--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The inerrancy debate is based on the…" description: "\"The inerrancy debate is based on the belief that the Bible is the word of God, that the Bible is true because God made it and gave it to us as a guide ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/doug-pagitt-38821_belief_the-inerrancy-debate-is-based-on-the-bel_2264570.png" --- # The inerrancy debate is based on the belief that the Bible… ![“The inerrancy debate is based on the belief that the Bible is the word of God, that the Bible is true because God made it and gave it to us as a guide to truth. But that's not what the Bible says.” quote by Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/doug-pagitt-38821_belief_the-inerrancy-debate-is-based-on-the-bel_2264570.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/doug-pagitt-38821_belief_the-inerrancy-debate-is-based-on-the-bel_2264570.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/doug-pagitt-38821_belief_the-inerrancy-debate-is-based-on-the-bel_2264570.png) > “The inerrancy debate is based on the belief that the Bible is the word of God, that the Bible is true because God made it and gave it to us as a guide to truth. But that's not what the Bible says.” [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement challenges the assumption that biblical inerrancy is based on divine origin, pointing out that the Bible itself does not claim absolute correctness. **In simple terms:** Bible’s claim of truth is not self‑evident. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about scripture’s authority. Themes theology belief interpretation Mood thoughtful critical Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - church sermons - Bible study groups - academic theology - personal faith journeys Key Concepts epistemology faith studies Questions to Reflect On - How do we reconcile faith with critical analysis? - What criteria should guide belief in sacred texts? A Different Perspective Some may view this as undermining faith rather than encouraging inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Word of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by those who were inspired. I study the Bible daily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-a-fundamental-belief-in-the-bible-as-the-word-of-god-written-2/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Religion is such a belief of the Bible as maintains a living influence on the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/religion-is-such-a-belief-of-the-bible-as-maintains-a-living/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [My Mother had taught me to seek all truth in the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/my-mother-had-taught-me-to-seek-all-truth-in-the-bible/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [It does not require great learning to be a Christian and be convinced of the truth of the Bible. It requires only an honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-barnes/it-does-not-require-great-learning-to-be-a-christian-and-be-convinced/) [Albert Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-barnes/) > [“For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/for-it-is-not-mere-words-that-nourish-the-soul-but-god-himself-and/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [God's true church has always been a place where people hunger for the truth from the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/god-s-true-church-has-always-been-a-place-where-people-hunger-for-the/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [When you lose the story that's running like a golden stream underneath all the other stories, you're left with the idea that the Bible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-lloyd-jones/when-you-lose-the-story-that-s-running-like-a-golden-stream/) [Sally Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-lloyd-jones/) > [Now, which am I to believe, a book that any impostor might make and call the Word of God, or the creation itself which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/now-which-am-i-to-believe-a-book-that-any-impostor-might-make-and/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [I know many of you would say "What about the Bible?" The Bible says this, the Bible says that, the Bible is the inspired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-pearson/i-know-many-of-you-would-say-what-about-the-bible-the-bible-says-this/) [Carlton Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-pearson/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-focuses-on-the-fact-that-some/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [“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/) > [“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/) ## More by Doug Pagitt > [Engaging the body in acts of being present with God, including certain ceremonial practices, opens us up to God in new ways. People of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/engaging-the-body-in-acts-of-being-present-with-god-including-certain/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [The story of the gospel is so much better than the legal model suggests. It tells us that we are created as God's partners,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/the-story-of-the-gospel-is-so-much-better-than-the-legal-model/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [God is constantly creating anew. And God also, invites us to be re-created and join the work of God as co-(re)creators. . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/god-is-constantly-creating-anew-and-god-also-invites-us-to-be-re/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [During a recent life development forum we offered a session on Christian practices. In one of the four weeks we introduced the practice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/during-a-recent-life-development-forum-we-offered-a-session-on/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [This can come as a shock to those Christians who are so used to hearing that Jesus is the solution to sin that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/this-can-come-as-a-shock-to-those-christians-who-are-so-used-to/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [Christianity has always been the hope of God through Jesus played out in the lives of real people living in real circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/christianity-has-always-been-the-hope-of-god-through-jesus-played-out/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [I'm writing with the assumption that most of you who are reading this book have concluded what I have: Preaching doesn't workpreaching, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/i-m-writing-with-the-assumption-that-most-of-you-who-are-reading-this/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [And let me tell you 'Kingdom of God' language is really big in the emerging church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/and-let-me-tell-you-kingdom-of-god-language-is-really-big-in-the/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [One of the reasons churches in North America have trouble guiding people about money is that the church's economy is built on consumerism. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/one-of-the-reasons-churches-in-north-america-have-trouble-guiding/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) > [The early evangelists recognized they could help the Jesus story make sense if Jesus was seen as someone who was chosen to appease the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pagitt/the-early-evangelists-recognized-they-could-help-the-jesus-story-make/) [Doug Pagitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) [Explore all 11 Doug Pagitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pagitt/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. 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