Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

Definition and Content

The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy is a document adopted in October 1978 at a conference in Chicago convened by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI). More than 200 evangelical leaders signed it. Participants reportedly included J. I. Packer, R. C. Sproul, Francis Schaeffer, and Carl F. H. Henry.

The document consists of three parts:

• A short summary statement
• Nineteen articles written in the form "We affirm … / We deny …"
• An exposition

The statement holds that Scripture was written by divine inspiration, that is, under the moving of the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, it maintains that the Bible is without error not only in matters of faith but also in what it says about history and the natural world. This inerrancy applies to the autographs, the texts as originally written by their authors, which no longer survive. The statement explains that copies and translations are the Word of God to the extent that they faithfully represent the originals. It also states that the use of round numbers, expressions lacking modern precision, and descriptions based on observation are not to be regarded as errors. Because of these provisions, the statement is frequently cited in discussions of textual criticism.

Biblical and Historical Background

The statement appeals to Scripture's witness to itself, citing passages such as 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20–21, and John 10:35. Historically, it continues the view of Scripture held by the Princeton theologians of nineteenth-century America. In the 1970s, a movement arose within American evangelicalism to limit the scope of inerrancy to matters of faith and practice. The document was produced to clarify the inerrantist position amid the controversy surrounding this movement. The International Council on Biblical Inerrancy later issued further statements on biblical hermeneutics and application.

The statement has also drawn criticism. Some scholars argue that locating inerrancy in autographs that no longer exist makes the claim difficult to verify. Others criticize it for not giving sufficient consideration to the literary and historical character of Scripture. Supporters counter that it is a minimal confession necessary to safeguard the authority of Scripture.

Reception in Korean Churches

The doctrine of Scripture has long been a point of contention in Korean Presbyterianism. The Twelve Articles of Faith, adopted by many Presbyterian denominations, confess Scripture to be "the only infallible rule of faith and duty." In the 1950s, conflict arose between conservatives such as Park Hyung-ryong and Kim Chai-choon over the latter's view of Scripture, and this conflict formed the background to the separation of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea.

At conservative Presbyterian seminaries, such as those of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong) and the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin), the statement is reportedly presented as the standard document explaining biblical inerrancy. By contrast, denominations and scholars more open to historical-critical study, such as the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, affirm the authority of Scripture while distancing themselves from the statement's strict concept of inerrancy. Within Methodist and Holiness churches as well, positions vary from scholar to scholar.