Bible Quote by Terryl L. Givens
““In sum, disciples might do well to avoid the bibliolatry that characterizes scripture as unerring truth. Parley Pratt made this point himself in The Fountain of Knowledge, a small pamphlet he wrote in 1844. With elegant metaphor, he noted that scripture resulted from revelatory process and was thus the product of revealed truth, not the other way around. We do well to look to a stream for nourishing water, but we do better to secure the fountain. That fountain, Pratt noted, is “the gift of revelation,” which “the restoration of all things” heralds.21 Or, in George MacDonald’s metaphor, we should hold the scriptures as “the moon of our darkness, . . . not dear as the sun towards which we haste." p56””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Fountain of Knowledge by Parley Pratt, 1844
Treat scripture as a source of revelation, not an infallible authority; seek the divine gift behind the text.
In simple terms: Scripture is a guide, not absolute truth.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize revelation over literalism.
Themes
faith
interpretation
authority
humility
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
Type
theological
reflective
When to use this quote
- personal study
- sermon preparation
- interfaith dialogue
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
theology
revelation
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you discern revelation from tradition?
- What role should critical thinking play in faith?
A Different Perspective
Literalism can ignore context and lead to dogmatism.
![“An almost perfect relationship with his father was the earthly root of all his wisdom. From his own father, he said, he first learned that Fatherhood must be at the core of the universe. [speaking of George MacDonald]” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/936/anonymous-1_almost-perfect_an-almost-perfect-relationship-with-his_693929.jpg)
![“the biblical scholar Richard Elliott Friedman notes that “probably the most remarkable difference of all” in disparate passages “is their different ways of picturing God.” Some depict “a deity who can regret things that he has done ([Gen.] 6:6, 7), . . . a deity who can be ‘grieved to his heart’…” quote by Terryl L. Givens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2ae/terryl-l-givens-20241_bible_the-biblical-scholar-richard-elliott-fri_292417.jpg)
