John Quincy Adams on Special Revelation & Canon

Jon Rowe

Jon Rowe is a full Professor of Business at Mercer County Community College, where he teaches business, law, and legal issues relating to politics. Of course, his views do not necessarily represent those of his employer.

Related Post Roulette

3 Responses

  1. Jaybird says:

    My problem with this sort of thing is the whole “flatters the reader” issue that manages to inject itself into all kinds of historical analysis. So, of course, there are the parts of the Bible that I agree with that are obviously divinely inspired, as well as parts of Homer, Virgil and Milton that I agree with that are also divinely inspired. You can go back and find the parts of Plato that I agree with and similarly see the Hand of the Father helping transcribe His Truth.

    “What about this part of the Bible that you don’t agree with?”

    Well, there are all kinds of translation problems…Report

  2. Mike Dwyer says:

    This really highlights the ‘flexibility’ applied by not just the Founding Fathers but also most modern Christians in interpreting the Bible. Many modern Christians will, for example, admit the Tower of Babel was a metaphor…however they are comfortable believing Jesus really did walk on water… And my academic brain simply cannot reconcile those two positions.Report

    • Kolohe in reply to Mike Dwyer says:

      One person doing divinely inspired and/or sourced supernatural miracles of limited scope and duration is an easy enough thing to accept. What’s not are tales that explain how things came to be that contradict the historical, archeological, paleontological, geological and astronomical records.

      Or alternatively-

      Superman can fly? fine. Impervious to bullets? also fine Demonstrate feats of strength that ensure no one invites him to Festivus parties anymore? very well.

      But flying around the world to reverse the earth’s spin and turn back time? No, that’s not how it works. That isn’t how any of it works.Report