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Calvinism
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12 Reasons Romans 9 is About Individual Election

Much theological debate centers around the doctrine of election. No one debates whether election is biblical, but they do debate the meaning of election. I believe in what is...

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Credo House Ministries
Christian Life
4Comments

The Traumatic Nature of Deconversion

Memory is unreliable when recounting old wounds, but I do know that the beginning of the end started with an email to an old professor in which I expressed: “I...

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Credo House Ministries
Authenticity
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Viewing God Through the Lens of Trauma

Earlier today, I read through Michael Patton’s post “On Leaving My First Love” and found similarities between where he was years ago and where I find myself...

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Canon
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Is it Really Closed? Rethinking Our Terms

The term “canon” refers to the accepted books of the Bible. The Protestant canon contains 66 books; other Christian traditions vary, adding a few books often referred to...

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Uncategorized
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Ten Reasons Good Christians Go Bad

One of the most discouraging (and blindsiding) things in life is to be one who has followed the Lord for some time, felt to be on the right track, been involved in the His...

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Credo House Ministries
Christian Life
2Comments

And Jesus Asked, “Who Do You Say That I Am?”

He asked His disciples, “13Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or...

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Christian Life
21Comments

Viewing God Through the Lens of Trauma

Earlier today, I read Michael’s post “On Leaving My First Love” and found similarities between where he was years ago and where I find myself now. In it, he...

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Apologetics
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A Freedom We Should Celebrate or a Crime We Should Prosecute? It Can’t Logically Be Both.

Moral inconsistency leads to legal inconsistency, and legal inconsistency is another word for injustice. Imagine a basic right that you championed and exercised, but which, if...

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Credo House Ministries
Christian Life
7Comments

The Great Divorce (I’m a Fraud and Here’s Why)

No, this post isn’t a commentary on the story by C.S. Lewis (just getting that out of the way first). This post is altogether something different. For my readers who...

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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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