Have you heard of Bibliolatry? Do you think it is a major problem within the church today?

Question

Bibliolatry is the worshiping of the Bible. It happens when someone places the Bible before God, ahead of Christ, or ahead of the Holy Spirit. It is a belief in the infallability of the printed Bible.

It is frequently argued that we must hold on to inerrancy because if we permit anyone to question any part of the Bible, the whole thing is lost. It is argued that unless we have an indisputable source of truth to return to, Christianity will be reduced to a matter of opinion. I always thought Christians came to an understanding of the truth through prayer, study and through the Holy Spirit.

Of course the Bible is true and it is the inspired word of God, but inerracy is a red herring. The inerracy message is a thinly disguised version of "you may not disagree with me." The issue is power, control, and the right to dictate who may do what and when; to tell other Christians what they may and may not believe. This is so foreign to the message of Christ, it should shock true Christians.

As the old hymn says, "the Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord." The Bible is our primary source for knowledge about Christ, but it is not our foundation!

Answer 1

I think several passages of the Bible can be misinterpreted, which causes a few doctrinal differences between say...Baptists and Pentecostals, but from what I've seen, they still have respect for each other and consider each other Christians. There are also differences in culture from Biblical times that can cause confusions, so it is important to study the Bible carefully. "Strong's Concordance" with a Hebrew and Greek dictionary is a great tool, and I also like The Student Bible with its side notes. What I do consider dangerous territory is when Scriptures are twisted completely beyond recognition to adjust it to what a person *wants* it to mean rather than the obvious truth, or when someone claims that God told them something that is clearly in contradiction with His word. Yes, God has a different plan for each individual, which He can reveal through the Holy Spirit, but don't try to tell me that God told you that Jesus isn't really the redeemer who died for our sins, or that it is ok for you to commit adultery, etc. You get the idea. :O) Also, I agree that it is wrong to worship the Book rather than the One who is Its inspiration.

Answer 2

How can we know anything about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit without the Bible?

The problem with division doesn't come from the inerrency of the Bible, but from people putting their feelings or their creedbook ahead of the Bible. If we all went by the Bible, we would fulfill 1 Corinthians 1:10: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

Answer 3

very true..bible is a book put together by a pagan emperor and a council of men. It is not Holy, it is not filled with God's words..it is filled with what men said were God's words.


flyersbiblep... I know Hitler tried that, Stalin tried that, sounds like a tyranny to me where there is no free will because you have to obey and think whatever you are told.

Answer 4

Sounds like you've been listening to Hank Hanagraaf or John Maxwell.

Answer 5

the bible is infalible, it is also gods word and the authority here on earth. i never heard of people "worshiping it though".

Answer 6

Now that you mention it, I see it everywhere......hmmmmmmmmm

Answer 7

The church is just f'd up as it is.....

Answer 8

no, the "church" have far more greater problems....