Department of Biblical and Theological Studies
Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois
I. Our Affirmation about the Bible
A. The Wheaton College Statement of Faith affirms:
“We believe that God has revealed Himself and His truth in the created order, in the Scriptures, and supremely in Jesus Christ; and that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are fully trustworthy and of supreme and final authority in all they say.”
Three key assertions in this statement:
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- Verbally inspired: The original text and the authors’ writing were initiated by God through the Holy Spirit. Although reflecting the writers’ cultures and personalities, the message conveys God’s intent with complete reliability.
- Inerrant: Free from falsehood or error; Scripture is entirely true and trustworthy in all it asserts (Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, p. 9).
- Of supreme and final authority: Scripture stands above all other knowledge sources. Human learning must be interpreted through the lens of God’s revealed Word.
B. Expanding on the Statement of Faith:
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- Evangelicals believe God’s truth is made known in Jesus and Scripture, and can only be truly understood through the Holy Spirit’s illumination (1 Cor. 2:14).
- Evangelicals uphold the uniqueness of special revelation (Scripture and Christ), which provides the framework for all knowledge.
- General revelation (nature, history, reason, etc.) is real but cannot be rightly understood apart from Scripture due to human sinfulness.
- Divine revelation is complete, though our understanding is limited. Human sin distorts perception, so we rely on the Holy Spirit and the church to interpret Scripture within orthodox tradition.
II. The Relation of the Bible to Liberal Arts
A. Christian liberal arts education affirms all areas of knowledge through the lens of Scripture and Christ. Wheaton College’s commitment “For Christ and His Kingdom” reflects this foundation.
B. Misunderstandings exist about how Scripture relates to academic disciplines. Two common but inadequate views are:
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- Any subject taught by a Christian qualifies as “Christian.”
- Using isolated Bible verses to support a field of study.
A truly biblical perspective requires evaluating disciplines’ foundations—presuppositions, methods, goals—through Scripture. This may involve transforming or reconstructing disciplines that conflict with biblical truth (e.g., archaeology denying supernatural claims).
III. How the Bible is Taught in the Department of Biblical and Theological Studies
A. Scripture is taught as God’s authoritative Word. Students are exposed to challenges, alternate interpretations, and complex issues within a faithful framework.
B. Students often begin without sufficient biblical literacy. Therefore, introductory courses focus on biblical content, key doctrines, and interpretive skills.
C. Sound interpretation requires attention to the Bible’s original linguistic, literary, and cultural contexts. The goal is to uncover the intent of the original author, especially as revealed in Jesus Christ.
D. Scripture is not merely academic. Through the Holy Spirit, students are called to integrate God’s Word into their lives. This includes lifelong Bible study, obedience to Christ, and commitment to the Church’s mission.