Thursday, July 5, 2012

Resources for Dealing with Alleged Bible Contradictions, Discrepancies and Errors

[As far as I know, there are no illegal links to copyrighted materials]

Introductory resources for alleged Bible "Contradictions", "Discrepancies" and "Errors". Or what I like to call "Bible CDEs" for short. Some of these resources are texts while others are in audio format.

 One of my all time favorite apologists is Steve Hays.
Below are links to his paper "Why I Believe"
"Triablogue" is where he and the other "Triabloggers" blog on apologetical issues. Here's the website:

Triablogue
www.triablogue.blogspot.com

Why I Believe by Steve Hays part 1: A Positive Apologetic
thirdmill.org/newfiles/ste_hays/PT.Hays.Why.Believe.apologetics.1.pdf

Why I Believe by Steve Hays part 2: I'm Glad You Asked!
thirdmill.org/newfiles/ste_hays/PT.Hays.Why.Believe.apologetics.2.pdf

In part 2 he deals with Biblical criticism and succinctly notes that, "Inerrancy is perfectly compatible with selective reporting, topical sequencing, paraphrastic citation, round numbers, variant names, and literary dependence."
He obviously says more, and so I recommend one reads the entire section.

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Gill's commentary often addresses many classic CDEs.
http://www.freegrace.net/gill/
 or
http://www.godrules.net/library/gill/gill.htm
or
http://www.studylight.org/com/geb/  

Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary
Clarke's commentary often addresses many classic CDEs.
http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/
or 
http://www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarke.htm

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown often addresses many classic CDEs.
http://ww.ccel.org/ccel/jamieson/jfb
or
http://www.studylight.org/com/jfb/


What is Inerrancy? audio podcast with William Lane Craig
http://www.apologetics315.com/2008/12/what-is-inerrancy-william-lane-craig.html

The Inerrancy of Scripture by Kevin Vanhoozer
http://www.theologynetwork.org/christian-beliefs/the-bible/getting-stuck-in/the-inerrancy-of-scripture.htm

Norman Geisler's When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties 


Difficulties in the Bible: Alleged Errors and Contradictions by R.A. Torrey


Countering Bible Contradictions
http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/bible.htm
(this link is down, so I think I found another copy below)

http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/bible.htm


Contradicting Bible Contradictions
http://www.contradictingbiblecontradictions.com/


300 Alleged Bible Contradictions Answered
https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2024/02/07/300-alleged-bible-contradictions-answered/

Hard Sayings of the Bible by Walter C. Kaiser

Steve Gregg's lecture series titled "Authority of Scriptures" can be listened to at this link:
http://www.thenarrowpath.com/topical_lectures.php
Link
The most relevant are parts 5, 7 and 8 (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

05. Historical Accuracy of the Bible
http://www.thenarrowpath.com/mp3s/aut/aut05.mp3

07. Alleged Discrepancies - Part 1
http://www.thenarrowpath.com/mp3s/aut/aut07.mp3

08. Alleged Discrepancies - Part 2
http://www.thenarrowpath.com/mp3s/aut/aut08.mp3

The Inerrancy of Scripture lectures by Wayne Grudem
(based on his book Introduction to Systematic Theology)

part 1
http://scottsdalebible.com/assets/audio/christian-essentials/20051009WGrudem.mp3

part 2
http://scottsdalebible.com/assets/audio/christian-essentials/20051016WGrudem.mp3

part 3
http://scottsdalebible.com/assets/audio/christian-essentials/20051106WGrudem.mp3

For all the lectures by Wayne Grudem based on his book, visit this link:
http://www.christianessentialssbc.com/messages/

Or here:
http://www.monergism.com/mp3/2012/02/systematic_theology_mp3_lectur.php


Do the Gospels Contradict Themselves? by Michael Licona (43 min. video)
http://youtu.be/LTKYB9F3I84

Do the Gospels Contradict? by Michael Licona
www.apologetics315.com/2012/07/do-gospels-contradict-by-michael-licona.html

 Mike Licona Discusses What Makes a Bible Contradiction
http://youtu.be/TJ8rZukh_Bc

Mike Licona interviewed by Frank Turek on Bible Contradictions
http://www.apologetics315.com/2013/01/michael-licona-on-bible-contradictions.html

The A, B, Cs . . . Ds Es of Defending the Gospels - Dr. Mike Licona 
http://youtu.be/1_I4OkShxh8

Why are there differences in the Gospels? - Mike Licona
http://youtu.be/vYfSf9NgeOQ

 Why are there differences in the Gospels? - Mike Licona
http://youtu.be/xtemSTrkogE  (same lecture as above given at a different time)

 Gospel Differences & Compositional Textbooks 
http://youtu.be/VZvwRyduNSM

Webinar: Why Are There Differences Between the Gospels? A Conversation with Dr. Michael Licona
http://youtu.be/pUajktSCaeo

Articles (mostly) by Norman Geisler on the "Licona Controversy"
http://normangeisler.net/articles/Bible/Inspiration-Inerrancy/Licona/default.htm  

Is Genre Criticism of the Gospels Contrary to the Inerrancy of Scripture? by Norman Geisler
http://normangeisler.net/articles/Bible/Inspiration-Inerrancy/GenreCriticismOfGospelsAndInerrancy.htm

Mike Licona Responds to Norman Geisler
http://youtu.be/TnvJu8LTsL8

 I also recommend the blogs on the "Licona Controversy" at Triablogue-
For example:
The resurrected saints (9/12/11) 
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/resurrected-saints.html
Hubner on Licona (9/12/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/hubner-on-licona.html
Geisler responds to Licona (9/13/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/geisler-responds-to-licona.html
Something Close to Biblicism (9/13/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/something-close-to-biblicism.html
Geisler adversus Geisler (9/14/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/geisler-adversus-geisler.html
Licona responds to Mohler (9/15/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/licona-responds-to-mohler.html
Father Church (9/15/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/father-church.html
Just in the Nick of time (9/15/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/just-in-nick-of-time.html
Lumpkins disposable morals  (9/16/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/lumpkins-disposable-morals.html
Odds and Enns (9/16/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/odds-and-enns.html
Early Christian And Non-Christian Interpretations Of The Matthew 27 Phenomena (9/16/11) 
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/early-christian-and-non-christian.html
The Doctrine of Inspiration and the World of the Ancient Near East (9/16/11) 
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/doctrine-of-inspiration-and-world-of.html
"An Inconsistent Argument Against Inerrancy" (9/16/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/inconsistent-argument-against-inerrancy.html
Geisler's selective prooftexting (9/18/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/geislers-selective-prooftexting.html
The day hope died (9/18/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/day-hope-died.html
The blessed hope (9/19/11) 
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/blessed-hope.html
Penultimate thoughts on the Licona controversy (9/19/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/penultimate-thoughts-on-licona.html
Inerrancy and hermeneutics  (9/19/11)  
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/09/inerrancy-and-hermeneutics.html
When the Saints Go Marching In (11/19/11) 
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/11/when-saints-go-marching-in.html
Beckwith misstates Catholic theology (12/3/11) 
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/12/beckwith-misstates-catholic-theology.html
Roundtable Discussion Of Matthew 27:52-53 (7/31/12) 
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2012/07/roundtable-discussion-of-matthew-2752-53.html
Gospel Contradictions
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2016/01/gospel-contradictions.html
(read in connection with Lydia McGrew's post:
A gospel fictionalization theory is no help to the gospel
http://whatswrongwiththeworld.net/2016/02/gospel_fictionalization_theory.html)
Police videos and Gospel harmonization
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2016/02/police-videos-and-gospel-harmonization.html
Gospel harmonization
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2016/02/gospel-harmonization.html
Jesus remembered
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2016/02/jesus-remembered.html



CONTRADICTIONS IN THE GOSPEL BOOKS? LESSONS FROM THE WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
http://www.truthinmydays.com/contradictions-in-the-gospel-books-lessons-from-the-world-junior-hockey-

championships/

Contradictions in the Bible accounts of Jesus rising from the dead?
http://youtu.be/hA6g46R-adg

Discrepancies in the Gospels with W. Hall Harris and Darrell Bock
http://youtu.be/C651fVKKehg

Darrell Bock on Bible Contradictions
http://www.thinkchristianly.org/interview-with-darrell-bock-on-bible-contradictions-podcast/

Inerrancy and the Gospels: A God-Centered Approach to the Challenges of Harmonization by Vern Poythress (book)
http://www.frame-poythress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PoythressVernInerrancyAndTheGospels.pdf 

Inerrancy and Worldview: Answering Modern Chalenges to the Bible by Vern Poythress
http://www.frame-poythress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PoythressVernInerrancyAndWorldview.pdf

Inerrancy, Harmonization and the Synoptic Gospels: A Response to Darrell Bock by Vern Poythress
http://www.frame-poythress.org/inerrancy-harmonization-and-the-synoptic-gospels-a-response-to-darrell-bock/

Logic by Vern Poythress
http://www.frame-poythress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/BLogicFinal.pdf

Presuppositions and Harmonization: Luke 23:47 as a Test Case by Vern Poythress
http://www.frame-poythress.org/presuppositions-and-harmonization-luke-2347-as-a-test-case/

Dan Olinger on Bible Contradictions (part 1 and 2)
From his series on apologetics
www.apologetics315.com/2009/07/apologetics-mp3-audio-series-by-dan.html
part 1
http://mp3.sa-media.com/filearea/8240819465710/8240819465710.mp3

part 2
http://mp3.sa-media.com/filearea/824081953190/824081953190.mp3

 Resolutions to Bible Contradictions by Apologetics Press website
http://apologeticspress.com/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx

 A Bible Commentary for Muslims
http://answering-islam.org/BibleCom/index.html

 Errors and Contradictions in the Bible? from the Answering Islam website
http://answering-islam.org/Bible/Contra/index.html

 101 Cleared-Up "Contradictions" in the Bible! By: Jay Smith, Alex Chowdhry, Toby Jepson, James Schaeffer
http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/apologetic/contrads/

 Introduction to Bible Difficulties and Bible Contradictions by Matt Slick
http://carm.org/introduction-bible-difficulties-and-bible-contradictions

 E.W. Bullinger's unique way of resolving alleged CDEs can be found by reading the Appendixes to his The Companion Bible.
Some of his resolutions are far-fetched and clearly ad hoc. While others may have some merit.
Appendixes to The Companion Bible
www.levendwater.org/companion/index_companion.html
An example of one of resolutions which at first seemed ad hoc to me, but now seems plausible is the seeming contradiction of whether both criminals reviled Christ or whether one of them honored him.
He deals with it in appendix 164 THE "OTHERS"CRUCIFIED WITH THE LORD
John W. Schoenheit does a great job explaining Bullinger's resolution in this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxvE8zKZJk4
This might be the same John Schoenheit who was once associated with the cult "The Way International". I post the link to the video only for the specific topic of the alleged contradiction. I don't endorse all of this person's theology (whoever he is).

Another work by Bullinger that can be helpful in resolving apparent contradictions is his book

Figures of Speech Used in the Bible

For the sake of fairness here's a link to the website which has the most comprehensive list of alleged Bible contradictions from a skeptics point of view. Fortunately, and to the credit of the website's author, the website also has links to responses and resolutions offered by other people on other websites. The famous (or for some infamous) website is:

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB)
www.skepticsannotatedbible.com

Christian Responses to the SAB:
 www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/christian.html

A similar site to the SAB is Errancy.com. Though the website lists passages that suggest Biblical errancy, there are nevertheless interesting comments that people have posted that make some sense as to how some of these discrepancies can be resolved.

Dave Armstrong's Master List of Christian Internet Resources for Bible Difficulties
http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2010/07/alleged-bible-contradictions.html


Six Factors That Do Not Affect Inerrancy by C. Michael Patton
http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2014/02/six-factors-that-do-not-affect-inerrancy/



Some links to some comments I've made on blogs concerning Inerrancy.

Words of light and life
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/01/words-of-light-and-life.html

One angel or two?
http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/04/one-angel-or-two.html

For more of my comments on this topic and various topics, one can go to this page:

My Comments on Other Blogs
http://gospelcrumbs.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-comments-on-other.html

Answering Moral Objections to the Bible 

Book Reviews of Recent Atheist Authors by Christian Apologists
http://misclane.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-reviews-of-recent-atheist-authors.html


Future planned additions to this blog will include:
-Recommended books in defense of Inerrancy
-Further resources for specific CDEs







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