--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The notion of the enduring authority…" description: "\"The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact that some people think that notions like authority of Scripture's is passé, while others say t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/d-a-carson-4044_authority_the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-foc_181448.jpg" --- # The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact… ![“The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact that some people think that notions like authority of Scripture's is passé, while others say that the present configuration of the doctrine of inerrancy is a late addition. And to both we want to say, No we're talking about the enduring…” quote by D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/d-a-carson-4044_authority_the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-foc_181448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/d-a-carson-4044_authority_the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-foc_181448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/d-a-carson-4044_authority_the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-foc_181448.jpg) > “The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact that some people think that notions like authority of Scripture's is passé, while others say that the present configuration of the doctrine of inerrancy is a late addition. And to both we want to say, No we're talking about the enduring authority of Scripture, grounded first and foremost in its relevatory status, something given by God and utterly reliable.” [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lasting authority of Scripture is rooted in its divine revelation and reliability, not merely in historical doctrines like inerrancy. **In simple terms:** Scripture’s authority comes from being God‑given and trustworthy. Key Takeaway Trust the core message of Scripture. Themes faith authority scripture revelation trust Mood reverent inspirational Type theological educational When to use this quote - church teaching - personal study - sermons Key Concepts theology biblical inerrancy doctrinal development Questions to Reflect On - How does one balance doctrine and experience? - What is the role of tradition today? A Different Perspective Debates over doctrine can distract from core truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Some people say What's the use of the term if it has to be so fully documented and constrained and footnoted and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/some-people-say-what-s-the-use-of-the-term-if-it-has-to-be-so-fully/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [At the end of the day, in brief summary: inerrancy is interested in the truthfulness of Scripture and it is a powerful way forcing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/at-the-end-of-the-day-in-brief-summary-inerrancy-is-interested-in-the/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [So there are all kinds of things that grammarian purists would argue are awkward forms of speech and sometimes they are intentional for rhetorical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/so-there-are-all-kinds-of-things-that-grammarian-purists-would-argue/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The truth of the matter is that inerrancy is simply a way of saying that there are no errors that call into question the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-inerrancy-is-simply-a-way-of-saying/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [In every generation there are voices that question the authority of Scripture. So in one sense this is merely part of the continuing stream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/in-every-generation-there-are-voices-that-question-the-authority-of/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [We want to fan the flames of Christians for whom inerrancy and the authority of Scripture are not mere shibboleths, but part of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/we-want-to-fan-the-flames-of-christians-for-whom-inerrancy-and-the/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [When Christians speak of the authority of Scripture, because Christians believe that this word, even though it's mediated through many different human authors, nevertheless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/when-christians-speak-of-the-authority-of-scripture-because/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [“It is just here where we see the schizophrenia that inerrancy forces upon evangelicals: we are free to benefit from the advances of modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/it-is-just-here-where-we-see-the-schizophrenia-that-inerrancy-forces/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“To the minds of many, maintaining inerrancy requires that perennially nagging counterevidence from inside and outside of the Bible must be adjusted to support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/to-the-minds-of-many-maintaining-inerrancy-requires-that-perennially/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [“The principle of biblical inerrancy follows logically from this principle of divine authorship. After all, God cannot lie, and he cannot make mistakes. Since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/the-principle-of-biblical-inerrancy-follows-logically-from-this/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [Inerrancy matters because it honors the Spirit, who wants to honor the Son, who wants to honor the Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-b-ferguson/inerrancy-matters-because-it-honors-the-spirit-who-wants-to-honor-the/) [Sinclair B. Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-b-ferguson/) > [“Inerrancy is our guarantee that the words and deeds of God found in the Bible are unified and true, declaring with one voice the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/inerrancy-is-our-guarantee-that-the-words-and-deeds-of-god-found-in/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [Inerrancy means the word of God always stands over us and we never stand over the word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/inerrancy-means-the-word-of-god-always-stands-over-us-and-we-never-2/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“Inerrancy means the word of God always stands over us and we never stand over the word of God. When we reject inerrancy we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/inerrancy-means-the-word-of-god-always-stands-over-us-and-we-never/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“This premise of the CSBI should not be given a free ride, for to leave it as is implies that people who wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/this-premise-of-the-csbi-should-not-be-given-a-free-ride-for-to-leave/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) ## More by D. A. Carson > [Unchecked, the new tolerance will sooner or later put many people in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/unchecked-the-new-tolerance-will-sooner-or-later-put-many-people-in/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [God's wrath is not an implacable, blind rage. However emotional it may be, it is an entirely reasonable and willed response to offenses against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/god-s-wrath-is-not-an-implacable-blind-rage-however-emotional-it-may/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Others have questions about how it is that God and human beings can both be speaking through the one document such that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/others-have-questions-about-how-it-is-that-god-and-human-beings-can/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The New Testament writers did not invent a doctrine of Scripture they inherited it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-new-testament-writers-did-not-invent-a-doctrine-of-scripture-they/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The Bible is not interested in precisionism unless the context indicates that precision is particularly important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-bible-is-not-interested-in-precisionism-unless-the-context/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Effectiveness in teaching the Bible is purchased at the price of much study, some of it lonely, all of it tiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/effectiveness-in-teaching-the-bible-is-purchased-at-the-price-of-much/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Do you wish to see God's love? Look at the cross. Do you wish to see God's wrath? Look at the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/do-you-wish-to-see-god-s-love-look-at-the-cross-do-you-wish-to-see/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Many of us in our praying are like nasty little boys who ring front door bells and run away before anyone answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/many-of-us-in-our-praying-are-like-nasty-little-boys-who-ring-front/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God's love, they cannot escape the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/christians-have-learned-that-when-there-seems-to-be-no-other-evidence/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Love the church because Jesus loves it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/love-the-church-because-jesus-loves-it/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > ["Biblical theology" refers to something more precise than theology that is faithful to the Bible. It might be helpful to draw a contrast: at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/biblical-theology-refers-to-something-more-precise-than-theology-that/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [We treat the Bible, not as if it's a magic book that has to be handled like a piece of abracadabra, make sure it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/we-treat-the-bible-not-as-if-it-s-a-magic-book-that-has-to-be-handled/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Most good evangelical Study Bibles have more in common than people sometimes realize. All of them are committed to explaining the Bible to lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/most-good-evangelical-study-bibles-have-more-in-common-than-people/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Not all Scripture is propositional, some of it is asking questions, some of it's rhetorical, but where Scripture is stating something, asserting something, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/not-all-scripture-is-propositional-some-of-it-is-asking-questions/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The place where God has supremely destroyed all human arrogance and pretension is the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-place-where-god-has-supremely-destroyed-all-human-arrogance-and/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) [Explore all 117 D. A. Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. 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