The Trustworthiness of God: Perspectives on the Nature of Scripture

For two millennia the church has affirmed and celebrated Scripture as the written word of God. However, in the twentieth century, the doctrine of Scripture became the focus and flashpoint for division. One legacy of those debates has been a reluctance to address the nature of Scripture. This collection of essays seeks to re-open dialogue on this fundamental tenet of the Christian faith, by offering something of a prelude to a fresh approach to Scripture. In particular, these explorations seek to map out some implications of the fundamental link between the character of God as trustworthy and the trustworthiness of His word. Following an introductory orientation, the first two sections take soundings in selected texts from the Old and New Testaments. The third section offers perspectives from church history, and also grapples with aspects of the contemporary context and philosophical and epistemological issues. Two responses to the main essays complete the collection. None of the contributors wishes to articulate the discussion in terms of the categories of past controversies, or pretends to offer an exhaustive analysis. All, however, share the desire to engage their readers in constructive dialogue on this vital issue.

While few Christian thinkers would question the trustworthiness of God, this topic is key for understanding the divine nature and Gods revelation to the world. "The Trustworthiness of God offers a comprehensive look at the theme of God's faithfulness, exploring the relationship between the doctrines of God and of Scripture from every possible perspective.

Produced by a group of distinguished international scholars, this book is broad in scope and irenic in approach. J. Gary Millar, Gordon McConville, Craig G. Bartholomew, and P. J. Williams each explore the theme of Gods faithfulness as depicted in different portions of the Old Testament. Donald Macleod, Drake Williams, David Peterson, and David Instone-Brewer consider Gods trustworthiness in the New Testament, looking in particular at the person of Jesus and the writings of Paul. Gerald Bray, Carl R. Trueman, Timothy Ward, Stephen Williams, Paul Helm, and Sebastian Rehnman each discuss Gods trustworthiness from significant theological and philosophical perspectives. Two concluding responses by Colin Gunton and Francis Watson round out the volume by showing the profound relevance of Gods faithfulness to the life of the church and personal faith today.

Addressed to a wide readership, this volume offers fresh, at times inspiring, insights into the nature of the God portrayed in the Bible.