Biblicism

Some people have confused the Bible with God, it seems to me. But wait, didn't I say I am orthodox in my views? Yes, and I am. But faith and reason were never intended to be divorced from one another. There's reading the Bible in order to learn the truth, and then there's using the Bible like some kind of magic talisman that is extra-rational.

Any fool can justify themselves by searching through the Bible for a verse that seems to support their viewpoint. Quoting from the Bible alone says nothing about the integrity of the cause to which it's attached. The devil quoted scripture to Christ when trying to tempt him to sin.

I believe it's very important not to confuse the message with the messenger. The Bible is written so that we may come to know God. But the natural mind of man is just as much a gift of God as the scriptures. After all, who consults the Bible before they decide whether having hot running water in the house is a good idea?

Here is an excellent article on this topic from Prof. Budziszewski, posted on Boundless Webzine. It's written like a short story and makes the point very well.

Biblicism by J Budziszewski