JACKSON, Tenn. — Oct. 20, 2017 — Bruce Gordon, Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Yale Divinity School, said the way Protestant Christians understand the Bible is based largely on ideas from the Reformation, namely the idea of sola scriptura (by Scripture alone).
Gordon was the featured speaker at the 21st annual Carls-Schwerdfeger History Lecture Thursday at 51社区. His evening topic was 鈥淲hat Happened to the Bible in the Reformation?鈥�
鈥淲hat happened to the Bible in the Reformation was that the Bible, of course, was the Reformation,鈥� Gordon said.
He said Martin Luther and other leaders of the time were spurred to action by their belief that the word of God was revealed in the Bible to all people, and the ability to hear from God through Scripture was not limited to those with power in the church.
鈥淔or Luther, the word of God is the supreme authority, not the church,鈥� Gordon said. 鈥淭he word of God is without error.鈥�
Gordon said the idea of Scripture as supreme authority came with complications, especially in regard to translation and interpretation. While the authority rests in the Bible, there are different interpretations of certain passages and inconsistencies between translations. Gordon said this created tension even amongst Reformation leaders. With the authority of the church to interpret gone, divisions arose between Protestant groups, some of which have lasted through history.
He said the Reformation led to a great increase in biblical education as people sought to find the original intent of the biblical authors and learn what was the true word of God.
鈥淭he heart of the Reformation message is that each person is a priest, able to hear and respond to the word of God and to minister to others in charity,鈥� Gordon said.
Gordon also spoke in an afternoon session on 鈥淭he Many Faces of John Calvin.鈥� He is the author of a definitive biography of Calvin published by Yale University Press. Gordon signed copies of the book at the event.