Bible Students

A personal reflection based on “Christianity’s Dangerous Idea” by McGrath (chapters 9-11)

Protestantism is a text-centered religion, insofar as the biblical text is a witness of Jesus. The foundation for the faith is textual, though the text is based on historical events. Jesus stands at the center of the Christian faith, and so the Bible, His witness, is at the center. All people are under the authority of the Word and will be judged by it. The beginning of Protestantism led to a lot of resources for reading the Bible. Translations were sometimes unreliable or illegal. Commentaries shared thoughts on the biblical text. Lectionaries tied the church to the text. Calvin’s Institutes helped tie the life of the believer to biblical doctrine. Even though there are so many helpful tools for the Bible, the Bible’s text shares all which is needed for salvation.

The basic meaning of the Bible can be understood by everyone. There are many issues which are not clear in the bible, and so should not be serious places of dispute. Protestant issues are often shaped by previous debates, depending on tradition in some sense for aiding in biblical interpretation. At this time, Catholicism was no longer the enemy. Now, the enemy came from within: incorrect interpretations of the biblical text. Christians must be constantly reevaluating the biblical interpretation. The Bible’s infallibility is that the Bible is perfect in truth. A very important question came up in the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism: What books does “Bible” denote? For the Protestants, the modern biblical texts already had authority, and so the canon was closed after the fifth century. The Latin works had more books than the Greek versions, which are the Apocrypha. Catholics and Protestants had very different understandings of what “Bible” meant. The Council of Trent affirmed that the Apocrypha was Scriptural, and Protestants disagreed. To Protestants, difficult passages would be defined by clearer ones. Protestantism would expect a reasonable degree of difference in interpretation. What about evolution? There are many Protestant answers, even as many as 19. Since there is no central authority, it may be confusing. However, Protestantism has recognized heresy as a whole community. Biblical interpretation is a corporate understanding. Questions of doctrine are to be interpreted by the whole of the Protestant faith. Ideas from the past should serve the interpretation of the day. Upholding the bible as the highest authority does not mean throwing off other doctrines, but rather using the Bible as the foundation. New translations helped individuals to know what the Bible says for themselves. An English translation was dangerous because Tyndale’s translation put the power of interpretation into the hands of the believer, and knocked down Catholic ecclesiological power.

The King James Bible has shaped the English Language through the use of Hebrew idioms. Translation involves a moving target which requires constant re-translation into modern language. A Protestant Papacy has been proposed, which would universalize some interpretations of the Bible. Interpreters are not infallible. The Bible must be understood by its type of literature, but who determines this? Heresy is handled differently by Protestants. Antitrinitarianism arose, and Protestantism appealed to historic belief in trinitarianism. The authority for interpretation is still an issue with Protestantism. Authority figures play an important role in interpretation, though they do not have ultimate authority. Creeds of the apostles and Nicean are important. Spurgeon was authoritative in his interpretation of the time. Personal authority surpassed denominational authority, as anyone could listen to them. They grew from personal trust and word of mouth, not positional power. 

Chapter ten covers what Protestants believe. For Protestants, the Bible is the ultimate authority. This doctrine brings a method of taking seriously biblical interpretation. Protestantism is one of many Christian beliefs, so what does it mean to be Christian? 

Christianity is defined by justification by faith alone. One does not need to behave in a certain way to be saved. Salvation is a gift, not a merit. Believers work because of thankfulness to God, not for salvation. Saints were not allowed to be objects of veneration. Justification resulted in the individualist interpretation of faith. There was an individual faith in God apart from the church, which only afterwards joined the church. 

The church is the bearer of the Word, teaching those in it. Before, anyone who wanted to be saved needed to be a part of the church. Calvin was never ordained. Pastors are able to adapt teachings in the fluid nature of the church to the problems of the age. Is the church a pure body or a mixed body? 

The sacraments: A sacrament is a promise of God, a physical representation of a spiritual truth. There were many controversies in Calvin’s day on things such as: Juice or wine (in communion)? One cup, or many? Members, or everyone? What about baptism of infants (in baptism)? Households? Only adults? 

Heaven is the reconciliation of God and man. Hell is the separation of man and God. Does it make sense to appeal to punishment before grace for unbeliever evangelism? What about the 1000 year millennium? There are many 

Chapter eleven covered the ecclesiastical structures of Protestantism. By this time, separation from the catholic church seemed to be permanent. Catholicism was not interested in reforming for Protestants. Catholics made their own reform. 

Would churches work in one body across denominations, or be denominationally-led churches, or be independent? What about bishops and elders? Many people did not believe the Bible commanded any church government regulation, but Calvin disagreed. Calvin’s model of Presbyterianism has stayed around even to today. It is biblically warranted, but many structures are warranted. People believed Presbyterianism gave too much power to pastors and bishops, and so independent churches became popular. Congregationalism became the go-to. This is what the US has done. The Southern Baptist Convention is one group which does congregationalism. Pentecostalism believes structure hinders the work of the Spirit. Everything other than the Spirit is secondary. Islam is now the opposing threat, not Catholicism. Music was something which was very controversial in the beginning of the church. Overall, I appreciated the emphasis on the functions of the church in this section. It has definitely introduced some great concepts for me, which I will reflect on as I apply them to ministry. The ecclesiology of the Reformation fathers is extremely interesting to me, especially that of Luther and Calvin.