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From: thiel@ut-ngp.UTEXAS (Stephen W. Thiel)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: About Literalism
Message-ID: <1860@ut-ngp.UTEXAS>
Date: Sat, 22-Jun-85 16:21:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.1860
Posted: Sat Jun 22 16:21:53 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Jun-85 08:08:53 EDT
References: <15117@watmath.UUCP>
Organization: Dept. of Chemical Engineering, UT Austin
Lines: 49


Just a point of clarification:

From credmond@watmath.UUCP (Chris Redmond)
Message-ID: <15117@watmath.UUCP>
>There is a line in one of the
>traditional catechisms -- a Presbyterian one, I think -- which describes
>the Bible as "the only infallible rule of faith and practice", and I
>find that a more helpful approach than trying to take it as an infallible
>history or science book.

This is, I think, a correct interpretation of the Presbyterian view,
but the wording is a little bit off.

There are two possibilities for the source of the "infallible rule of faith
and practice" statement.  The first is the Westminster Confession of Faith,
Chapter I, Section 2:
	2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written,
	are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,
	which are these:
	   [Here are listed the books found in most Protestant
	    Bibles; the Apochrypha are not included]
	All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of 
	faith and life.
Closely related to this is Ch. I, Sect. 9: 
	9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture, is the
	Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about
	the true and full sense of any scripture (which is not manifold,
	but one), it may be searched and known by other places that speak
	more clearly.

A second possible source for the "faith and practice" statement is the 
Larger Catechism, based, I believe, on the Westminster Confession:
	Q. 3. What is the Word of God?
	A. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word
	of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.

	Q. 5. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
	A. The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe
	concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

So, Chris Redmond's statement is essentially correct, except for that tricky
word, infallibility.  If I understand the situation correctly, the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) makes no claims for scientific or historical accuracy; I
know for certain that I, a Presbyterian, make no such claims.
-- 

                                         Steve Thiel
                               ...ihnp4!ut-ngp!thiel