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Title: A Defense of Biblical Infallibility by Clark H. Pinnock ISBN: 0-87552-350-1 Publisher: Baker Book House Pub. Date: June, 1992 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $2.50

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Summary: An early view from Pinnock
Comment: Clark Pinnock has been for the past generation one of the leading evangelical theologians, particularly when it comes to academic/philosophical theology. The more Evangelical/Fundamentalist side of Christianity has had a traditional suspicion (if not outright disdain) for theology of systematic and philosophical types; Pinnock was for some time a fairly rare exception.

Pinnock, a seminary professor at Baptist seminaries, wrote this text in the early 1970s. As the title indicates, Pinnock believed in a strong sense of inerrancy in the scriptures, arguing that this was the only view consistent with the nature of God. The scriptures must be perfect just as God is perfect and just as Jesus is perfect - any imperfections must be accounted to our inabilities as human beings to understand. This inerrant scripture gives rise to incontestable truth - of course, much depends upon the accuracy of one's interpretation, and while arguing for a realistic and reasonable sense of interpretation, Pinnock falls victim to looking for universal principles of interpretation deriving from a particular contextual situation.

Infallibility is not an option, according to Pinnock, but rather is required by scripture itself. Pinnock recounts various statements (scripture is 'God-breathed' - 2 Timothy 3:16, for example) interpreting these in combination as meaning infallibility. Pinnock then argues for a plain-and-simple form of interpretation, saying that the most likely interpretation is the correct one, rather than relying on issues of looking 'behind the text' or for deeper intentions. The problem here, of course (and one Pinnock returns to in later writings) is that 'obvious' isn't always obvious, particularly to people of different cultures, backgrounds, or other variations that give rise to differences of thought.

It perhaps goes without saying that Pinnock's brand of Evangelicalism emphasised the notion of sola scriptura - by scripture alone, setting itself apart from traditions of ecclesial bodies or from academia. One of the problems with this is that sola scriptura is never required by the scripture itself (indeed, there are examples to the contrary); another problem is that sola scriptura is itself a tradition - those who want no tradition but scripture don't realise they themselves are participating in a tradition.

Of late, due to the change in Pinnock's views, some Evangelicals have accused Pinnock of having deserted their form of Christianity, and of ignoring the Bible. Pinnock continues to place himself within the Evangelical camp, and certain continues to engage the Bible as the primary source of theology. Though Pinnock's mind has changed with regard to the absolute inerrancy of scripture, this is a school of thought still primary in many denominations and held by many individuals. Thus, this text, which informs them, is still worth reading, even moreso when coupled with Pinnock's later writings.