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The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy: A Modern Confession of Scripture

Rev. C•D•F• Warrington, M.Div.
By Rev. C•D•F• Warrington, M.Div.

Ordained Minister, M.Div.

May 30, 2026

2 min read

modern confessions
Oil painting of evangelical scholars gathered to affirm biblical inerrancy with scripture as the inerrant word in golden light

In October 1978, nearly 300 evangelical scholars, pastors, and Christian leaders gathered in Chicago under the auspices of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy. Their purpose was to produce a clear, carefully worded statement on the authority and inerrancy of the Bible — a topic on which evangelical Christianity was under pressure from both critical scholarship and liberal theology. The result was the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, one of the most important confessional documents of the 20th century.

What the Statement Affirms

The Chicago Statement affirms that Scripture is the written Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and inerrant in all that it affirms — not only in matters of faith and practice but in all its assertions, including history and science where these are addressed. It carefully distinguishes inerrancy from literalism: the statement acknowledges that the Bible uses literary genres, figures of speech, and phenomenological language without thereby speaking falsely. Inerrancy means the Bible is truthful and trustworthy in everything it intends to communicate.

Its Ongoing Significance

The Chicago Statement has become a touchstone for evangelical discussions of Scripture. When evangelical institutions or denominations debate their position on the Bible, the Chicago Statement is almost always the reference point. Its careful distinctions — between inspiration and dictation, between inerrancy and literalism, between the original autographs and existing manuscripts — have helped evangelicals navigate the intersection of faith and scholarship with more precision than vague appeals to "the Bible is true."

The document is in the tradition of the Reformation confessions, which also made Scripture's authority central. Luther's sola scriptura — Scripture alone as the supreme authority for the church — required a robust account of what Scripture is and why it can bear that weight. The Chicago Statement provides that account for contemporary evangelicalism, with the same kind of precision that the Reformation confessions brought to the questions of their own day.

Tags:modern confessionsscriptureinerrancyevangelicalism

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy?

The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy is a confessional document on the authority and inspiration of Scripture produced in October 1978 at a summit in Chicago organized by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI). It was signed by nearly 300 prominent evangelical scholars, pastors, and theologians, including J.I. Packer, R.C. Sproul, Francis Schaeffer, and Carl F.H. Henry. The statement consists of a short statement, 19 articles of affirmation and denial, and an exposition of its reasoning.

What does the Chicago Statement say about biblical inerrancy?

The Chicago Statement defines inerrancy as the teaching that Scripture, in its original manuscripts (autographs), speaks truthfully in all that it affirms — in matters of history, science, and theology alike. Article 12 affirms 'that Scripture in its entirety is inerrant, being free from all falsehood, fraud, or deceit,' while Article 13 denies that inerrancy requires 'scientific precision' or that it is negated by literary genre, approximations, or the use of phenomenological language. The statement carefully distinguishes inerrancy from a wooden literalism.

Why was the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy written in 1978?

The statement was written in response to growing challenges to the authority of Scripture within evangelical institutions, including debates over whether inerrancy applied only to salvific matters or extended to all affirmations of Scripture. Prominent evangelical scholars were concerned that a weakened doctrine of Scripture was undermining the theological integrity of seminaries, churches, and parachurch organizations. The ICBI sought to provide a clear, scholarly, and ecumenically evangelical articulation of historic Protestant belief in biblical inerrancy.

Who signed the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy?

The Chicago Statement was signed by nearly 300 evangelical leaders at the 1978 summit, including theologians, pastors, and scholars from a wide range of Protestant denominations and institutions. Key signatories included R.C. Sproul, J.I. Packer, Francis Schaeffer, Carl F.H. Henry, James Montgomery Boice, John Warwick Montgomery, and Gleason Archer. The breadth of signatories represented a cross-denominational evangelical consensus on the doctrine of Scripture.

Is the Chicago Statement still relevant for understanding biblical authority today?

Yes, the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy remains highly influential in evangelical and Reformed scholarship as a benchmark for discussions of biblical authority, inspiration, and interpretation. It continues to be referenced in seminary curricula, doctrinal statements of evangelical denominations, and debates over hermeneutics and biblical criticism. The ICBI produced two follow-up statements — on biblical hermeneutics (1982) and biblical application (1986) — to address interpretive questions that extended the original statement's reach.

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