Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible presents a multi-author defense of the historic Protestant doctrine that Scripture alone is the church’s supreme and sufficient authority for all matters of faith and practice. Edited by Don Kistler and featuring a foreword by Michael Horton, this book brings together contributions from Dr. R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, Sinclair B. Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey, Joel R. Beeke, Derek W.H. Thomas, James White, and Ray Lanning.

The contributors address the doctrine of sola Scriptura from multiple angles—biblical, historical, and theological. Chapters examine the sufficiency and clarity of Scripture, the formation and authority of the biblical canon, the relationship between Scripture and tradition, and the role of expository preaching in the life of the church. Several chapters engage directly with Roman Catholic claims regarding the authority of tradition and the magisterium, drawing on patristic sources and conciliar documents to evaluate those claims against the testimony of Scripture itself.

Rather than treating sola Scriptura as a matter of historical interest alone, the book also addresses challenges within Protestant churches, including the displacement of biblical preaching by therapeutic and consumer-driven approaches. The contributors call readers to recover confidence in the transforming power of God’s Word and to submit to its authority in doctrine, worship, and daily life.

Key Themes

• The sufficiency and clarity of Scripture as the sole rule of faith and life
• The formation of the biblical canon and its inherent authority
• Protestant and Roman Catholic positions on Scripture and tradition
• The centrality of expository preaching to the health of the church
• The transforming power of God’s Word in the believer’s life

Featured Quotes “God-breathed Scripture, however, never speaks of any other God-breathed authority; it never authorizes us to view tradition on an equal or superior plane of authority.”

“Not to preach the Word is not to preach at all. Not to pray for the Spirit to use the Word as a transforming power is to preach in vain.”