Being raised in a 21st century, American context largely describes my social location. In the 21st century, we have more access to information than ever before, and living in America we have more religious freedom than any other society in all human history. This means we have more access to the Bible than ever before, including centuries of biblical scholarship, tradition, archaeology and modern tools like commentaries, study Bibles, online courses, and seminaries that can aid us in our study of God’s Word. However, this also means we have access to more competing opinions and interpretations than ever before.

Living in the South, I often marvel at the variety of churches that can be seen within a mile of each other. I’ve even seen a mix of Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Catholic, Assemblies of God, Mormon, Nondenominational, and Pentecostal churches all on the same street.

Online Christendom is even more multifaceted. Interpreters enter a digital ecosystem scattered with influencers who make all types of claims about the Bible. There are the mainline Protestant denominations with each of their differing views on baptism, communion, ecclesiology, eschatology, and the like; there are the Catholic and Orthodox apologists who criticize the apparent doctrinal chaos of Protestantism and claim their church is the one true church; there is the colorful spectrum of liberal theologians that teach universalism, queer theology, the denial of Jesus’ resurrection, the denial of the exclusivity of Christ, the denial of hell, and the like; and there are the atheists denying the existence of God and arguing that the Bible promotes slavery and misogyny. Eager believers interested in learning theology and church history are often overwhelmed by the numerous competing voices, and their eagerness quickly turns to angst and confusion about their faith.

To me, this information age we live in is one of the most influential and challenging factors in interpreting Scripture.

How can I know whose interpretation is valid when there are so many voices?

How can I discern which traditions are the most accurate when there are centuries of church history to study?

Which teachers and churches should I trust when there are so many to choose from?

This abundance of information both helps and hinders us as we interpret the Scriptures. Access to the Bible and biblical resources allows laypeople to become biblically literate regardless of social class which is a wonderful blessing, but abundance of information can cause “analysis paralysis” due to so many choices in beliefs and traditions, not to mention the endless number of heresies and inaccurate interpretations.

I believe our situation requires rigorous study of the Scriptures and history, including studying the original languages, the writings of the church fathers, and the events before, during, and after the Reformation, to build conviction in all three tiers (primary, secondary, and tertiary) of doctrine.

I also believe this requires supreme humility, prayer, and grace as we interact with different traditions and seek to honor Christ. We can rightly assume that other genuine Christian interpreters who disagree on important doctrines like baptism and communion each build their arguments upon biblical and historical evidence. They share the same presuppositions about the existence of God, the Trinity, the person and deity of Jesus Christ, the authority and inspiration of Scripture, and the existence of the Church, and they are seeking to live faithfully to the truth that has been revealed to us in the Bible.

Because of this, we should discuss and debate as brothers and sisters in Christ, seeking unity, love, and peace as we passionately contend for the faith delivered once for all to the saints. This is pleasing to our Father who desires the Body of Christ to be unified in the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, I believe this necessitates ecumenicism and interdenominational dialogue and cooperation if we want to arrive at the truth and to honor God.