| Show AUTHORITY of THE SCRIPT URRIL the important question of the authority of the sacred scriptures in att matters of faith and practice again aguin claims the attention of students of theology it has been found necessary to reconsider it the position of the protestant world has generally been that the scriptures are the ultimate authority the last court of appe appeal superior to the opinions of fathers or the dicta of councils however an a n dent this view was a natural consequence of the reformation in we the MAP cassion with opponents the reformer put the authority of the bible against the authority of the church fathers fathera claiming infallibility only for the revealed I 1 word but it has long been apparent that this position has not been conducive to the unity of falth faith which should be characteristic of the church of god lately a great deal of doul doubt has also been thrown upon the td infallibility of the bible in fact hiher hi hl her criticism in this century has assailed the position of protestantism in the same way as the reformers in the sixteenth century attacked the church it has endeavored to prove the futility of an appeal to the bible an aa ultimate authority and so persis persistent test have the attacks been that theologians are commencing to go over the ground anew making new statements new definitions in germany the storm center of theological discussion conservative scholars now declare that the idea of the scriptures ascribes to an agency in the production of the sacred writings which it has not pleased him to resume they point out that the writers merely represent the divine truth in a manner consistent with their own knowledge or record the dealings of the almighty with the children of men as it appeared d to them this view sees in the scriptures divine truth conveyed as it were in an envelop of human expression beautiful but frail the former is authority but the latter is a subject of criticism I 1 I 1 I 1 it cannot be denied that this position is an advance on the orthodox view but it leaves out of consideration the important and well attested tact fact that our savior himself recognized in the scriptures even in its minor features of expression the decisive utterance of god re he did not apply to the sacred writings the modern process of arild criticism when the whole question shall have been exhaustively discussed it will bet admitted that the ultimate authority in all matters pertaining to doctrine and practice rests with God alone rn in a controversy it to Is not always sut focient to appeal from the decisions of men and councils of men to the so called revealed word it must be carried higher to the giver and inspired inspire of the word from the law to t the he author of the law in so far as ile he fiss aa revealed his 1919 mind and will on an any given subject in past ages and to the extent that this revelation has been to ire corded that record should end the controversy tro versy it Is in given for that very purpose the inspired writers being corn com to interpret the divine wm to mankind but the church la Is advancing in intelligence and standing and needs the divine wasp ance at every step only it asife guidance to is available can caa error bo be avoided a the question with the church in all as has not been what is written tout but what does the lord say his voice whether through the written word woid or through the mouths of his FEB inspired servants has always been the end of controversy with the fol lowera lowern of jesus it is impossible to recognize the true authority of the written word without believing in continued divine presence and influence in the church |
