Reasoning steps: Authority and truthfulness of Scripture

Verdicts: F15 · Authority and truthfulness of Scripture. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

F15.1: Is Scripture God’s inspired and truthful word?

Step F15.1.1: Scripture

2 Tim 3:16 (θεόπνευστος); 2 Pet 1:21 (men ‘carried along by the Holy Spirit’); John 10:35 (‘Scripture cannot be broken’); Matt 5:18.

Step F15.1.2: Patristic evidence

Clement (Era I): ’the Scriptures, which are the true utterances of the Holy Spirit’. Irenaeus: ’the Scriptures are indeed perfect, since they were spoken by the Word of God and His Spirit’. Augustine: the canonical authors ‘were completely free from error’. Sources: clement-of-rome-f15-s1 · irenaeus-f15-s1 · augustine-f15-s1.

Step F15.1.3: Weighing decision

Unanimous from Era I. Verdict: consensus.

• Confidence: High.

Step F15.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

• Scripture (benchmark): Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16) and ‘cannot be broken’ (John 10:35). (Scripture confidence: high)
• Assessment: Scripture and Era I agree; all nine confess it in their classic texts.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Trent IV and Vatican I (Dei Filius 2): the books ‘have God for their author’.

Orthodox

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Dositheus 2: Scripture ‘dictated by the All-holy Spirit’ (to verify wording).

Oriental Orthodox

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Armenian creed: the Spirit ‘spoke in the law and the prophets and the Gospel’ (verified).

Lutheran

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): FC Epitome, Rule and Norm: ’the only rule and norm’.

Anglican

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Art. VI: ‘Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation’.

Presbyterian

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): WCF I.4: Scripture’s authority depends ‘wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof’.

Reformed Baptist

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): 1689 1.1: ’the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule’.

General Baptist

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Orthodox Creed 37: Scripture’s authority ‘only upon the Authority of God’ (OCR-verified).

Anabaptist

Confesses Scripture as God’s word; see S07 for its relation to tradition.

• F15.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Dordrecht V: the New Testament as Christ’s testament, with the OT (verified heading).