Stylos is the blog of Jeff Riddle, a Reformed Baptist Pastor in North Garden, Virginia. The title "Stylos" is the Greek word for pillar. In 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul urges his readers to consider "how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar (stylos) and ground of the truth."
Image (left side): Decorative urn with title for the book of Acts in Codex Alexandrinus.
Friday, June 30, 2023
2023 Trinity and Text Conference: How Has God Preserved His Word?
This lecture was given at the Trinitarian Bible Society's Trinity and Text Conference in London, England on June 16, 2023.
While listening to your presentation on biblical preservation (which was very good, I must say), it struck me that the natural preservation view seems related to Deism. In the religious or philosophical view of Deism, the Creator does not intervene or interfere in human affairs. In the naturalistic view of preservation, the Creator does not affect or intervene in the history of the transmission of his inspired word.
I thought about this just from my own standpoint as a sometimes “creator” of written records. Unlike God, I obviously cannot produce an errorless and infallible document. However, in the course of its transmission I have an interest in it. I try to correct any errors I find, and, where able, do not leave it to its own devices. When I find an error online, I correct it. If in print, if able, correct when I reprint. On the other hand, we are led to believe that God is either disinterested or powerless in the face of the historical transmission of his word – or both!
Brother Riddle,
ReplyDeleteWhile listening to your presentation on biblical preservation (which was very good, I must say), it struck me that the natural preservation view seems related to Deism. In the religious or philosophical view of Deism, the Creator does not intervene or interfere in human affairs. In the naturalistic view of preservation, the Creator does not affect or intervene in the history of the transmission of his inspired word.
I thought about this just from my own standpoint as a sometimes “creator” of written records. Unlike God, I obviously cannot produce an errorless and infallible document. However, in the course of its transmission I have an interest in it. I try to correct any errors I find, and, where able, do not leave it to its own devices. When I find an error online, I correct it. If in print, if able, correct when I reprint. On the other hand, we are led to believe that God is either disinterested or powerless in the face of the historical transmission of his word – or both!
Who can believe it?