inerrancy

Biblical inerrancy is a position/belief that the Bible is completely without error; that it is absolutely accurate in all its parts. Full inerrancy demands that the Bible is true in everything it says on any subject and is approached very technically. I think that the Baptist Faith and Message uses more detail to describe a belief on scriptural integrity so as to prevent people from making assumptions based on a brief, one-word description. Just as we in this class find it necessary to determine the actual meaning of the word “inerrancy”; using it in the BF&M would have the potential of leading to more questions rather than providing a collected answer. The statements about scripture found in this confession do describe it to be written under the providence, guidance, and superintendence of the Holy Spirit, and therefore it stands as “totally true and trustworthy” and “truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter”. The latter phrase seems to suggest an emphasis on the substance of the Bible, as opposed to being true in form as well as matter (which would include elements of style, grammar, and other extraneous details). The BF&M statements also imply a human responsibility, in that it is infallible when it is rightly interpreted, in light of the purpose and context of the writers. Infallibility focuses more on faith and practice, rather than on modern scientific understanding or historiography. I believe that the scriptures claim their own truth and relevance, and therefore I believe them to be without error; though I do infer this to apply to the teachings and purposes of the Bible. This implies that both inspiration and illumination are necessary for connecting to the truth of the scriptures.