I grew up and worked at a Southern Baptist, which are pretty conservative Christians. The way we were taught was that the Bible is inerrant in the original language, while all else is translation error. Some of their evidence for infallibility (this is pulled from two systematic theologies that I own) is a Bible verse (2 Tim. 3:16-17), which I think doesn't matter, since Paul was referring to the Old Testament, since the NT letters and Gospels hadn't been canonized.
As for any numbers or facts that were wrong, they were dismissed because they didn't effect the doctrine of Christianity at all. It wouldn't effect Christian beliefs if someone killed 300 or 800 men. The number is irrelevant to the faith, so ignore the error, and trust God. Any doubt is left to faith, not reason.
I always thought that if one thing wasn't right in the Bible, then all else in it was open to questioning. Either the Bible is infallible with absolutely no errors in it at all, or I don't believe it.
As for any numbers or facts that were wrong, they were dismissed because they didn't effect the doctrine of Christianity at all. It wouldn't effect Christian beliefs if someone killed 300 or 800 men. The number is irrelevant to the faith, so ignore the error, and trust God. Any doubt is left to faith, not reason.
I always thought that if one thing wasn't right in the Bible, then all else in it was open to questioning. Either the Bible is infallible with absolutely no errors in it at all, or I don't believe it.
"The consolations of philosophy and the beauties of science; these things are infinitely more awe-inspiring and regenerating and majestic than any invocation of the burning bush or doctrine." - Christopher Hitchens
