Pick-a-scholar

Tim Henderson asks the question: can Historical Jesus work be done by those affirming inerrancy?

Good question. Easy answer (forgive my hopeless naivete): yes.

Yes of course, and they do, book loads by the bucketful.

Can responsible, credible HJ work be done be inerrantists? Easy answer again: nope. As Tim concludes: "is the necessary conclusion already present before the endeavor has even begun?"

Rhetorical question, but I'll bite anyway. Absolutely. As someone once said (I do believe it may have been me), never trust an apologist. Ever.

Take a certain well known and widely published scholar (please, someone?) over at Dallas Theological Seminary.  He is doubtless a fine fellow, kind to small animals and children, who flosses regularly. He also has great academic qualifications, no question. But he teaches (to use that term in its broadest sense) at an institution that, as far as I can tell, demands the intellectual castration of its teaching staff. An exaggeration? Well, maybe, but then again, maybe not; just look at what these folk have to affirm.

No wonder that the folk in the pews are confused when they seek the answers to important questions. Arrayed in the path of an honest response are the storm troopers of inerrancy, the apologetic marines, armed to the teeth with really bad works of pseudo-scholarship (probably by graduates of DTS and its kin) to divert the seeker from his or her path. A Zondervan title to the left, an IVP paperback to the right, and Thomas Nelson laying down cover while Crossway drops cumbersome ESV Study Bibles from a great height on anything that still moves.

Worried about 2 Peter being a fraud? Don't worry your silly little head, it says it's completely legit in this nice book by a famous writer who teaches at DTS. Oh look, here's proof in the ESV Study Bible. Now, back to sleep...

And because we all want easy, comfortable answers so our naps don't turn into nightmares, the gigolos do a roaring trade.