The worlds of the Old and New Testaments are far removed in years and culture from our contemporary society. How can 21st-century readers understand biblical inerrancy in light of oral traditions thousands of years old?
John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy answer these very questions in The Lost World of Scripture, a detailed look at the origins of scriptural authority in ancient oral cultures and the process by which the Bible has come to be what it is today. From the reasons why specific words were used to convey certain ideas to how oral tradition impacted the transmission of biblical texts, the authors seek to uncover how these issues might affect our current doctrine on the authority of Scripture.
'In this book we are exploring ways God chose to reveal his word in light of discoveries about ancient literary culture,' write Walton and Sandy. 'Our specific objective is to understand better how both the Old and New Testaments were spoken, written and passed on, especially with an eye to possible implications for the Bible's inspiration and authority.' Walton and Sandy desire to correct misunderstandings of inerrancy as they seeks to understand the unique culture and method of communication at the time of the composition of the Bible.
