Biblical authority: A comparative analysis of the rational theology of B. B. Warfield and the narrative theology of Hans Frei

The tentative thesis of this dissertation is that the hermeneutical implications of B. B. Warfield and Hans Frei's theologies are indeed quite different; however, by juxtaposing their theologies it is possible to maintain the strong biblicism of both approaches as the conservative evangelical mind seeks to interpret the Scriptures as God's inerrant word. The approach of the dissertation is to compare two theologians under four chapters: the hermeneutical preunderstanding of each position, the locus of biblical authority, and its hermeneutical perspectives. The conclusion reached is to purport that the inerrancy position is still maintained as a strong, even relevant way to speak of biblical authority. From the work of the dissertation, it seems best to use the word inerrancy as a reference for the text's narrative rather than for its isolated propositions. This gives every evidence of moving the text's theology out of the strangle hold of the Enlightenment's rational presuppositions to a postliberal perspective without losing the strong sense of scriptural authority advocated by B. B. Warfield. The conclusions reached will be found in the critical assessments at the end of the dissertation.