comes to the trustworthy, authoritative, and inerrant Word of God!
10. A Much better Cross-Reference Infographic! This in no way proves the reliability of Scripture, but it does give us a clear picture of the unity, harmony and consistency of the Bible. (HT: Resurgence)
9. Why I trust the Scriptures teaching by John Piper. Block out an hour and a half of your life. Sit down with pen/paper and your Bible and listen to this. Soak it up, and when you are done…get down on your knees and worship the God who has revealed Himself and preserved His Word for us to know Him accurately! (side note: you can also get the DVD teaching HERE)
8. “When Critics Ask” by Norman Geisler: This resource will give you a clear and concise answer to every major Bible difficulty from Genesis to Revelation. A great resource for you to have on your bookshelf in an increasingly post-Christian culture.
7. “What is Scripture” blog series at Resurgence. A great series of posts by Justin Holcombe tracing key figures throughout Church History and their view of the Doctrine of Scripture. If you hold to the trustworthiness of Scripture…you are in good company!
6. “The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism” by G.K. Beale. A very thorough defense on the truth of Scripture. Warning: this is not a light hearted read. You can and will get bogged down at points, but it is still worth the investment of your money and time.
5. The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith by Lee Stobel: These books are not necessarily entirely focused on the trustworthiness of Scripture, but they were both a huge help for me in my personal growth toward confidence in God’s Word. Both books address the major objections to Christianity, which obviously include attacks on the nature and content of the Bible, by interviewing leading evangelical scholars.
4. Biblical Authority sermon by Don Carson. The leading New Testament scholar doing a stellar job of defending the authority and trustworthiness of Scripture. Listen to this.
3. ESV Study Bible: Articles and Resources: If you have the ESV study Bible you have one of the greatest resources in your hand in the history of the Church. And I am not exaggerating to make a point. As you read the copy of Scriptures daily…take time also to clobber the articles and resources in the back of the Study Bible. I just read through the titles of the Articles and was blown away at the content. You definitely need to read them.
2. Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy: It’s always frustrating to me when those who dog the doctrine and the theological term “inerrancy” either purposefully misrepresent the doctrine or have little/no understanding of what is meant by those who hold to it. Take the time to read THE best explanation of evangelical Christian belief about the trustworthiness of the Bible.
1. The Bible: Seriously, just read the Bible. This is not earth-shattering. I agree with one man who said you don’t defend a lion in a cage. You just let that bad boy out! (I dont think he used the phrase- “bad-boy”, but you get the idea here) As with the Bible…don’t feel like you need to stand beside the Bible and defend it. Just read it. Get your skeptic friend to read it. You study it day and night. You get your skeptic friend to study it day and night. And let the Word of God defend itself! Our confidence is not based on the argumentation, but upon the sight the Spirit of God gives us through repentance/faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!
