R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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As Baugh suggests, bibliolatry has happened, albeit rarely, in Christian history. The worst example I know of is a hymn which applies unique titles of our Saviour to the Scriptures, most notably “Word Incarnate”.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/h/o/oholybib.htm
I think I’d be willing to use the term “bibliolatry” to describe that.
Upon more careful reading, that hymn, by William Walsham How (#140 Trinity Hymnal), actually — thoughtfully and reverently — delineates between Christ as the “Word of God incarnate” and “the living Word” and Scripture as the brightly effectual, light-bearing means of his revelation.
More troubling, if we wish to be troubled, is a hymn like “Holy Bible, Book Divine” (#137), which poetically personifies the Bible to address a hymn of praise to it, exclusive of any member of the Trinity.