“It is somewhat misleading to think of the early Bible as a neatly defined ‘book’ in the sense...

““It is somewhat misleading to It is somewhat misleading to think of the early Bible as a think of the early Bible as a neatly defined ‘book’ in the neatly defined ‘book’ in the

sense of a single unified sense of a single unified literary work, or even as an literary work, or even as an

anthology. In reality, it was an anthology. In reality, it was an ancient library.”ancient library.”

~ Jeffery L. Sheler~ Jeffery L. Sheler

““The Holy Scriptures are our The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home.”letters from home.”

~ St. Augustine of Hippo~ St. Augustine of Hippo

““There can be no doubt that There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of the substantial historicity of the Old Testament tradition.”the Old Testament tradition.”

~ William F. Albright, ~ William F. Albright,

John Hopkins UniversityJohn Hopkins University

““I have spent a lot of time I have spent a lot of time looking through the Bible looking through the Bible

– – for loopholes.”for loopholes.”

~ W.C. Fields~ W.C. Fields

““The existence of the Bible, as a The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the book for the people, is the

greatest benefit which the human greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. race has ever experienced.

Every attempt to belittle it is a Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.”crime against humanity.”

~ Immanuel Kant~ Immanuel Kant

““Science can purify religion Science can purify religion from error and superstition, from error and superstition,

while religion can purify while religion can purify science from idolatry and false science from idolatry and false

absolutes.”absolutes.”

~ Pope John Paul II, 1988~ Pope John Paul II, 1988

““When biblical writings that When biblical writings that are unambiguously historical are unambiguously historical

in their intent are critically in their intent are critically examined, they consistently examined, they consistently

show themselves to be show themselves to be remarkably dependable.”remarkably dependable.”

~ Jeffery L. Sheler, ~ Jeffery L. Sheler,

Reporter for U.S. News & World ReportReporter for U.S. News & World Report

““In biblical faith, everything In biblical faith, everything depends upon whether the depends upon whether the

central events actually central events actually occurred.”occurred.”

~ G. Ernest Wright, ~ G. Ernest Wright,

Biblical ArchaeologistBiblical Archaeologist

““There is quietly mounting There is quietly mounting evidence that the basic inherited evidence that the basic inherited

outline of biblical history is outline of biblical history is essentially sound.”essentially sound.”

~ Kenneth Kitchen, Archaeologist~ Kenneth Kitchen, Archaeologist

““Most people are bothered by Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but they do not understand, but the passages that bother me the passages that bother me are those I do understand.”are those I do understand.”

~ Mark Twain~ Mark Twain

““I believe in the spade. It has fed the I believe in the spade. It has fed the tribes of mankind. It has furnished tribes of mankind. It has furnished them water, coal, iron, and gold. them water, coal, iron, and gold. And now it is giving them truth – And now it is giving them truth – historic truth, the mines of which historic truth, the mines of which have never been opened till our have never been opened till our

time.”time.”

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Commenting on Biblical ArcheologyCommenting on Biblical Archeology

““The more we scratch, The more we scratch, the more we find.the more we find.

The more we find, The more we find, the more we shine!”the more we shine!”

~ Jay Smith, ~ Jay Smith, BIC Missionary to MoslemsBIC Missionary to Moslems

““The stones will cry out!”The stones will cry out!”

~ Jesus of Nazareth, ~ Jesus of Nazareth, (Luke 19:40, TNIV)(Luke 19:40, TNIV)

““Biblical nihilism collapsed Biblical nihilism collapsed overnight with the discovery overnight with the discovery

of the David inscription.”of the David inscription.”

~ Israel Finkelstein, ~ Israel Finkelstein, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University

ArchaeologistArchaeologist

““Truth is tough. It will not Truth is tough. It will not break like a bubble at a touch; break like a bubble at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will day like a football, and it will

be round and full at evening.”be round and full at evening.”

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

““Test everything.”Test everything.”

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:21, TNIV~ 1 Thessalonians 5:21, TNIV

Traditional Catholic Traditional Catholic Position:Position: The Church = final The Church = final

authorityauthority

Traditional Protestant Traditional Protestant Position:Position: Bible Alone = final Bible Alone = final

authorityauthority

Our Anabaptist Position:Our Anabaptist Position: Bible-in-Community = final Bible-in-Community = final

authorityauthority

Community HermeneuticCommunity Hermeneutic

Community HermeneuticCommunity Hermeneutic

Vs.Vs.

Hermeneutic of SuspicionHermeneutic of Suspicion

Hermeneutic of SuspicionHermeneutic of Suspicion

a) The Bible records a) The Bible records miracles.miracles.

b) Miracles are not b) Miracles are not possible.possible.

Therefore…Therefore…c) The Bible cannot be true.c) The Bible cannot be true.

Hermeneutic of PossibilityHermeneutic of Possibility

a) The Bible records a) The Bible records miracles.miracles.

b) Miracles are not b) Miracles are not possible, apart from God.possible, apart from God.

Therefore…Therefore…c) The Bible is either untrue c) The Bible is either untrue

or it is the story of God.or it is the story of God.  

A spokesman for A spokesman for Ramesses the great, Ramesses the great, Pharaoh of Pharaohs, Pharaoh of Pharaohs,

supreme ruler of Egypt, supreme ruler of Egypt, son of Ra, before whom son of Ra, before whom

all tremble in awe, today all tremble in awe, today announced that the man announced that the man

Moses had kicked his Moses had kicked his royal butt for all the royal butt for all the world to see, thus world to see, thus

proving that there is only proving that there is only one true God who is one true God who is

Yahweh of Israel and that Yahweh of Israel and that the 2,000 year old culture the 2,000 year old culture

of Egypt is a lie.of Egypt is a lie.Film at 11:00.Film at 11:00.

““The weight of circumstantial The weight of circumstantial evidence is far too strong to evidence is far too strong to dismiss the exodus as mere dismiss the exodus as mere

theological fiction.”theological fiction.”

~ Jeffery L. Sheller, ~ Jeffery L. Sheller, Reporter for U.S News & World ReportReporter for U.S News & World Report

““The Son of Man did not come The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to be served, but to serve, and

to give His life a ransom for to give His life a ransom for many.”many.”

~ Matthew 20:28~ Matthew 20:28(& Mark 10:45), NASB(& Mark 10:45), NASB

Who Was The Last King Of Who Was The Last King Of Babylon?Babylon?

Daniel:Daniel: Herodotus:Herodotus:

““BELSHAZZAR”BELSHAZZAR” “NABONIDUS”“NABONIDUS”

Faith = Belief in something’s Faith = Belief in something’s or someone’s existence.or someone’s existence.

Faith = Belief in something’s Faith = Belief in something’s or someone’s existence.or someone’s existence.

Faith = Active TrustFaith = Active Trust

““The things which I write to The things which I write to you are the Lord's you are the Lord's commandment.”commandment.”

~ 1 Corinthians 14:37, NASB~ 1 Corinthians 14:37, NASB

““I am the way and the truth I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to and the life. No one comes to

the Father except through the Father except through me.”me.”

~ John 14:6, TNIV~ John 14:6, TNIV

““In the beginning was the In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God, and the Word was God.

He was with God in the He was with God in the beginning.”beginning.”

~ John 1:1-2, TNIV~ John 1:1-2, TNIV

““In the past God spoke to our In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets forefathers through the prophets

at many times and in various at many times and in various ways, ways, 22 but in these last days he but in these last days he

has spoken to us by his Son, has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he things, and through whom he

made the universe.”made the universe.”

~ Hebrews 1:1-2, TNIV~ Hebrews 1:1-2, TNIV

“…“…God's household, which is God's household, which is the church of the living God, the church of the living God,

the pillar and foundation of the the pillar and foundation of the truth.”truth.”

~ 1 Timothy 3:15, TNIV~ 1 Timothy 3:15, TNIV

““So then you are no longer So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also citizens with the saints and also

members of the household of members of the household of God, God, 2020 built upon the foundation built upon the foundation

of the apostles and prophets, of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the with Christ Jesus himself as the

cornerstone.”cornerstone.”

~ Ephesians 2:19-20, NRSV~ Ephesians 2:19-20, NRSV

““Anyone who resolves to do Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know the will of God will know

whether the teaching is from whether the teaching is from God whether I am speaking on God whether I am speaking on

my own.”my own.”

~ John 7:17 (NRSV)~ John 7:17 (NRSV)