GLENSIDE, Pa. (AP) — A theology professor who was suspended for suggesting the Bible was the work of both God and people has agreed to leave the conservative seminary where he taught.
In a joint statement, Westminster Theological Seminary and professor Peter Enns said they "arrived at mutually agreeable terms" that are effective as of Friday. No other details were released.
Westminster trustees voted in March to suspend Enns, a tenured 14-year veteran of the school, because of his 2005 book, "Inspiration and Incarnation."
Enns' book was written to help students grapple with recent scholarship suggesting contradictions in the Bible, especially the Old Testament. In it, Enns urges readers to understand the Bible is both divine and human.
Trustees said it appeared that Enns had defied the school's founding principle, based on the 1646 Westminster Confession of Faith, the core creed of the Presbyterian tradition. It says that Scripture is solely the word of God and proclaims the "infallible truth" and "entire perfection" of the Bible.
Westminster, located near Philadelphia, was founded in 1929 by former Princeton Theological Seminary faculty who believed that school was becoming too liberal.
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Just a thought...
While on the earth, Christ was both human and divine... wouldn't it be possible for the Word of God (meaning God's activity in history and present time not a translation) to be both?
msnchris70, (2)
For details or support for what I say here, please see my blog: http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/more-on-why-the-apocrypha-should-not-be-considered-canonical/
Sirach 3:33 and Tobit 12:9 teach a salvation by works. But this goes against what the apostles wrote. Jesus takes away the sin of world, through faith, not works (John 1:29; Eph 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:28; 1 John 3:5).
Tobit 6:5-8 teaches doing magic to get rid of demons. But Revelation 21:8 is clear that magicians will suffer the second death, and Matthew 17:18 and Mark 9:25-29 show that Jesus rebuked demons and sometimes prayer is needed. But no mention of magic was needed to get rid of demons.
"The book of Judith (1:5) incorrectly says that Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the Assyrians when he was the king of the Babylonians. Baruch 6:2 says the Jews would serve in Babylon for seven generations where Jer. 25:11 says it was for 70 years."
We have seen that Tobit, 2 Maccabee, Ecclesiasticus have errors. In addition the above errors, the apocryphal books have other errors. This site lists a summary of them: http://www.biblequery.org/apoc.htm. This site effectively presents some of the errors: http://www.apuritansmind.com/Apologetics/ApocryphaArticle4.htm.
Neither Jesus nor the apostles ever quoted from the Apocrypha. The Jews recognized the Old Testament canon and they did not include the apocrypha in it. This is significant because of what Paul says.
Romans 3:1-2
1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
With so many errors in them, the apocrypha books can not be considered canonical
msnchris70,
Somehow my original post was deleted, so I will post again.
Again, my full response is too long to post here. If you are interested in the details or support for what I say here, please see my blog: http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/more-on-why-the-apocrypha-should-not-be-considered-canonical/
Some object to the idea that using the Hebrew text for the Old Testament is trusting Jews, who persecuted and killed Christ. However, it is not men we must trust, but God. It was both Romans and Jews who killed and crucified Jesus. Jesus died for my sins as well as theirs, so we all are responsible for His death (Romans 5:8; Romans 6:10; 1 Peter 3:18).
While it might be nice to say that Christians should not trust what the Jews acclaimed as scripture, since they rejected Christ, Paul said that the Jews were "entrusted with the very words of God" (Romans 3:1-2). So it behooves us to pay attention to what the Jews had considered canonical.
The three oldest complete copies we have of the Greek OT each have different additional books, which shows there was no agreement even among the people who gathered to Greek text what books should be included.
In fact, "even Cardinal Cajetan, who opposed Luther at Augsburg in 1518, published a Commentary on All the Authentic Historical Books of the Old Testament (1532) in which he did not include the Apocrypha".
It had been thought that there was a decree of Damasus that listed the canonical books, but in fact, this was proven to be a forgery, written between 519 and 553.
2 Macc. 12:40-46 has been used to support the doctrine of purgatory and giving prayers for the dead. However, the people for which the offering was supposedly made were obviously idol worshippers. Scripture is quite clear how God feels about idol worship and what happens to idol worshippers. Dt 27:15 reads, "Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol - a thing detestable to the LORD..."
Even those who speak up for idol worshippers are blind, ignorant, and shameful.
Isaiah 44:9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.
Indeed, idol worshippers will not get into heaven, according to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. so it is highly unlikely someone would give an offering for these people, as at best it would be shameful. Second, the ideas of purgatory and that prayers to God can change the position of the dead go against what Jesus said, where you are in one place or the other and there is no crossing over (Luke 16:19-31). It also goes against the idea that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-10).
The early Christians did not receive the Bible from the Roman Catholic Church. They received the Bible from the Holy Spirit who inspired it. Catholics who argue to the contrary are not representing the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Speaking of the books of both Testaments, the First Vatican Council stated:
These books the church holds to be sacred and canonical NOT BECAUSE SHE subsequently approved them by HER AUTHORITY after they had been composed by unaided human skill, nor simply because they contain revelation without error, but because, being written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and WERE AS SUCH committed to the church. â
James,
What you wrote in response is reasonable. Afterall, the select people who wrote the New Testament and Old were inspired by the Holy Spirit who is also God and of the same substance as Christ in the Triune form of God. Christ did not say to write anything down, but he also didn't say they couldn't. The Holy Spirit inspired them to write.
The caveat that I am making is that Jesus Christ was given "All authority in Heaven and on EArth" and He chose to give His authority to specific men and not just anyone. These specific men, Apostles, were chosen to be His foundation of his church. Those men received special power from God to act in His name and with His authority. These Apostles picked other men to serve in their place when they died and these men were the Bishops and this has been passed down the same way as it is shown in the Bible through the laying of hands. This authority is restricted to only people who receive this special gift.
This gift still remains within the Catholic, Orthodox and some Oriental Churches that have preserved this Apostolic succession. The Church had the Authority to decide what books went into the Bible. The Church is the "official" interpreter of scripture so that Christ Church can be of one mind, one faith, one baptism and one same Lord.
Authority has always been the issue. The Bible clearly shows how authority was passed down. Protestantism is a departure from this biblical authority, and therefore no Protestant minister has the "official" authority to bind or loose or interpret scripture for the faithful.
With God's authority the Catholic Church has survived for 2000 years and has grown with its structure. Protestantism with its lack of authority has done nothing but fragment and split even farther.
I pray for all good men and women of faith to return to unity of orthodoxy within the Church that Christ founded that still retains that authority from God.
msnchris
We do not know what God wanted. He may have wanted it to be written. In fact he had moses rite alot of the old testament. He said His word would endure forever, and if He wanted to have it endure forever, he would probably have it written down by the apostles or words would be twisted even as some today are attacking the written word.
Ah, the bible, the written word of God. Unfortunately, many add to it all manner of traditions and teachings that are contrary to its truth. For example, compare what pope Benedict XIV said in the Manual of Sodality Of The Blessed Virgin Mary with the bible:
"Christian youth everywhere, intent on honoring and serving the blessed Mother of God, under her guidance who is the Mother of fair love and of knowledge and holy fear, is taught to strive after the height of Christian perfection and to press forward to the goal of eternal salvation."
Should we serve the blessed Mother of God? No, for Mary has been given no such position or authority. If you are in an organization that advises such, come out quickly! Re-read what pope Benedict said while meditating on these scriptures:
"Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing" (Ps 100:2).
"For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death" (Ps 48:14).
When the Bible says all scripture is inspired and is good for reproofing, then could you tell me what Scriptures then? There was not a book of contents. The Catholic Church created the index and the book of contents for the Bible for the benefit of mankind. You see Jesus never said to write anything down, but rather to preach the Good news. The Apostles and disciples of Christ chose to write about Jesus under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
After a few hundred years, how can you prove that Paul wrote romans or Ephesians or any of his epistles since anyone who knew him were already dead and gone? How can his authorship be preserved????? Catholic Tradition is how!
In the 4th Century Pope Damasus commanded Athanasius to go out and find out what every believes to be the "Traditionally" used and inspired scriptures. After many years they came up with 27 books of the New Testament and the Pope affirmed it and it was "OFFICIAL".
I would like to have seen you Online or anyone else face that task of canonizing 27 books and letters 400 years after the fact with 30 some other books and letters claiming inspiration too? The Fact is that Catholic Tradition is what created the New Testament is a fact.
I know you hate the fact historically that it is the Catholic Church you owe for canonizing the Bible and having the authority to know which letters were inspired and which were not. The Bible has authority because Christ Church knew his voice and could recognize the voice of the Trinity through the many writings. Catholic Tradition protected these writings.
When I was Protestant, I hated the fact that I loved a Book that was written by, canonized, protected, and recopied into every language known by the Catholic church.
You know what Paul's epistles were originally called? They were called the "Catholic" epistles.
Online,
Your position that the New Testament books were known to be inspired by what they said is similar to the Mormon invention of the "Burning in the bosom" feeling. The Mormons say exactly what you say, but they insert the Book of Mormon. Your position is built on sand.
There were many more Gospels in circulation and many more epistles written than just the 27 that are in the Bible Today. The Catholic Church basically rejected some 30 other Gospels and Letters.
You've heard of the Gospel of Judas right or the Gospel of Thomas right? Who threw these books out of the canon? THe Catholic Church is the answer. How did the Catholic church know they were not inspired? You'll never figure that one out will you?
By the way, my Church is the Catholic Church. The Roman Catholics are only but a rite in the entire Global Church. There are 21 other Rites within the Catholic Church. Roman Catholics have always existed since the Time of Paul and Peter who preached to them. You know, the Book of Romans right? Duh!
You have to have more than just a "Feeling" to make a book or letter canonical.
Fourth, when the apostles wrote the New Testament documents they were inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit. There wasn't any real issue of whether or not they were authentic. Their writings did not need to be deemed worthy of inclusion in the Canon of Scripture by a later group of men in the so-called Roman Catholic Church. To make such a claim is, in effect, to usurp the natural power and authority of God himself.
Fifth, the Scripture says, (Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost) â
The Bible tells us to obey the word of God, to not go beyond the written word, so that we might not make mistakes in what is true. See -
Deuteronomy 4:2 â
Were there a few dissenters that the Septuagint was not Canonical. Yes. Were the majority always in favor of the Septuagint. Yes. Even those who were against the canonicity accepted the authority of the Catholic Church over their own interpretation.
There are always dissenters in every situation. But God guides His Church infallibly and has given this Church His authority on Earth.
Jerome
"What sin have I committed if I follow the judgment of the churches? But he who brings charges against me for relating [in my preface to the book of Daniel] the objections that the Hebrews are wont to raise against the story of Susannah [Dan. 13], the Song of the Three Children [Dan. 3:29â
Cyprian of Carthage
"In Genesis [it says], â
Council of Rome
"Now indeed we must treat of the divine scriptures, what the universal Catholic Church accepts and what she ought to shun. The order of the Old Testament begins here: Genesis, one book; Exodus, one book; Leviticus, one book; Numbers, one book; Deuteronomy, one book; Joshua [Son of] Nave, one book; Judges, one book; Ruth, one book; Kings, four books [that is, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings]; Paralipomenon [Chronicles], two books; Psalms, one book; Solomon, three books: Proverbs, one book, Ecclesiastes, one book, [and] Canticle of Canticles [Song of Songs], one book; likewise Wisdom, one book; Ecclesiasticus [Sirach], one book . . . . Likewise the order of the historical [books]: Job, one book; Tobit, one book; Esdras, two books [Ezra and Nehemiah]; Esther, one book; Judith, one book; Maccabees, two books" (Decree of Pope Damasus [A.D. 382]).
Council of Hippo
"[It has been decided] that besides the canonical scriptures nothing be read in church under the name of divine Scripture. But the canonical scriptures are
as follows: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua the Son of Nun, Judges, Ruth, the Kings, four books, the Chronicles, two books, Job, the Psalter, the five books of Solomon [Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, and a portion of the Psalms], the twelve books of the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Tobit, Judith, Esther, Ezra, two books, Maccabees, two books . . ." (Canon 36 [A.D. 393]).
Council of Carthage III
"[It has been decided] that nothing except the canonical scriptures should be read in the Church under the name of the divine scriptures. But the canonical scriptures are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, four books of Kings, Paralipomenon, two books, Job, the Psalter of David, five books of Solomon, twelve books of the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Tobit, Judith, Esther, two books of Esdras, two books of the Maccabees . . ." (Canon 47 [A.D. 397]).
So, 1100 years before Luther threw out seven books it is shown that the early church always believed these to be canonical and inspired.