Presbyterians and the Truth

Abstract

Presbyterians were used to controversies. Since the early nineteenth century, conservative Presbyterians adopted Common Sense Philosophy as a basis for asserting that truth could be discovered by objective inquiry. Princeton Theological Seminary became the intellectual center for promoting that outlook. Charles Hodge presented a view of the Bible as containing “facts” to be discovered. His successor, B. B. Warfield, developed the view that the Bible was “inerrant.” Warfield believed Christianity could prevail through rational argument. Responding to the rise of liberal theology and biblical criticism in the Northern Presbyterian denomination, conservatives in 1910 succeeded in having its general assembly declare five doctrines concerning biblical inerrancy, the miracles and Christ’s nature, and atoning works as “essential to the faith.”