Are there any Christian theologians who reject the Bible but still believe in God and if so how do they justify themselves?

Answer 1

In ing this question, it is first necessary to define 'Theologian' and 'Rejection of the Bible' Do you mean those qualified by a seminary or all theologians, amateur and professional and do you mean reject the Bible as a whole or in part, Bible doctrines, or simply Church doctrines built on the Bible.

As an example of a possible please note the case of the Marcionites, who were a Christian sect founded in the second century. They rejected the almost all of the Bible except the Pauline epistles and a Gospel written by Marcion, the group's founder, which was similar to Luke's Gospel. The Marcionite Church flourished until at least the fifth century, but is no longer extant.

From the perspective of one who believes the Bible, there would probably be many who reject the Bible, either in whole, or in part. The question then remains as to which parts are important. As well one may inquire that if it's not important then why did God bother to reveal it.

One example in this regard who comes readily to mind is Bishop Spong. He rejects the truth of the Bible, along with most of the major Christian doctrines as they have been understood by all sides (both Catholic and Protestant) since the earliest times. This is because of his naturalistic evolutionary presuppositions which he then applies consistently and rigorously to the Biblical text. In particular his anti-supernatural presuppositions must eliminate much of the Bible as 'impossible.'

Spong's justification comes therefore from a prior commitment to something external to the Bible and this commitment takes priority over it. This then eliminates all of the supernatural and much of the historical facts of the Christian faith, which are inextricably linked with events such as the resurrection, which though well-evidenced are outside what would normally happen. He then re-interprets the clear meaning of the text and 'butchers' it with his own interpretations, applying it to a modern context. This is very creative on his part but if the text cannot stand as it is then there is no reason whatsoever why anyone should believe Bishop Spong's interpretation over anyone else's since it is coming out of his own imagination and has no authority except his own.

Some would go so far as to suggest that Spong is not a Christian since he has such a radically different view and rejects many major Christian doctrines. He certainly claims to be a Christian and remains in the Church of England.

Answer 2

Yes, there are Christian theologians who do not accept The Bible as the literal and inerrant word of God, but still believe in God. They often approach the Bible as a collection of human writings and documents that reveal different understandings of God and faith. They justify their beliefs by highlighting the importance of reason, historical context, and the evolution of human understanding of God over time. They might also draw from other religious and philosophical traditions to support their theological perspectives.