Bruce at Scarisbrick

One of the magnificent rooms at Scarisbrick Hall in Lancashire recalls a grand school opening in September 1964, whose guest of honour was Professor F.F. Bruce. A Scotsman, he had a Brethren background but rose to academic prominence at Manchester University proving that evangelical faith is not incompatible with intellectual rigour. He also demonstrated that liberals did not deserve their majority in national divinity and theology departments. Said J.I. Packer of Professor Bruce:

“No Christian was ever more free of narrow bigotry, prejudice and eccentricity in the views he held and the way he held them; no man did more to demonstrate how evangelical faith and total academic integrity may walk hand in hand.”

How many of those young scholars realised that afternoon that a giant of the faith was among them? Atheists and apostates may dominate the universities, but the gospel is true, and is clearly true, when studied and measured.

The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no one dreams of questioning. And if the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt. -F.F. Bruce

The question to be asked of all teaching is not, 'Is it new?' but 'Is it true?' -F.F. Bruce