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Hell
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Why I Don’t Believe in Hell . . . Right Now

Introduction: The Voices of Hell As of this moment, I do not believe in Hell. There is not a place called Hell where people are burning, screaming or suffering. I remember...

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Christian Life
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Embracing a Five-Dimensional Faith in the Church

Explore the depths of faith and spirituality in our latest blog post. Dive into a heartfelt journey of personal faith crisis, understand the diverse dimensions of Christian...

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. . . and Other Bad Interpretations
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We Will NOT Be Timeless in Heaven

A Complaint I would like to register a complaint. In truth, I would like to register many complaints about the common Christian view of the afterlife, but I start here. This...

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Apologetics
4Comments

The Theological Ecosystem in a Nutshell

Introduction to Christian Scholarship Christian scholarship encompasses much more than what meets the eye on a Sunday morning. It’s akin to the creation of a birthday...

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Apologetics
4Comments

Caleb Goes to Hell: The Concequence of Missing Mass

Note: The following narrative is entirely hypothetical and serves as a thought experiment. Caleb is not an ordinary man. His life is a profound reflection of his unwavering...

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Apologetics
4Comments

The Early Church, Pseudepigrapha, and the Unnamed Gospel

What is Pseudepigrapha? Before we delve into the mysterious world of the unnamed Gospels, let’s first understand the concept of pseudepigrapha. Derived from the Greek...

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Canon
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Why I’m a “De facto Cessationist” (But Dont Want to Be)

How about this: I am a “de facto cessationist.” Let me clarify something that might help you understand. Some of you have read about this on my blog. It might...

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. . . and Other Bad Interpretations
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What Does “Where Two or Three Are Gathered in My Name” Really Mean

Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” A Confession I sat quietly as a young lady led us in prayer. It was hard. I...

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Apologetics
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The “Bizarreness” of a God Who Can Do Anything

A friend recently questioned whether I genuinely believe in Jonah being swallowed by a whale. While I acknowledge the thematic and parable-like qualities of Jonah (it’s...

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Theology Unplugged

Theology Unplugged
Theology Unplugged

Get your weekly dose of one of the longest-running theology podcasts there is.

85. Through Theology in a Year: Can Scripture Mean More Than Its Author Intended?
byC. Michael Patton

In this episode, Michael explores one of the most fascinating questions in biblical interpretation: Can Scripture mean more than its human author intended? If God is the ultimate Author of Scripture, is it possible for Him to communicate truths that transcend the conscious awareness of the biblical writers while remaining faithful to their intended meaning?

Along the way, Michael introduces the concept of “Biblical Docetism”—a tendency among many Bible-believing Christians to emphasize the divine element of Scripture while neglecting its genuinely human character. Drawing an analogy from the ancient Christological heresy of Docetism, he argues that many interpreters approach the Bible as if it simply dropped from heaven, overlooking the personalities, literary styles, historical settings, and intentions of the biblical authors. This often results in serious hermeneutical errors and a misunderstanding of how God chose to communicate through human writers.

Michael also examines the doctrine of sensus plenior (“fuller sense”), asking whether a biblical text can legitimately mean more than the human author consciously understood. Can God intend meanings that transcend the author’s awareness? If so, what limits govern interpretation? The discussion leads to a deeper appreciation of the relationship between divine authorship, human authorship, and the nature of biblical inspiration itself.

Ultimately, Michael argues that Scripture, like Christ, possesses both a divine and human dimension. A faithful doctrine of inspiration must account for both without sacrificing either. The result is a richer understanding of how God speaks through His Word and why responsible interpretation requires attention to both the divine Author and the human authors He employed.

Get involved:
Michael’s public blog: https://credohouse.org
Courses and Manuscript Reproductions from Michael and other scholars: https://credocourses.com
Join us as we go through the great Fathers of the Faith in a year: https://throughthechurchfathers.com
Support me and get A LOT more stuff from C. Michael Patton: https://patreon.com/cmichaelpatton

85. Through Theology in a Year: Can Scripture Mean More Than Its Author Intended?
85. Through Theology in a Year: Can Scripture Mean More Than Its Author Intended?
2026-06-11
C. Michael Patton
84. Through Theology in a Year: Theories of Inspiration
2026-06-10
C. Michael Patton
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  • 85. Through Theology in a Year: Can Scripture Mean More Than Its Author Intended? 2026-06-11
    In this episode, Michael explores one of the most fascinating questions in biblical interpretation: Can Scripture mean more than its human author intended? If God is the ultimate Author of Scripture, is it possible for Him to communicate truths that transcend the conscious awareness of the biblical writers while remaining faithful to their intended meaning? […]
  • 84. Through Theology in a Year: Theories of Inspiration 2026-06-10
    In this episode, Michael examines the major theories of biblical inspiration and asks one of the most important questions in theology: Where does inspiration reside? Is Scripture merely the product of exceptionally gifted men? Does the Holy Spirit simply elevate human insight? Is only part of the Bible inspired? Are some passages more inspired than […]

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