Justin Taylor: Do Historical Matters Matter to the Faith

Justin Taylor offers this book recommendation. It looks good. The subject of inerrancy, Biblical authority, sola scriptura, inspiration and the "International Council on Biblical Inerrancy" have been subjects of recent musings. Little appears in the popular media outlets on the subject. In addition to the book below, we strongly recommend reading the English Reformer, William Whittaker, and his volume, entitled, "Disputations on Holy Scriptures." The latter volume is available electronically by a books.google.com search. Here's Justin's post on "Do Historical Matters Matter to the Faith."

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/03/09/do-historical-matters-matter-to-faith/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+between2worlds+%28Between+Two+Worlds%29

Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith?

Crossway has just published a major new collection of essays from an international team of top-flight scholars on the historicity of Scripture and why it matters to faith: Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith? A Critical Appraisal of Modern and Postmodern Approaches to Scripture, edited by James K. Hoffmeier and Dennis R. Magary.

You can read the table of contents and the commendations below:

Foreword by John Woodbridge

Preface

Part 1: Biblical, Systematic, and Historical Theology:
1. Thomas H. McCall, “Religious Epistemology, Theological Interpretation of Scripture, and Critical Biblical Scholarship: A Theologian’s Reflections”
2. Graham A. Cole, “The Peril of a ‘Historyless’ Systematic Theology”
3. Mark D. Thompson, “The Divine Investment in Truth: Toward a Theological Account of Biblical Inerrancy”
4. James K. Hoffmeier, “‘These Things Happened’: Why a Historical Exodus Is Essential for Theology”
5. Michael A. G. Haykin ,”Fundamentum et Columnam Fidei Nostrae“: Irenaeus on the Perfect and Saving Nature of the Scriptures”

Part 2: Old Testament and Issues of History, Authenticity, and Authority

6. Richard E. Averbeck, “Pentateuchal Criticism and the Priestly Torah”
7. Robert B. Chisholm Jr., “Old Testament Source Criticism: Some Methodological Miscues”
8. Robert D. Bergen, “Word Distribution as an Indicator Authorial Intention: A Study of Gen. 1:1-2:3″
9. John W. Hilber, “The Culture of Prophecy and Writing in the Ancient Near East”
10. Richard L. Schultz , “Isaiah, Isaiahs, and Current Scholarship”
11. Alan Millard, “Daniel in Babylon: An Accurate Record?”
12. Willem A. VanGemeren & Jason Stanghalle, “A Critical-Realistic Reading of Psalms Titles: Authenticity, Inspiration and Evangelicals”
13. Jens Bruun Kofoed, “The Old Testament as Cultural Memory”

Part 3: New Testament and Issues of History, Authenticity, and Authority

14. Robert W. Yarborugh, “God’s Word in Human Words: Form-Critical Reflections”
15. Craig L. Blomberg, “A Constructive Traditional Response to New Testament Criticism”
16. Darrell L. Bock, “Precision and Accuracy: Making Distinctions in the Cultural Context that Give Us Pause in Pitting Gospels Against Other”
17. Eckhard J. Schnabel, “Paul, Timothy, and Titus: The Assumption of a Pseudonymous Author and of Pseudonymous Recipients in the Light of Literary, Theological, and Historical Evidence”
18. Thomas W. Davis, “Saint Paul on Cyprus: The Transformation of an Apostle”

Part 4: The Old Testament and Archaeology

19. John M. Monson, “Enter Joshua: The Mother of Current Biblical Debates”
20. Richard S. Hess, “Yahweh’s ‘Wife’ and Belief in One God in the Old Testament”
21. Michael G. Hasel, “New Excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa and the Early History of Judah”
22. Steven M. Ortiz, “The Archaeology of David and Solomon: Method or Madness?”
Here are a few of the endorsements:

“Standing athwart the tide of strident voices currently demanding that we abandon confidence in the truthfulness and reliability of the Bible, the chapters in this volume constitute a defense of historic Christian confessionalism on the nature of Scripture. Mercifully, however, they are not mere regurgitations of past positions. Rather, they are informed, competent, and sometimes creative contributions that urgently deserve the widest circulation. In months and years to come, I shall repeatedly refer students and pastors to this collection.”
—D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“Few Christian convictions are of as pervasive importance as the absolute perfection of Scripture—and few convictions fall under more perennial criticism. Hence the need for this volume, which seeks to defend the evangelical doctrine of biblical inerrancy against scholars who argue that in accommodating his truth to human understanding, God has made his Word susceptible to error. Here James Hoffmeier, Dennis Magary, and a broad range of learned colleagues take seriously the self-witness of Scripture and respond to some of the latest, hardest objections to inerrancy by providing clear, comprehensive, persuasive, and charitable answers. Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith? is an invaluable resource for any student of Scripture who doubts the doctrine of inerrancy or has serious questions about the historical reliability of the Bible.”
—Philip Graham Ryken, President, Wheaton College

“Whether in a university open forum or in the church, I am consistently asked about the trustworthiness and authority of Scripture. I am therefore delighted that the authors have engaged the critics’ challenge as well as the Bible afresh and met the arguments head-on with insightful scholarship and the historicity of Scripture. I commend this unique and timely volume and believe it will be an important work for decades to come.”
—Ravi Zacharias, Founder and President, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries; author, Jesus Among Other Gods

“To scholars unconvinced of the classical Christian doctrine of Holy Scripture, Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith? offers a challenge both substantive in its argumentation and respectful in its tone. To scholars convinced of this doctrine, this volume models how to advance the argument on a multidisciplinary, evidentialist basis. We owe the editors and authors a debt of gratitude.”
—Raymond C. Ortlund Jr., Lead Pastor, Immanuel Church, Nashville, Tennessee

“This is a book that has been sorely needed. The Bible has long been under attack from those outside evangelical faith, and now more recently from those supposedly inside. Here in one volume the questions are addressed in a comprehensive way, including theological, historical-critical, and archaeological issues. Written with an irenic tone—and yet confronting the questions directly—this book will surely take a prominent place on the shelves of all those who love the Bible and look for solid answers to give to its detractors. The editors are to be commended for bringing the book to fruition and for their breadth of vision in organizing it.”
—John Oswalt , Distinguished Professor of Old Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary

“James Hoffmeier and Dennis Magary have assembled a first-rate team of evangelical writers to join them in exploring the historical issues related to the interpretation of Holy Scripture and the formation of Christian theology. Each chapter makes a significant contribution to this comprehensive and focused volume—which both affirms and defends the complete truthfulness and full authority of the Bible while fully engaging the questions and challenges raised by modern and postmodern approaches to biblical interpretation. Informative and winsome, this impressive work will be immensely helpful for a generation of students, pastors, and scholars alike.”
—David S. Dockery, President, Union University

“Here is a collection of first-rate essays written by an international team of scholars, each affirming what must be called the historic Christian view of Holy Scripture—that the Bible, God’s Word written, is trustworthy and totally true in all that it affirms. Rather than simply rehearsing platitudes of the past, this volume advances the argument in the light of current debate and recent challenges. A magisterial undertaking to be reckoned with.”
—Timothy George, Founding Dean, Beeson Divinity School; General Editor, Reformation Commentary on Scripture

“In recent decades evangelicals have felt increasing pressure to abandon their high views of Scripture—a pressure that comes not only from scholars outside their circles, but also from some inside. This volume represents a welcome response to both, but especially to the latter. The contributors represent evangelical scholarship at its best as they address critical challenges with clarity and conviction, even while keeping their tone civil and charitable. This book will serve as a handy reference tool for students, pastors, and scholars who need a fair and responsible treatment of the evidence and clear declaration of their conclusions.”
—Daniel I. Block, Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College; author, The Gospel according to Moses: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Book of Deuteronomy

“To the credit of its editors and authors, this book is not so much a reaction to the recent statements of Peter Enns and Kenton Sparks on biblical inerrancy, which called it forth, but an apologetic response to their works. To that effect, it is not a monument to the doctrine, but rather an advancement of its method and intent.”
—C. Hassell Bullock, Pastor, Warren Park Presbyterian Church, Cicero, Illinois; Franklin S. Dyrness Professor of Biblical Studies Emeritus, Wheaton College

“This is a timely work, both in the sense that it addresses an emerging issue—a loss of confidence in the historicity of the Bible—and in the sense that its authors are conversant in the current state of the debate. The topics discussed include all the essentials: the foundational theological issues, the major source-critical and historical-critical questions, and matters arising from archaeology. This book will be a valuable resource for both scholars and students.”
—Duane A. Garrett, Professor of Old Testament, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, A Modern Grammar for Biblical Hebrew and Amos: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text

“This is a brilliant response to evangelical skeptics such as Peter Enns and Kenton Sparks, and, in a broader sense, also to mainstream skeptics such as Philip Davies, Keith Whitelam, or Robert Coote. The list of contributors is a stellar lineup of first-rate scholars in their disciplines who defend the traditional, orthodox view of Scripture as historically reliable in sophisticated and convincing ways. Even those who might remain unconvinced of the book’s main argument will have to rethink their positions. I highly recommend this work.”
—David M. Howard Jr., Professor of Old Testament, Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota