White Horse Inn Blog

As they continue to discuss the subject of proper biblical interpretation, the hosts on this edition of the program take a look at frequent errors in biblical interpretation. Mistakes include problems such as moralism, atomism, relativism, taking things out of context, and more. The White Horse Inn: know what you believe and why you believe it!

Bonus Audio – Interview with Dr. Bergsma

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How should we interpret the Bible? Literally? Figuratively? Allegorically? On this edition of the program the hosts take up the subject of hermeneutics, or proper biblical interpretation. Throughout this program they argue that the Bible is not one book with a single interpretive rule, but rather is a library of numerous ancient texts which need to be interpreted according to the rules of their respective genres. In other words, poetry is not the same as history. That’s what’s on tap this week, at the White Horse Inn!

We live in a world of constant distraction. Not only are we constantly being interrupted by cellphones, email, and text messages, but we’re also distracted from thinking and contemplation in a culture of constant entertainment. Joining the panel to discuss this topic is media ecologist, T. David Gordon, author of Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media Have Shaped The Messengers, and more recently, Why Johnny Can’t Sing Hymns: How Pop Culture Rewrote the Hymnal.

Churches in our time appear to be on a never-ending quest for contemporary relevance. But is this a wise course to take? Shouldn’t the church stand up for the timelessness of truth, rather than the timeliness of the trendy? On this edition of the White Horse Inn, the hosts talk with Os Guinness, author of Prophetic Untimeliness: A Challenge to the Idol of Relevance, and Time for Truth: Living Free in a World of Lies, Hype and Spin (originally broadcast May 6, 2007).

If Jesus was a real historical individual, then do we have any confirming evidence for his life and ministry from sources outside the New Testament? Some point to the writings of Josephus, but isn’t it true that his famous passage about Jesus was proven to be a fabrication? Interacting with the hosts on this topic is historian Paul L. Maier, author of In The Fullness of Time, and editor of Josephus: The Essential Works.

Can we trust the New Testament portrait of Jesus, or is the Jesus of history radically different from the Jesus of faith? What are we to think of scholars like Bart Ehrman who suggest that Jesus has been “misquoted,” and that the Bible has significantly changed over time? Joining the panel for this discussion is New Testament scholar Craig A. Evans, author of Reinventing Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels, and the Holman QuickSource Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Some today are arguing that the New Testament is so full of transmission errors and scribal additions that it cannot be trusted. But is this really the case? Has the Bible been copied so many times that it is basically unreliable? On this edition of White Horse Inn the hosts discuss this issue with New Testament textual critic Philip W. Comfort, author of Encountering the Manuscripts and editor of The Origin of the Bible.

How is a person to know whether or not Christianity is the true religion? Aren’t all religious claims subjective attempts to grasp the ungraspable? Isn’t it all just a matter of personal faith anyway? And if so, why choose one faith over the other? On this edition of White Horse Inn, the hosts inquire into these questions and more with special guest Craig Parton author of Religion on Trial and The Defense Never Rests: A Lawyer’s Quest for the Gospel.

Why were some books chosen as part of the biblical canon while others were rejected? Why do Catholic Bibles have an extra section called the Apocrypha? Was the selection process primarily about the exercise of power in determining what ultimately became Scripture, or a submission to the inherent authority of sacred texts? These questions and more will be addressed on this edition of the White Horse Inn.

Why is the Old Testament arranged the way it is, and how do the various books relate to each other? Is it likely that these documents were edited and amended over time? On this edition of the White Horse Inn the hosts examine the covenant origins of the Old Testament scriptures.