Change in Handbook of Doctrine

The General has decided to make a correction in the newly published "The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine" (2010)

In the published version of the Handbook you can read on page 11 under the headline "The inspiration of the Bible":

"The inspiration of the Bible provides a foundation for our understanding of the reliability of the divine revelation in Scripture. It is uniquely inspired in a way that is different from other writings or works of art.
However, this does not mean that the Bible is infallible or inerrant, so that it is incapable of misleading and contains no human error. Whereas we believe that the overall message of the Bible is inspired and reliable, each individual passage must be read and interpreted carefully, in context and with careful reference to the whole of Biblical truth."

This can be wrongly understood as meaning that parts of the Bible could be misleading.

The new wording is as follows:
"We believe the message of the Bible is inspired and reliable. However each individual passage must be read and interpreted carefully, with context and with reference to the whole of Biblical truth.
We affirm that we can rely upon the Scriptures for instruction and guidance in matters of divine truth and the Christian life, because in Sripture we meet the Word of God himself, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit who inspired the writers also illumines those who read its pages and leads them to faith."

I appreciate this new wording. Then - we can keep on believing in the Bible....