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Friends United
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July/August 2009
Friends and the Bible
By Doug Shoemaker
"Surely there is some poor little church out there I can’t hurt too badly.” This was my prayer early in my sophomore year of college. I had been called to preach and was eager to do so. Graciously God answered my prayer and just weeks after my 20th birthday I became the pastor of Union Center Friends near Hartford City, Indiana. It was a poor little church even I couldn’t hurt.
Very quickly I began to sense the weight of responsibility that came with preaching, not wanting to be accountable for leading anyone astray. As I voiced this concern to God in prayer I sensed an almost instantaneous response, “Preach what’s in the Bible and you won’t go wrong.” That guidance has shaped my preaching ever since.
I wonder if Timothy had similar concerns early in his ministry. This would explain why Paul’s second New Testament letter to him included these words of advice:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Friends Views of the Bible
Some Friends reading the above words are smiling and nodding in agreement because they share such a view of the Bible. Other Friends reading this may be frowning — worried about just where this article is going. Increasingly, Friends seem to be struggling over what place the Bible has for 21st century Quakers. Some Quakers believe all God is going to say has already been said in the Bible — case closed (actually, canon closed). But Friends also embrace the concept of continuing revelation, the understanding that God continues to speak with freshness to us today. Given this set of circumstances, what are Friends to do with the Bible?
This didn’t seem to be much of a question for early Friends. Arising out of a biblically literate culture, messages and writings of early Quakers were marked by a saturation of biblical language and imagery. Quakerism was born out of a culture that trusted the authenticity and authority of the Bible. Only in later days did the fear of “creaturely activity” — and more recently the prevalence of biblical criticism — cause some Friends to be more cautious about the role of the Bible in their lives. Today the Society of Friends doesn’t seem to have a common view of the Bible shared by all.
This was illustrated a few years ago when I attended a threshing session where Friends were welcomed to voice their views on the Bible. At the end of the evening one-third of the Friends who spoke had argued for a view of Scripture that could be described as “authoritative.” Another third argued for a view of Scripture that valued it less highly than the immediate continuing revelation of the Spirit. In true Quaker fashion the other third of the speakers left me scratching my head wondering what in the world they were trying to say!
Today a tension exists among different groups of Friends on this very issue. Some Friends tend to emphasize the Living Word, acknowledging Jesus’ role as our Present Teacher. For these Friends continuing revelation is weighted most highly, even trumping guidance that can be found in the Bible. Other Friends, however, tend to emphasize the written word, insisting that an unchanging God will not author new revelation that contradicts biblical revelation. For these Friends the Bible carries the greater weight. I contend that most of the divisions among Friends today can be traced to these competing views of revelation.
Can Friends find common ground on the role of the Bible? Interestingly, I believe that the Bible itself contains helpful principles that should be considered in this discussion. Here are two derived from Paul’s words to Timothy cited previously (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
The Scriptures are Holy
It wasn’t uncommon to hear old-time preachers say things like, “I believe the Bible from cover to cover,” and then add, “I even believe the cover!” Of course this was a reference to the words, “Holy Bible,” that were found on the covers of most Bibles for years. When Paul wrote his letters to young Timothy he revealed that he shared a similar view, making mention of the “holy Scriptures.”
Those convinced of the trustworthiness of the Bible regard it as “holy,” penned by men but inspired and breathed by God. Others contend that the Bible is instead more “common,” a collection of inspiring words written by men. There is a world of difference between these views.
I make it no secret that I regard the Bible as holy. Critics regard the early church councils that clarified the canon of Scripture as a human process where the whims of men of that day determined what was Scripture and what wasn’t. Those with a higher view of the Bible see in these church councils recognition, or to borrow a Quaker term, a “recording” of writings that were God-breathed, set apart from many other inspiring books that were simply words of men.
Jesus approached the Scripture of his day, our Old Testament, with a deep reverence. He quoted extensively from the books of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets. Far from disregarding the Scriptures, Jesus embraced them, internalized them and intensified them. The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 illustrates his approach, showing a deep familiarity with the words of Scripture coupled with a piercing application that went straight to the hearts of those who heard him. If Jesus demonstrated such a high regard for Scripture, I believe I should too.
The Scriptures Lead Us to Christ
Most folks who have stayed in an American motel are familiar with Gideon Bibles, copies of the Old and New Testaments placed in guest rooms by Christian businessmen. My father-in-law has been a part of this Bible-placing ministry for years. Regularly he receives reports from the international office of the Gideons, filled with stories of people who read from such Bibles at crucial moments in their lives resulting in life-changing conversions. Like the Ethiopian in Acts 8 who received Christ after reading Scripture, the Bible continues leading people to Christ to this very day.
From 1991 to 2007, Fuller Theological Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies conducted a survey among 750 Muslims who had converted to Christianity. Those surveyed represented 50 ethnic groups from 30 different countries. The report listed the nine mostcited reasons for conversion to the Christian faith, which included this one: As they read the Bible, the converts had been convicted of its truth.
Legalism, Mysticism or Christianity
In our more recent history Friends have struggled with the role of the Bible in our Society. Some have come to regard the Bible as something of a rulebook that defines clear boundaries for life and faith. This feels like a harsh legalism to many who value continuing revelation over the written Scriptures.
Other Friends regard the Bible in a role that is clearly secondary to the immediate guidance of the Inner Light. For these Friends guidance comes through corporate discernment and strong leadings, which may or may not be compatible with the Bible. This feels like a dangerous mysticism to those wishing to remain faithful to biblical revelation.
On one hand is an embrace of the written word while on the other is an embrace of the Living Word. The earliest Friends didn’t choose one over the other, but embraced both. Of course their reaction against the empty religion of 17th century England caused them to emphasize the Living Word, but they understood that continuing revelation would never contradict the written word of the Bible. This is neither legalism, nor mysticism; it’s Christianity — and that is what I believe Quakerism was intended to be from the very beginning.
Doug Shoemaker has served as a Friends pastor and, since 2005, as the general superintendent of Indiana Yearly Meeting. He and his wife, Kris, are the parents of Kyle, Adam and Kelsie.