5

A. The Bible is the Word of God.
(means, all the words we read are the Words of God)

B. The Bible contains the Word of God.
(means, not all the words we read are the Words of God)

C. other than A and B.

Example :

I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified

The speaker is human, the Apostle.
The question is : are those words above the words of God ?

To me, the answer is no. Those words are the words of human not the words of God.

If I say that those words are the words of God, --->

then (X) the "I" in those words means God himself ---->

Then (Y) it become : through the mouth of the Apostle, God tell the hearers/readers that He (capital H) decided while He was with them, He would forget everything except His Second Person of His Trinity, the one who was crucified.

Because X and Y to me feel awkward, I conclude [not all the words we read in the Bible are the Words of God]. Then it's B. But this is only my own logic.

That's why I would like to know :
according to the ELCA is it A ? B ? or C?
If C, what is it ?

Thank you.

karma
  • 2,386
  • 11
  • 23
  • 1
    It would be better if you could find an official Lutheran document saying this rather than an anonymous devotional blog from some random Lutheran site. If you want to know what lutherantools.org think then ask them directly. – curiousdannii Oct 02 '17 at 03:07
  • @curiousdannii I was thinking the same, but it seems that Lutheran Tools is associated with LCMS. It's not really a site for official doctrine, but not anonymous either. – bradimus Oct 02 '17 at 03:18
  • @bradimus I did see it belongs to the LCMS but the specific author of each post is still anonymous though. – curiousdannii Oct 02 '17 at 03:43
  • 2
    @curiousdannii, I am sorry as after you suggest me to "find an official Lutheran document saying this", I try it - but I can not find it or maybe it's difficult to find an official Lutheran document saying that. So I reworded my question. Thank you. – karma Oct 02 '17 at 04:00
  • This is too broad. Please specify a Lutheran denomination. They each would have some distinctive responses to this question, and an answer that fits for one of them should not be construed as representative of all Lutherans. – Dan Oct 09 '17 at 15:56
  • 1
    And P.S. what you are looking for here is what theologians refer to as plenary and verbal inspiration (some adopt both or only one or the other, or neither). – Dan Oct 09 '17 at 15:58
  • @Dan, thank you for your suggestion. I've specified my question to the LCMS. – karma Oct 10 '17 at 03:52
  • @karma keep in mind your top (and accepted) answer is about ELCA, so you probably want to communicate to that user that the question has changed (or make the question fit the answer if you are content with it). Plus the assumption is that an accepted answer answers your question, which in this case it no longer does. – Dan Oct 10 '17 at 03:58
  • 1
    Following @Dan, I would suggest opening a new question. You can largely copy and paste this one with the new denomination choice. – bradimus Oct 10 '17 at 04:11
  • 1
    To avoid the confusion, as Dan and bradimus suggest me - I change this question to ELCA and I will post another question to LCMS. Thank you Dan and bradimus for your suggestion. – karma Oct 10 '17 at 04:27

1 Answers1

3

The Evangeical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) teaches that the Bible contains the word of God, but not necessarily that it is inerrant. They represent the overwhelming majority of Lutherans in the United States. This would fall under option B as presented in your question. Here is an excerpt from their Statement of Faith in their Constitution:

2.02. This church confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.

a. Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation.

b. The proclamation of God’s message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

c. The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by God’s Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God’s revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God’s Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.

2.03. This church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.

Source: http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Constitutions_Bylaws_and_Continuing_Resolutions_of_the_ELCA.pdf?_ga=2.229267033.455568450.1507004619-1273167286.1507004619

Community
  • 1
Zenon
  • 1,870
  • 3
  • 16
  • 35
  • 1
    I choose your answer to be accepted. Thank you, Zenon. – karma Oct 03 '17 at 08:24
  • Any time, @karma. It's nice to see so much curiosity about what different denominations think, even if some of your questions could use polishing up from time to time. – Zenon Oct 03 '17 at 22:14