Collected Writings on Scripture

by D.A. Carson

God’s Word has always had enemies, but in recent years the inspiration and authority of Scripture have been attacked with renewed vigor. Respected scholar D. A. Carson has written widely on the nature of Scripture over the past thirty years, and here presents a timely collection of his work in two parts.

In part 1, Carson selects essays written on such themes as how to interpret the Bible, recent developments in the doctrine of Scripture, unity and diversity in the New Testament, and redaction criticism. Presenting a theologically balanced and confessional perspective, Carson defines the terms of a number of debates, critiques interpretive methods and theories, and suggests positive guidelines for future action.

Part 2 presents critical reviews of nine books dealing with the inspiration and authority of Scripture. Though substantial in content, Carson’s detailed reviews will foster careful thought and perspective in those who are relatively new to the debates surrounding biblical inspiration and authority.

This volume is a diverse collection that will prove to be a helpful resource to both seasoned pastors and scholars and those who are just starting serious study of the Bible.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Scripture, Christian, Religion, History, Christianity

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2010

About the author

Donald A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has been at Trinity since 1978. Carson came to Trinity from the faculty of Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he also served for two years as academic dean. He has served as assistant pastor and pastor and has done itinerant ministry in Canada and the United Kingdom. Carson received the Bachelor of Science in chemistry from McGill University, the Master of Divinity from Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, and the Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament from the University of Cambridge. Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world. He has written or edited about sixty books. He is a founding member and currently president of The Gospel Coalition. Carson and his wife, Joy, reside in Libertyville, Illinois. They have two adult children.

Reviews

[Joshua Pearsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Phenomenal book. If you doubt Sola Scriptura, and if you doubt Perspicuity of Scripture this book defines them well both in the face of post modernism & in the face of some of the claims from certain Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox apologist on these doctrines being "Protestant innovations." Pointing to the Fathers & the use of the Scriptures by the Apostles & Jesus as doctrines taught since before the New Testament was even written! And pointing to Augustine even blankly saying that the "Universals Councils" can err & be corrected but Scriptures never err (On Baptism 2.3). As well as the reliability of the Scriptures this book is a must read.

[Tim Michiemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars

I read 2/3 of the way through this book and unfortunately could not finish. I love D.A. Carson and he is simply brilliant. But the last 1/3 of the book was only book reviews by Carson on specific books on the doctrine of Scripture, and I did not have any motivation to read further. D.A. Carson has great insights but I think the collection of essays were not worth publishing as a whole in one book.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since the time of Adam and Eve, the Word of God has been under attack. These attacks not only come from outside the walls of the Church, they also seem to creep into and rear their ugly head from inside the Church as well. Thus, it is perennially vital for believers to make a concerted effort to stand on the doctrine of the authority and inspiration of Scripture as being the Word of God provided to His people. Noted author and theologian, D. A. Carson, in his excellent book Collected Writings on Scripture, provides a solid array of essays and book reviews that will help the reader grasp the importance of asserting the authority of Scripture as well as understanding how to identify when attacks are being levied at this important foundatio of the faith.

This book is divided into two sections with part one containing five essays by Carson on matters related to Scripture, specifically what the Bible is and how to interpret it, developments in the Doctrine of Scripture, issues related to doing systematic theology, understanding redaction criticism, and finally an interaction with the Doctrine of Claritas Scripturae. Part two of this book contains a series of critical book reviews geared towards providing the reader with insight into the good, the bad, and quite frankly the ugly of past and recent works on the Doctrine of Scripture.

I personally believe Dr. Carson to be one of the foremost theological minds of our day and his perspicuity regarding matters related to the Doctrine of Scripture shines through on every page of this book. While it is difficult in a book as excellent as this one to select favorite selections, I will submit I was drawn specifically to two elements of Carson's work, namely his discussion on what the Bible is and how to interpret it. It seems these two aspects of the Doctrine of Scripture trip far too many up and thus I was pleased to see Carson tackle these two issues right from the beginning, using these as the foundational springboard from which he engages more difficult topics.

Carson rightly notes regarding the discipline of biblical theology that it "forms an organic whole. This means not only that one can approach any part of the subject by beginning at any other point of the subject (though some vantage points are certainly more helpful than others), but that to treat some element of biblical theology as if it existed in splendid isolation seriously distorts the whole picture." Such a statement drives home the reality that Scripture tells a consistent and cogent message, one that must be grasped in the whole rather than separating its content into tiny, unrelated points of doctrine.

Most importantly, Scripture reveals to the reader God, who He is, how He operates, and how we can come to know Him. I appreciated how Carson noted that when God speaks, things happen, something clearly noted in the creation account of Genesis 1. Additionally, given Scripture is the Word of God, it speaks to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. It is not a collection of words on a page. In the canon of Scripture, we see real people engaging in real events with God revealing Himself to humanity. Carson aptly notes there are difficult passages in Scripture that require fervent study. With that said, He comments that God "has ensured that his own self-disclosure should be abundantly clear to those who by grace have eyes to see and ears to hear."

Carson also provides the reader with a helpful primer on hermeneutics. Since we are charged by God to be a people who rightly handle the Word of truth, it is vital to understand how to properly interpret Scripture. Carson walks the reader through some foundational concepts regarding hermeneutics to include the importance of engaging the original languages with a needed discussion on the need for and the pitfalls that came come from doing word studies. He also notes the importance of being a good reader, specifically taking the time to notice nuances of the text such as chiasms or other linguistic structures that impact how the text should be understood. I also found helpful Carson's discussion on the value of understanding historical and cultural context. The Bible was not written in a 21st century world so it is vital to pay attention to matters of geography, cultural understandings, and historical figures as they relate to Scripture. Furthermore, determining overarching patterns, principles, and themes helps the reader of Scripture grasp the overall Biblical message and Carson rightly notes "it is important to observe the Bible's use of such themes, to determine their specific functions, and to resolve to follow such biblical patterns in our own theological reflection."

I would also encourage all those who regularly read and review books to pay attention to the manner in which Carson engages a work. I know I learned much about each book he interacted with and additionally, I noticed ways in which I can improve my own approach to reviewing books, especially providing a more critical review of a text for which I may find a greater amount of disagreement. Carson is a skilled writer and presenter of information and thus much can be learned from his abilities in this area.

This is a book I highly recommend to all believers. In a day when so many desire to challenge the authority, sufficiency, and inspiration of Scripture, it is important to be well versed in how to respond to such challenges. Furthermore, it is also necessary to understand in a deeper and deeper manner how to properly study Scripture so that we may grow every closer to God in our studies of His word and that we may properly wield the Sword of Truth as we interact with those who so desperately need to hear its message of salvation and redemption.

I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Bob Hayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solomon said "there is nothing new under the sun". In theology, however, this often appears not to be the case. With the preponderance of scholars today divided up into numerous different biblical disciplines, a constant barrage of books and controversies threatened to inundate us in a tidal wave of "new" ideas and opinions. Against such a barrage, we need seasoned, Christian scholars who can navigate through this sea of scholarly opinion without losing their bearings on the north star of Christian orthodox truth.

D.A. Carson is just such a scholar. Over thirty plus years of ministry, Carson has plotted a faithful course and in the process has given the Church an abundance of incredibly helpful books and articles along the way. He's also had a hand in training many Christian ministers of the gospel to cling to the Word of God in today's dark world. As I read through a recent compilation of many of Carson's writings on Scripture, I was amazed at how relevant his treatment of the doctrine in the controversies of 20 years ago was to today. Maybe Solomon was right after all!

In "Collected Writings on Scripture", recently published by Crossway, Andrew Naselli has compiled some of D.A. Carson's most helpful articles, essays and book reviews on the subject of Scripture. Most of these writings are chapters in a book somewhere or an article in a journal from 20 years ago elsewhere. Naselli has helpfully collected them in one volume, and after working my way through the book, I agree this was a wise decision.

Carson has the ability to cut through the fog and get to the heart of a controversy, while at the same time staying dispassionate and irenic. His clear reason and forceful logic require even those being critiqued to agree that he has correctly captured their viewpoint even as he finds some fault with it. For the reader, Carson takes one on a journey across the last thirty years and indeed over the past two thousand. He surveys new developments in the doctrine of Scripture and compares them to church history and Scripture itself. Some of the essays or reviews are more technical and focus on a particular author or controversy, but Carson takes pains to show how what is at stake in an individual work applies to the broader picture. Along the way, a robust doctrine of Scripture is hammered out on the anvil of controversy and I found that my confidence and trust in the orthodox doctrines of verbal inspiration and inerrancy were strengthened.

Carson doesn't just preach to the choir. He chastens the church for the diminishing role of the authority of Scriptures. He doesn't hesitate to use the work of others, either. Whether it's a jewel of a quote from Calvin, or a painstaking new explanation of the New Testament witness to inerrancy by Grudem, Carson is both aware of the contribution of others and applies it winsomely to the current discussion.

Carson's ability to dissect a book and both appreciate its good points and show its weaknesses is nothing short of amazing. A few of the chapters deal with three books on Scripture at once. Seeing Carson interact with these books strengthened my critical eye and informed me of Carson's perspective at the same time. I was particularly helped by his discussion of Peter Enns's book "Inspiration and Incarnation". Carson is disturbed by Enns seeming goal of overthrowing the confidence in Scripture that many of his readers have: "Wow. So are we explaining how evangelical faith accommodates biblical scholarship, or are we asserting that a Copernican revolution must take place within evangelical faith so as to accommodate biblical scholarship?" (pg. 367). He goes on to show that while incarnation can be a helpful analogy for understanding Scripture, Enns fails to explain what view of incarnation he has, how exactly Jesus' humanity equates to Scripture's humanness (if Scripture has errors does that mean Jesus had sin??), and how he uses the analogy. Carson concludes, rather, that "`Incarnation' is merely a rhetorically positive word to approve Enns's argument" (pg. 269).

Carson's review of Enns's book leads to my one disappointment with this collection. Carson deals a lot with hermeneutics in dealing with Peter Enns's claims. Carson concludes concerning the apostles that their "hermeneutic... overlaps with that of the Jews, is distinguishable from it, and at certain points is much more in line with the actual shape of Scripture: it rests on the unpacking of the Bible's storyline." (pg. 282). It is here that I wish Carson would elaborate. I was hoping this collection would include Carson's thoughts on hermeneutics along with inspiration and canonization. I'm not sure if Carson has given us an extended treatment of hermeneutics, so that might be why it is excluded. Still, what is included is superb and furthers my belief that Carson's scholarship is one of the incredible blessings God has given the Church today.

This book is not for everyone. Some familiarity with current controversies over inerrancy and Scripture is required. Students and pastors alike will be blessed and challenged by reading this book. And even if it is a stretch for you, you should benefit. I know I did. I recommend the book highly.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Crossway Books for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

[Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of essays on the nature of Scripture. Helpful and enjoyable to read. I expect nothing less from Carson.

[G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

D. A. Carson always brings it. This is a collection of some of his articles and book reviews on the topic of bibliology. He has a way of cutting through the academic jargon and getting to the heart of the issue in commonsense language. Some of these reviews are a little dated, but the principles are sound. This book serves as a reminder of the incredible pressure on Christians to capitulate to worldly ideas, especially in the academic arena. But Carson also gives a legitimate answer to those who assume the Bible's inherent fallibility. Don't believe the hype, read the book!

[Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's just put it out there: when it comes to academic Christian thought, Carson is in a league of his own. These essays and book critiques put that on display. Two that struck me as excellent reads were his "Approach to the Bible" introduction and his defense of Scripturae Claritas in the modern context. The ONLY reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is that some of the essays are slightly dated in the content (which he acknowledges) and may be difficult to track names and positions in them. HOWEVER, they are still excellent examples of how to approach claims in a level and academic manner.

[Graham Heslop · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, D. A. Carson is the biblical scholar par exellence of our day, perhaps even of the 21st century. This collection demonstrates Carson's breadth in ability, depth of thought, and razor-sharp criticisms. In covering a wide range of issues surrounding Scripture, touching on numerous related disciplines, this work offers its reader a primer for many modern questions and challenges.

[Mike Jorgensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the essays are profound and others are outdated (already) and somewhat obscure. Its hard to turn a compilation of writings into a book, but this one is a good collection that makes for a decent book. The highlight: his essay on the claritas scripturae. Lowlight: the book reviews.