WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have been historically and continually committed to the authority, sufficiency, and inerrancy of the Bible, and have upheld God’s Word as “a lamp for my feet and a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105 HCSB) and the source of revealed truth (John 17:17); and
WHEREAS, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention has reaffirmed its commitment that the Scripture “has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter” (The Baptist Faith and Message, Article I); and
WHEREAS, In order to champion the absolute truth of the Bible against social or cultural agendas that would compromise its accuracy, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention has commissioned a new translation, the Holman Christian Standard Bible, that is faithful to the original languages and understandable to modern audiences; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 15-16, 2004, commend those involved in the completion of the Holman Christian Standard Bible for their diligence and dedication in the culmination of this momentous project; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we designate the year 2005 as “The Year of the Bible”; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge every Southern Baptist to read through the Bible during 2005; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That Southern Baptists reaffirm their dependence upon the Holy Bible as “inspired by God, and…profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 HCSB).