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I'm not sure Mike read the paper referenced in his own link. Right off the bat, Bruce makes this hedging statement:
"Let me make two preliminary observations: first, that this paper is an attempt to state what is meant by the Christian doctrine of the inspiration of Holy Scripture, not to prove that inspiration; and secondly, that the attempt is made by one who is not a trained theologian, and therefore falls short of that degree of system and precision which may be regarded as desirable." F. F. Bruce
He admits to not being a trained theologian and that his own writing may not have the degree of "precision" that is "desirable."
If one goes all the way to the "discussion" listed at the bottom of the page what can be found is several critics of Bruce who felt his position wasn't as conservative as they believed was best. Indeed, an Amazon review of the Tim Grass' biography of Bruce says ---
"I. Howard Marshall
-- Aberdeen University
"If evangelicalism in the United Kingdom has been preserved from the dangers of fundamentalism and bigotry over the past seventy years or so, the credit must go largely to the enormous influence of the outstanding, gracious, Christian teacher and writer whose career is the subject of this book."
--------------
And Bruce himself wrote concerning discrepancies in Scripture that they bothered him less than the attempt at harmonizations prevalent among fundamentalists.
"The question, ‘how does that square with inspiration?’ is perhaps asked most insistently when one part of Scripture seems to conflict in sense with another. I suppose much depends on the cast of one’s mind, but I have never been bothered by ‘apparent discrepancies’, nor have I been greatly concerned to harmonize them. My faith can accommodate such ‘discrepancies’ much more easily than it could swallow harmonizations that place an unnatural sense on the text or give an impression of special pleading. If the ‘discrepancies’ are left unharmonized, they may help to a better appreciation of the progress of revelation or of the distinctive outlooks of individual writers." F. F. Bruce, IN RETROSPECT, pp. 311-312
nice. while i am convinced that truth will reveal the apparent contradictions, i think his approach of inspiration over forced doctrines that do not resonate with truth is the overarching concept there.
As it states: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work 2 Timothy 3:15-17
If this "1" verse was not in the bible what would bible fundamentalists do?, how the hell would they know that being unloving to their neighbor is not a good thing?.
If this "1" verse was not in the bible what would bible fundamentalists do?, how the hell would they know that being unloving to their neighbor is not a good thing?.
Exactly old fruit!! If there was no Bible....How the hell would they know how to behave - where would their morals come from??
...as has happened with the Hindu Vedas...or the Qur'an.
nice.
God is expressed--even by those who claim the Title "Atheist"--in works unto rebound (repentance). Which is just the religious way to say that "even a little child is moved by a sincere apology, and an expressed desire to amend a wrong. man up."
If this "1" verse was not in the bible what would bible fundamentalists do?, how the hell would they know that being unloving to their neighbor is not a good thing?.
hmm. seems to me that that v has Witnesses, p, but i understand where you are coming from lol.
God is expressed--even by those who claim the Title "Atheist"--in works unto rebound (repentance). Which is just the religious way to say that "even a little child is moved by a sincere apology, and an expressed desire to amend a wrong. man up."
Morals. :scoff: The ten commandments thats it. The rest of the old law is based on a sense of what will the neighbors think.
The NT describes the law as a curse.
imo that is just a trap, so that Hippies may justify themselves with Love without the root of Law. Iow, the Law is a curse, in the hands of men. But a more holistic understanding recognizes that the Law is also to be fulfilled, perhaps the same way the moral Atheist grasps this concept, by being rooted in Law, without having any Laws--thus sounding to an Apostate, a religious person, like a Lawless One--and understanding Grace as simply a manifestation of Word (which is not Book, Law), that voice that we all hear and, hopefully, choose to follow. Ergo, the Apostate (Fundie) must find their Atheist, and sprinkle some Hippy-flower-fruityness on top.
For what better description do you have of "everyone on the planet," than these Three?
A rope of three cords is not easily broken.
i liked the reflection of "what the neighbors think," lol. The OT is nothing, if not a record of the failure of those neighbors in the pursuit of Law without Grace imo.
Exactly old fruit!! If there was no Bible....How the hell would they know how to behave - where would their morals come from??
There was No Bible ( Holy Scripture ) before Moses started writing it.
So, you ask an excellent question as to then were would morals originate.
Romans 2:14-15 helps answer about where moral come from.
They come equipped from our built-in conscience.
We can choose to listen or violate one's conscience. ( excuse or accuse )
So, unless damaged or hardened - 1st Timothy 4:2, we have innate knowledge of having morals.
That is why mankind generally sees murder and stealing on an international scale as being wrong.
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