Bob Thune 2004-03-18
From Summa Bergania
From : Bob Thune, Jr
Sent : Thursday, March 18, 2004 7:51 AM
To : David Bergan
Subject : Re: Taking it in a new direction
David,
To be honest, this question seems to me to be a red herring. The question is not "how do we know that ANY text is inspired," but rather, why do Christians believe that the BIBLE is inspired? The question I asked yesterday is an honest one, and I'm not going to let you avoid it :) - what is the burden of proof for you regarding the Bible's inspiration?
But to be fair to your question, the first question should be, "Does this text CLAIM to be inspired by God?" Or if you prefer, does it claim to speak on behalf of God, or to say "Thus saith the Lord," or to accurately report the words and works of God? From there, we might ask: what sort of God is revealed in this document?
If I may, let me push my question further. You said in your last email that it was powerful for you to sit at the Passion movie with other Christians and reflect on the fact that "By His wounds we are healed." What is your rational, reasonable basis for believing this? Your claim puts you in the same dilemma that you and I are in right now. If someone came to you and said, "What do you mean? Jesus Christ does not heal you. He does not save you from sin. He was a good religious teacher, and no more," how would you resolve the tension between your reasonable conclusion and this skeptic's? You claim to have experienced Jesus; the skeptic claims that no such thing is possible. What "sound conclusion" would you appeal to in order to demonstrate that your claim is more valid than the skeptic's?
Bob
