Sacred Writing and Scripture

Sacred Writing and Scripture

1. Revelation: the act of God revealing himself or knowledge about himself and his will to human beings

   • Communication of knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural agency
     • Monotheistic religions, revelation is the process in which God makes himself or other information known to humankind
     • 'All Scripture is divinely inspired and has its use for teaching the truth'
   • General Revelation
     • Revelation of God available to all people at all times
       • Available to all people at all times
   • Special Revelation
     • Revelation of God to specific people at specific times
       • Particular person at a particular time

2. Propositional Revelation

   • The idea that the process of revelation involves God revealing facts or information
     • God revealed himself; truths or facts about himself
     • For Aquinas, faith can be described as 'belief that'
       • In order to accept God's revelation, we are required to believe that certain propositions are true
   • Traditionally revelation of scripture has been understood in a propositional sense

3. Non-Propositional Revelation

   • The idea that God does not reveal facts or information during the process of revelation; God makes himself known during the experience
     • The experience is ineffable (too sacred to be described/uttered)
       • The writers attempt to put their experience into words later by reflecting on it
       • Friedrich Schleirmacher
         • Believed that the biblical texts came about as writers reflected on their religious experiences
         • Faith is 'Belief in'
           • Not a matter of facts or information; an attitude of trust and relationship
   • A more modern approach to scripture
     • When God is revealed to the writers via religious experience, facts and truths are NOT revealed