Is the Christian Scripture, identified as the Old Testament (Judeo) and New Testament (Christian), inspired of God? If it is inspired, what is its doctrine? That is: 1) the concepts are, in faith, ordered as they are communicated originally, and may be found in various forms of language: myth, poetry, parable, reality (history); or, 2) the God words, as they were approved, utilizing the styles of the human writers as a factor in revelation of meaning. In the original writings, the words were the choices of God in relating to the author so carry a force of meaning that would not be likely in any other context – unique. In both theories of inspiration there is presumed to be God’s involvement, and the result is perceived as meaningful to life and God’s plan for human redemption – authoritative. The humanist would argue that the Bible may belong to great literature, but that it is literature from visionary persons who sometimes were in error, as there is error found in any other literature. For many the Bible is perceived to be just one of many ways to approach faith, and for some it is seen as something of a tale from ancients helpful to ethicists. They believe that Plato and Aristotle made errors in their profound concepts, so the Bible writers were similarly limited. The reader becomes the evaluator of Scripture rather than Scripture evaluating the reader.
Evangelical churches have always taken seriously the matter of taking seriously the teachings and doctrines of the Bible. Persuasion is partly related to the belief that in its first and revealed form it carried authority from God for faith and practice. In history the affirmation has been challenged, sometimes in the practice of persons most dedicated to it. For example, in America in the nineteenth century devout Christians interpreted slavery as justified by the Scripture and quoted verses they believed supported their views. Other Christians used passages that they believed opposed slavery. The consequence of the contradictions was to lose for a large portion of the population belief that God had given an authoritative word – if those who believed it could be so contradictory. The contradictions were so large that they broke up whole denominations into contradictory entities. The church suffers to this day in the aftermath of contradiction relative to human rights and slavery, but also issues of war and peace, sex and purity, sin and holiness.
The biblical interest in alleged slavery was in indenture. Because of the social problems faced in floundering society there were periods when a person had to identify closely with a family or person of authority, so to trade service for care and protection. There were limitations to the agreement, and it had to be cancelled in Israel during the Jubilee Year. The indentured person was treated like family, and maintained much self-determination. (Note the relationship between Abraham and his servant in the search for a wife for son, Isaac.) Scripture assured that such persons would not be mistreated or unduly exploited. The indenturing process has been used throughout history, with one in every fifth home in 1900 in America having a live-in servant. My mother befriended one such person (white) who would visit our home on her day off. Mother would write letters for the dear lady who could not write English. We have much literature on indenture, a form of yielding time for sustenance, perhaps for learning and always presumed to have terminal time limits. If not, the person could choose to be identified as the bond servant of his or her benefactor. The benefactor had to accept the agreement and become responsible to provide for the person related to contract service. Even with current questions about it, indenture was not slavery.
The American situation leading to warfare was significantly different. Slavery ultimately involved one race, the African of dark skin. Indenture was seldom agreed upon. In slavery prejudice grew. Problems compounded with prejudice. The slave might be treated inhumanely, sometimes beaten, and families could be divided. Some owners made it a business to sell children of slaves, even divide husband from wife. The indentured person was not property- bought and sold. It is not necessary that Scripture should provide treatise on slavery in that the concept is anathema to God, and not a matter acceptable in any treatment of Scripture on the place and worth of human beings. Scripture does not contradict itself. Even so, with critics, great literature is great literature to be admitted to education. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020