THE BIBLE AS THE ONLY AUTHORITY

Question 1

What do most Christians refer to the Bible as?

Answer 1

A source of moral teachings.

Question 2

Give two basic Old Testament principles.

Answer 2

1) The importance of viability for all members of society.

2) The preference for prudence and moderation.

Question 3

Give two key teachings in the New Testament.

Answer 3

1) Love - love of God backed up by love of a neighbour is essential.
2) Forgiveness - fundamental to our relationship with God.

Question 4

What do Christians most often draw upon in moral decision making?

Answer 4

• Bible (Scripture)
• Tradition (including the Church)
• Reason
• Situational Love

Question 5

What are the three different approaches to Christian Ethics? What do they each mean?

Answer 5

1) Theonomous - ethics governed by God’s law.
2) Heteronomous - ethics governed by several sources of authority or law.
3) Autonomous - ethics are self-governed.

Question 6

If a Christian only uses the Bible as a source of ethics, what is this called?

Answer 6

Sola Scriptura (scripture alone)

Question 7

What quote from Jeremiah relates to Sola Scriptura?

Answer 7

“I have put my words in your mouth.”

Question 8

What is Propositional Revelation?

Answer 8

Truths revealed by God. God is revealed directly to the reader through words on the page.

Question 9

What is Non-propositional Revelation?

Answer 9

Gaining knowledge of God through:

Experiencing a sense of God’s presence or guidance.

Question 10

What is the propositional approach to the Bible?

Answer 10

Accepts as truth the words of the Bible as the message of God.

Question 11

Where is the propositional approach to the Bible more popular?

Answer 11

In more evangelical, Protestant Christian churches.

Question 12

What quote from Leviticus 18:22 is often linked to attitudes towards homosexuality?

Answer 12

“Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman. It is a detestable sin.”

Question 13

What quote from Mark 10:9 links to divorce?

Answer 13

“Let man not separate what God has joined.”

Question 14

Give two strengths of a propositional view.

Answer 14

1) Makes the Bible an infallible source of information.

2) Believers will know they can trust the Bible and rely on what it says.

Question 15

Give a quote from Richard Mouw that supports the propositional view.

Answer 15

“The writers of Ecclesiastes suggests our whole duty consists in obeying God’s commandments.”

Question 16

Give a weakness of a propositional view.

Answer 16

1) It is impossible to read the Bible ‘straight; without making any interpretation of it.

Question 17

What does Rosemary Radford Ruether argue against the propositional view?

Answer 17

Both tradition and Bible are shaped almost exclusively by male experiences of life.

Question 18

Where is there evidence of conflicts in the Bible?

Answer 18

Sermon on the Mount contradicts some earlier teachings in the Old Testament.
There are some rules in the Old Testament that Christians do not follow.