God's word alone-- the authority of scripture : what the reformers taught ... and why it still matters

Historians and theologians alike have long recognized that at the heart of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation were five declarations (or "solas") that distinguished the movement from other expressions of the Christian faith. Five hundred years later, we live in a different time with fresh challenges to our faith. Yet these rallying cries of the Reformation continue to speak to us, addressing a wide range of contemporary issues. The Five Solas series will help you understand the historical and biblical context of the five solas and how to live out the relevance of Reformation theology today. In God's Word Alone-The Authority of Scripture, scholar and pastor Matthew Barrett looks at the historical and biblical roots of the doctrine that Scripture alone is the final and decisive authority for God's people. He examines the development of this theme in the Reformation and traces the crisis that followed resulting in a shift away from the authority of Scripture. Barrett shows that we need to recover a robust doctrine of Scripture's authority in the face of today's challenges and why a solid doctrinal foundation built on God's Word is the best hope for the future of the church.;Sola scriptura -- God's word under fire, yesterday and today -- The road to reformation: biblical authority in the sixteenth century -- The modern shift in authority: the enlightenment, liberalism, and liberalism's nemeses -- Today's crisis over biblical authority: evangelicalism's apologetic and the postmodern turn -- God's word in redemptive history -- God's word in the economy of the gospel: covenant, trinity, and the necessity of a saving word -- God speaks covenantal words: creation, fall, and the longing for a better word -- God's covenantal word proves true: Christ, the word made flesh -- The character of God's word and contemporary challenges -- God speaks with authority: the inspiration of scripture -- God speaks truthfully: the inerrancy of scripture -- God speaks to be heard: the clarity of scripture -- God's speech is enough: the sufficiency of scripture -- Always reforming according to the word of God. Scholar and pastor Matthew Barrett retraces the historical and biblical roots of the doctrine that Scripture alone is the final and decisive authority for God's people. God's Word Alone is a decisive defense of the Bible as the inspired and inerrant Word of God. Revitalizing one of the five great declarations of the Reformation—sola Scriptura—Barrett: Analyzes what the idea of sola Scriptura is and what it entails, clarifying why the doctrine is truth and why it's so essential to Christianity. Surveys the development of this theme in the Reformation and traces the crisis that followed resulting in a shift away from the authority of Scripture. Shows that we need to recover a robust doctrine of Scripture's authority in the face of today's challenges and why a solid doctrinal foundation built on God's Word is the best hope for the future of the church. This book is an exploration of the past in order to better understand our present and the importance of reviving this indispensable doctrine for the Christian faith and church today. —THE FIVE SOLAS— Historians and theologians have long recognized that at the heart of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation were five declarations, often referred to as the "solas." These five statements summarize much of what the Reformation was about, and they distinguish Protestantism from other expressions of the Christian faith: that they place ultimate and final authority in the Scriptures, acknowledge the work of Christ alone as sufficient for redemption, recognize that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, and seek to do all things for God's glory. The Five Solas Series is more than a simple rehashing of these statements, but instead expounds upon the biblical reasoning behind them, leading to a more profound theological vision of our lives and callings as Christians and churches. Historians and theologians alike have long recognized that at the heart of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation were five declarations (or "solas") that distinguished the movement from other expressions of the Christian faith. Five hundred years later, we live in a different time with fresh challenges to our faith. Yet these rallying cries of the Reformation continue to speak to us, addressing a wide range of contemporary issues. The Five Solas series will help you understand the historical and biblical context of the five solas and how to live out the relevance of Reformation theology today. In God's Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture, scholar and pastor Matthew Barrett looks at the historical and biblical roots of the doctrine that Scripture alone is the final and decisive authority for God's people. He examines the development of this theme in the Reformation and traces the crisis that followed resulting in a shift away from the authority of Scripture. Barrett shows that we need to recover a robust doctrine of Scriptures authority in the face of today's challenges and why a solid doctrinal foundation built on God's Word is the best hope for the future of the church. - Publisher. The Five Solas Series offers readers a look back to the five rallying cries of the Reformation---the solas---while seeking to apply them in a fresh way to the contemporary church.