Father Matthew Presents Biblical Inerrancy

A presentation on Biblical Inerrancy by Episcopal priest, Matthew Moretz. The piece deals with the problems that come with believing that the Scriptures are infallible in every way. Biblical inerrancy can be an obstacle to Christian faith, and a kind of idolatry if one isn't careful. As suggested in the video, something doesn't have to be infinitely perfect for God to speak through it. This is an installment of the "Father Matthew Presents" series, now in stunning HD. Father Matthew is a priest at Christ's Church (Episcopal) in Rye, New York.

www.fathermatthewpresents.com

www.ccrye.org

You can purchase his DVD on the Sacraments at https://www.createspace.com/260580

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Episcopal
• Anglican
• Bible
• Fundamentalism
• Inerrancy
• Interpretation
• Hermeneutic
• Priest
• God
• Church

[turbopro10]

Ok, so we understand that inerrancy may have issues; which may not be a good foundation upon which to build anything substantial. All well and good.

So, then, if the bible is not inerrant, how do we make use of it to seek after truth, light, wisdom, etc.?

[FatherMatthew]

@turbopro10 We use the Scriptures to discern the truth, and the Light, and the Wisdom of the world, using discernment. Heavy discernment that uses all of our clear-eyed faculties. I use the Bible by reading it through the lens of Jesus.

[wlemusic]

FatherMatthew,you made the following two statements:

1) "I understand the desire to have certainty in our world, the desire to have proof of our God and God's movement in our creation but this is not how faith works"

2) "Certainty in faith is alluring and addictive but like a dangerous drug it is ultimately destructive."

How do you reconcile this view with Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"?

Isn't faith inherently certain? Thanks.

[FatherMatthew]

@wlemusic Hmm. Perhaps faith is inherently certain. Good point. But most faith is intermixed with doubt. For me, the opposite of faith isn't doubt, but fear. Meaning that it is more a trust/fear dichotomy vs. a certainty/doubt dichotomy. I suggest we live in hope and not certainty. This is because certainty can lead to all kinds of abuses, if you aren't careful. My take is that the realm of faith, love, and trust in God is quite different than the realm of certainty in God.

[FatherMatthew]

@wlemusic For example, in Hebrews: "the evidence of things not seen" is nothing like scientific certainty. After all, typically evidence must be perceivable by the senses. But in faith, that kind of certainty isn't sustainable. And scientific certainty / inerrancy I see being brought to the Bible too often in damaging ways.

[wlemusic]

FatherMatthew, thank you for this video. It is entertaining and insightful. I have a question for you, however. If your faith is not based on the Bible, what is it based on? It seems to me the Bible is all we have to go on for faith and salvation.

[FatherMatthew]

@wlemusic my faith is based on the history of God's acts in the world, of which the Bible is a record. The primary act of God in my faith is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Most everything flows from the primacy of that.

[torm0]

Thank you for trying to speak some sense to the american christian community Father Mathew. I am an athiest myself but I have far more respect for personal beliefs that do not hinder scientific progress. I think everyone has the right to believe what they want as long as it does not effect the rest of the community, otherwise how are different cultures ever supposed to get along peacefully?

I would like to ask you, do you accept that being an athiest does not hinder our ability to hold morals?

[FatherMatthew]

@torm0 Of course you have morals.

[Hayesmarkham]

Cellphone typos... I apologize

[Hayesmarkham]

"i have faith, but it's not really true"

[Hayesmarkham]

Dude, you have got to level this out by staying what you are actually talking about. Right now one could,as I suspect many already have taken this throw trth out the door. Third is just too vague. Now the atheists love you, because it sounds an aweful lot like

[brendos444]

Love love love it Father Matthew!!!!!! The peculiar notion of Biblical Inerrancy is uniquely American and uniquely fundamentalist!!!! it is absolutely wrongheaded. And you take it down with wit!! I mean eat your heart out fundies!! MacArthur, James White, Piper, Packer and co. The Chicago statement is a kind of idolatry "our modern way of reading scripture is right"! thanks for standing up against this!!

[largadrive]

I believe where your wrong father is true trust in Gods word will reveal how trustworthy it is.Cource using the right translation helps too.

[hopeinsf]

Very well said. Believing in Biblical inerrancy is idolatry of the Bible and anathema to faith. You are then idolizing a collection of books that you consider divine. It distracts from the inerrant God.

[austinwil87]

Was anyone else thrown off by how tiny the books actually are?

[ladylejean215]

Marburg, just zip it.

[ladylejean215]

Marburg, just zip it.

[Marburg1529]

@ladylejean215 Thank you for this wonderful expression of hate. I sincerely hope that Father Matthew didn't teach you to talk like that. It's likely you've shamed a decent man.

[ladylejean215]

@Marburg1529 Pole up your ass much? You need to go buy a sense of humor. What's pathetic is that you can't take a damn joke.

[ladylejean215]

@fearworshipGod :eyeroll: I've heard this story from so many people, and apparently people do not realize why the Episcopal Church uses a lectionary. Jeez. Reading the Bible "for oneself" often leads to the kind of bibliolatry that Fr. Matthew describes in this video.

[wlemusic]

FatherMatthew, if the Bible has mistakes how can we deem it a reliable source of information about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

[earlofca]

Father Mathew, I grew up with Biblical Inerrancy and I really appreciate your challenge. I have gone through some tough times and learned to love the inspiration of the scriptures without Biblical Inerrancy. I am now Episcopalian and I feel free to think.

[EyeLickChildren]

@Marburg1529 I said nothing belittling. I simply asked questions and drew a parallel. Though, it seems you are willing to miss out on useful bits simply because you've had too much filler.

[sinecurve9999]

Thumbs up for Episcopalians! :D

[xibalba91]

@FatherMatthew > Jhansen.... Logic'd!!!