The Abuse of Authority

My minister friend Darrell and I discuss faith and practice as we practiced photography on our day off. Me a Presbyterian and he a Pentecostal. Darrell is still preaching in that same town and church 34 years after I moved on.

If we have an authoritative collection of historic books, attested as authentic, and we have an enormous tradition of dogma and doctrine. What happened when a rogue dogma, a genuine misunderstanding, a translation error either accidental or deliberate
mistranslation creates abuse instead of freedom?

As we have been studying the assembling and testing of the texts of scripture and the preservation and accuracy of scripture, and the trustworthiness of scripture, I continue to believe that we are in a hermeneutical revolution, a move toward a greater appreciation of the nuaces of hebrew and greek thought, and a deeper appreciation of the danger of a bible centered biblicism instead of a Christ and new covenant centered biblicism.

It is unfortunately dividing many sincere believers and confusing others, but for me its part of the refiners fire that always struggles against man using and abusing the truth for personal power, gain, or profit. My fear is that I would take part in such wrongdoing from tradition or ignorance or prejudice.