statement, the Bible is described as "written by men prepared and superintended by His
Spirit" and "wholly and verbally God-given." Its second part, containing articles of
affirmation and denial, includes the following statement: "We affirm that the whole of
Scripture and all its parts, down to the very words of the original, were given by divine
inspiration" (Article VI). At first, this might appear to be a mechanistic statement, but
Article VII adds: "The mode of divine inspiration remains largely a mystery to us."
Furthermore, Article VIII continues that "...God in his work of inspiration utilized the
distinctive personalities and literary styles of the writers whom He had chosen and
prepared. We deny that God, in causing these writers to use the very words that He
chose, overrode their personalities." Article X clarifies that the Chicago Statement's
doctrine applies only the autographa, while Article XVI states in a general way the
authors' understanding that the doctrine of inerrancy is part of the historic Christian faith
and has transcended even the chasms of ecclesiastical boundaries.
be presumed that, at points, evangelicals will disagree. However, it is hoped that this
brief survey will have shown generally how evangelicals view the inspiration of their
scriptures, thereby permitting a tentative comparison and contrast with views of
inspiration articulated by another small (but hopefully representative) sample of Moslem
writers with regard to the Qur'an.
singular position seems to share an affinity with Judaeo-Christian revelation. Early
Islamic tradition, as shown in Mohammad's biographer Ibn Ishaq, states that in 610,
when Muhammad was about forty, the first deposit of revelation was given him by the
angel Gabriel while he was meditating in a cave on Mt. Hira near Mecca. Though
presumably illiterate, Mohammad was said to have been commanded to "read/recite" the
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was having seizures, experiencing dreams, visions, appearances of an angel or angels,
while himself traveling across the "seven heavens," or with Allah speaking from behind
a veil (Surah 42:51). From this part of the Qur'an (Surah 42:51-52), the Islamic
doctrine of wahy `inspiration' can be clarified:
revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger and revealing
by His permission what He pleases; surely He is High, Wise. And thus
did we reveal to you an inspired book by Our command. You did not
know what the Book was, nor (what) the faith (was), but We made it a