Hi Everyone. I've been reading some of Paterson Smyth`s books on the bible. He makes some quite convincing arguments against the verbal dictation of the Bible.
Since many of the bible-based arguments for UR (and ET as well I suppose) depend on exact meanings of words, I wonder if anyone has any thoughts as to whether belief in verbal inspiration is relavent to this matter.
Incidentally I dont know if Paterson Smyth is an absolute universalist but he certainly doesn`t believe in endless torment. He seems to be of the opinion that salvation is possible in the `intermediate state' between death & judgement.
love in Christ
Jeff
My travels tell me that some of Christian orthodoxy adheres to doctrinal inerrancy as opposed to verbal inerrancy. However - the belief that every 'jot and tittle' of the bible was micromanaged by God, at least in the original manuscripts, is the overwhelming majority view and so I would say - every word is important.