This Week in Christian History: End Times Prediction, Chicago Statement, Little Sisters Founder Born

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, October 21, 2018

Summit That Created Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy Begins – Oct. 26, 1978

This week marks the anniversary of when approximately 300 church leaders and theologians gathered in Chicago, Illinois, to begin drafting what became known as the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.

"The authority of Scripture is a key issue for the Christian Church in this and every age," began the Statement's Preface.

"To stray from Scripture in faith or conduct is disloyalty to our Master. Recognition of the total truth and trustworthiness of Holy Scripture is essential to a full grasp and adequate confession of its authority."

Convened by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, the summit featured several evangelical scholars including R.C. Sproul of Ligonier Ministries.

"We decided to do an international council inviting scholars from all around the world to come to Chicago for a summit meeting and to formulate a statement affirming the inerrancy of scripture, and also a series of affirmations and denials so that people would understand the doctrine of inerrancy," recalled Sproul in a 2015 interview.

"That format was to say not only what we affirm about inerrancy, but what we deny. Which is the kind of thing that is so vital for today because we live in a relativistic culture and pluralistic culture and it's okay if you want to affirm what you affirm as long as you don't deny its antithesis, you could get along with everybody. But we said no, truth is what is affirmed, it is the opposite of its antithesis."