DESCRIPTION

Synopsis from Baker Academic: 

The common options set forth regarding the inspiration and authority of the Bible are usually excessive, either on the "liberal" or on the "inerrancy" side, leaving division and confusion for the thoughtful believer who reverences the Bible but does not wish to look blindly at the text. In The Scripture Principle, Clark Pinnock and Barry Callen present a balanced "middle" position on biblical inerrancy that steers clear of pitfalls common to both ends of the spectrum. The authors defend the full authority and trustworthiness of the Bible against those who limit or dismiss its authority, yet they also reject the oversimplifications and false dichotomies found in fundamentalist appeals to verbal inerrancy in defense of the Bible's authority.
 
The Scripture Principle is a position that needs fresh attention on the contemporary scene, especially as evangelicals work to redefine who they are and how they should read the Bible in the early twenty-first century. The authors show proponents of the Scripture principle how to respond cogently to biblical criticism while keeping all the necessary elements in perspective. They consider the whole doctrine of Scripture, including divine authority, human character, and spiritual dynamic, to resolve the biblical authority debate and provide the searching believer a discerning, functional trust in the Bible's relevance to everyday life. 

First published over twenty years ago--but all the more relevant for today's context--The Scripture Principle has been thoroughly updated to speak with new clarity on this perennial issue. The second edition also includes a new preface, a new concluding chapter, and a revised and updated bibliography.