Circular Argument Against the Bible

Christians sometimes fall into the peril of arguing in a circle to justify that the Bible is the Word of God.  An example of this would be: "The Bible is the Word of God.  I know it is the Word of God because the Bible says it is the Word of God.  Therefore the Bible is the Word of God."  I have certainly made this argument before in my life.  I was never taught any different or learned any better until I was about 21 years old.  I firmly believe however that I still had saving faith, because our faith isn't dependent upon our arguments for our faith.  

I think however there are just as many people who reject the Bible as the Word of God commit a circular argument error as do Christians.  An example of this comes from an argument which Professor Avrum Stroll made in his discussion of the existence of Jesus: 

“Even if there were reason to believe some of the material [in the Gospels] to express eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life, the accretion of legend, the description of miracles performed by Jesus, which exist in these writings make it difficult, if not impossible, to extract from them any reliable historical testimony about the events described."*

Avrum Stroll, P.h.d.

Clearly he is doing the same thing that Christians have on occasion been accused of doing, arguing in a circle.  Here is how Stroll's argument looks in simpler wording: 

·       - The Gospels can’t be true, because they say Jesus 

          is God.    Miracles are impossible!

·       - The Gospels must be rejected as myth because of
      this.

        - The Gospels are myths because of miracles!

 

And we have come full circle.   

Click the image to learn more.

* Avrum quote pulled from History and Christianity 
 by John Warwick Montgomery.   John Warwick Montgomery is the man!  This book is great. Check it out in its full glory in History, Law and Christianity. 
 

John Warwick Montgomery