FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Difference between revisions of "The Bible/Completeness"
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| − | *Alan Denison & D.L. Barksdale, ''Gues Who Wants To Have You For Lunch?'', 2nd edition, (Redding, California: FAIR, 2002[1999]), 37–57. ISBN 1893036057.[http://www.fair-lds.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=FOS/PROD/A/FAIR-LCH-02 FAIR] | + | *Alan Denison & D.L. Barksdale, ''Gues Who Wants To Have You For Lunch?'', 2nd edition, (Redding, California: FAIR, 2002[1999]), 37–57. ISBN 1893036057. [http://www.fair-lds.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=FOS/PROD/A/FAIR-LCH-02 FAIR] |
Revision as of 23:16, 15 November 2005
This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.
Contents
Criticism
Critics claim the Bible contains all necessary or essential knowledge to assure salvation. Therefore, things like modern prophets or additional scripture (such as the Book of Mormon) are unnecessary or even blasphemous.
Source(s) of the Criticism
Response
The Bible nowhere makes the claim for sufficiency or completeness.
Furthermore, the thousands of Christian sects and groups provide ample testimony that the Bible has not been sufficient to encourage unanimity among Christians about proper authority, doctrine, or practice. Critics would like us to accept that their reading is the correct one, but this means we must appeal to some other standard—one cannot use their reading of the Bible to prove their reading of the Bible!
There is also no unanimity among Christians concerning what constitutes the "true" Bible canon—once again, some other standard is needed to determine which Bible is the "true" or "inerrant" version.
There are also other writings which the Bible itself refers to as authoritative, and yet these books are not in the present Bible canon. Either the Bible is wrong in referring to these writings as authoritative, or some modern Christians are wrong for arguing that the Bible is a complete record of all God's word to His children.
While the LDS do not like to denigrate the Bible or call attention to its errors, since they consider it an inspired volume of scripture of great value, they also recognize that there are some errors and contradictions in the Bible which are the result of human error or tampering. This does not reduce the Bible's value in their estimation, but it does call into question any claims for "inerrancy."
Conclusion
In sum, inerrancy and completeness:
- is not a Biblical doctrine
- has not been sufficient to prevent a vast range of Biblical interpretations and Christian practices, all of which cannot be correct
- ignores that the Biblical canon is not unanimous among Christians, and ignores non-canonical books which the Bible itself cites as being authoritative
- ignores that the Bible contains some errors and internal inconsistencies
Further reading
FAIR wiki articles
FAIR web site
- FAIR Topical Guide: Bible complete - no additional scripture needed?
- John A. Tvedtnes, "The Bible Code and Biblical Inerrancy," (Mesa, Arizona: FAIR)
External links
- Robert A. Cloward, "Lost Scriptures," in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow, (New York, Macmillan Publishing, 1992), {{{vol}}}:845–846.*
- Stephen E. Robinson, Are Mormons Christians? (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, 1993). off-site FAIR link*
Printed material
- Alan Denison & D.L. Barksdale, Gues Who Wants To Have You For Lunch?, 2nd edition, (Redding, California: FAIR, 2002[1999]), 37–57. ISBN 1893036057. FAIR