Inerrancy and Worldview

Theological liberalism is making increasingly strong advances in Latin America, influencing almost every current issue. For Vern Poythress, the main difference between those who uphold the inerrancy of Scripture and those who deny it has to do with two opposing worldviews: a biblical theistic worldview versus a materialistic worldview. Dr. Poythress presents the best defense of biblical inerrancy in modern times, against recent attacks from theologians such as Peter Enns, Kenton Sparks, among others.

“I cannot think of anyone in the world better qualified to write a defense of biblical inerrancy than my lifelong friend Vern Poythress. This book is not an ordinary defense of inerrancy that simply focuses on proposed solutions to various difficult verses (though it does examine some of them). Rather, it is a comprehensive analysis that exposes the flawed intellectual assumptions underlying challenges to the Bible from each of the major academic disciplines of the modern university world. I believe that every Christian student in any secular university needs to read and absorb the arguments in this book. It is deeply wise, insightful, and clearly written, and will surely reinforce every reader's confidence in the reliability of the Bible as the very words of God.” Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary

“Vern Poythress has written what I consider definitive books on many subjects, including biblical interpretation, language, science, and sociology. In Inerrancy and Worldview, he brings together his knowledge from these and other disciplines to address the relationship of biblical inerrancy to worldview. He convincingly demonstrates that the question of inerrancy is not just a matter of asking whether this or that biblical passage is real. Rather, our attitude toward the affirmation of biblical inerrancy depends on our overall view of how God relates to the cosmos and to us as individuals and societies. And that overall view, in turn, depends on our relationship with Jesus Christ. The book delves into the issue of inerrancy like no other book I have encountered.” John M. Frame, J. D. Trimble Senior Chair of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida

“Every new work Vern Poythress writes is thoughtful, creative, and worth reading. This book is no exception. Among the many things I like about it is its emphasis on the Bible's personalist worldview, as opposed to the impersonalism that dominates modern Western culture. In addition to the book's crucial contribution to the topic of clarifying how God communicates with us through the Bible, the basic idea of a personalist worldview will also be fruitful for a good number of other topics. Thank you, Dr. Poythress—and thank you, God, for giving him to the church.” C. John Collins, Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

VERN S. POYTHRESS (PhD, Harvard University; ThD, Stellenbosch University) is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he has taught for almost four decades. In addition to having earned six academic degrees at the postgraduate and doctoral levels, he is the author of dozens of books and essays on biblical interpretation, language, and science. Dr. Poythress is considered one of the most important Christian thinkers of our time.