Die Afrikaanse Protestantse Akademie Biblioteek

Includes bibliographical references (p. 171-188) and index.

Oh sweet obscurity : the absurdity of claiming clarity today -- The effective communicator : God as the guarantor of scriptural clarity -- It is not beyond you : the accessible word of the living God -- Engaging the hermeneutical challenge -- The sharp double-edged sword : restating the clarity of Scripture today.

By almost any measure, a bold and confident use of the Bible is a hallmark of Christianity. Underlying such use are a number of assumptions about the origin, nature and form of the biblical literature, concerning its authority, diversity and message. However, a lack of confidence in the clarity or perspicuity of Scripture is apparent in Western Christianity. Despite recent, sophisticated analyses, the doctrine is ignored or derided by many. While there is a contemporary feel to these responses, the debate itself is not new. n this excellent study, Mark Thompson surveys past and present objections to the clarity of Scripture; expounds the living God as the Guarantor of his accessible, written Word; engages with the hermeneutical challenges and restates the doctrine for today. - Publisher.