The Council of Minds: A Theological Novel
Chapter 12: The Word Written, the Word Interpreted
The hall shifted once again.
Now it resembled a vast library-cathedral, its stained-glass windows depicting scrolls, codices, and quills rather than saints. Shelves stretched toward the heavens. Beneath the high arches, countless translations of the Bible—Latin, Greek, Syriac, Hebrew, English, German, and tongues known only to angels—lined the walls.
At the centre stood a great Book, closed, sealed with seven ribbons.
Each theologian approached.
Luther laid his hand on it and said: “Sola Scriptura. The Word alone. Not pope, not council.”
Calvin followed: “But the Scripture must be rightly interpreted—by the Spirit, within order. Not chaos. Not presumption.”
Barth bowed slightly: “The Bible is not revelation—it bears it. Christ is the Word. Scripture testifies, but does not contain Him in a cage.”
Aquinas opened a scroll and spoke with precision: “Scripture speaks through four senses: literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical. Yet always anchored in reason and Church tradition.”
Augustine nodded: “I would not believe the gospel unless moved by the authority of the Church. The canon is not self-assembling—it was recognised in community.”
Wesley raised his hand: “Yes, Scripture first—but with reason, tradition, and experience. A quadrilateral, not a sword.”
C.S. Lewis leaned thoughtfully: “Scripture is not flat. Some books are gold, others silver. Yet I bow to all—though not all with the same weight.”
Edwards thundered: “Scripture pierces. It condemns. It awakens. It holds nothing back. The Spirit speaks through its fire!”
Bonhoeffer, eyes quiet: “But what is Scripture without obedience? A man who reads the Word without doing it deceives only himself.”
Zwingli, from a corner: “All else must bow to the text. The plain sense is enough. Human interpretation corrupts.”
Cyprian, ancient and strong: “Scripture belongs to the Church. Private reading breeds heresy.”
Chapter 13: The Canon Wars
A fierce wind blew through the hall—and with it came books disputed and long forgotten.
Tobit. Judith. Maccabees. Wisdom. Sirach. 2 Esdras. The Shepherd of Hermas.
Aquinas stepped forward: “These books are deuterocanonical. Profitable. They belong in the Church’s voice.”
Luther responded sharply: “They are not equal to Scripture. They may edify—but they must not bind.”
Calvin added: “Only the Spirit confirms the canon. Rome cannot add what Christ has not sealed.”
Barth, ever uneasy, said: “Canon is mystery. God uses even what we dismiss. But let Christ be the centre.”
Lewis smiled sadly: “Even fairy tales can contain truth. I do not wish to fight over table scraps when the feast is Christ.”
Augustine gently replied: “But even scraps may carry divine flavour. Let not the Church spit out what it has long digested.”
A silent figure appeared—Jerome, translator of the Vulgate—whispering:
“Read all, love the tested, cling to what is good.”
And then he vanished.
Chapter 14: Interpretation and the People
Theologians turned now to the crowd gathering beyond the arches—laymen, women, children, holding their own Bibles.
Luther rejoiced: “Let every ploughboy read the Psalms!”
Zwingli: “Let no priest forbid the tongue of the people!”
Tyndale, appearing briefly, said: “I died to bring the Word to the poor. Do not chain it again.”
But Cyprian frowned: “And what of unity? Heresies multiply where interpretation is free.”
Aquinas nodded: “Teachers are needed. Not all are trained. Wisdom must guide zeal.”
Barth spoke solemnly: “The Word must be heard in crisis, in judgement. It does not entertain.”
Wesley: “Let the poor preach. Let the miner sing the Psalms. God is no respecter of credentials.”
Bonhoeffer, moved: “Scripture belongs to the suffering. In the camps, only a verse kept us alive.”
Lewis, reflective: “The Word is not only for scholars. But the scholar must kneel to read it rightly.”
Chapter 15: The Voice That Cannot Be Tamed
Suddenly, the Book at the centre opened of its own accord.
Not at Genesis. Not at John.
But at Revelation.
Seven seals cracked.
Smoke rose.
A voice thundered—not from the Book, but through it:
“These are they who overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony…”
All theologians fell silent.
Their arguments dissolved in awe.
The words no longer needed interpretation. They spoke for themselves.
A final scroll appeared. On its cover: “The Word became flesh.”
Theologians bowed.
Not to a doctrine.
Not to a system.
But to a Person.