God’s Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture by Matthew Barrett proved to be an accessible though informative treatment of the Reformation creed “sola Scriptura.” It’s part of the The 5 Solas series which were written to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

I’ve spent considerable time over the past decade or so studying the Protestant verses Roman Catholic debate and this book came as a recommendation (thanks Peter Gurry!) to help with a few nagging questions I still have. It’s treatment of the topic proved to find a very nice middle ground between lightweight surface answers and something written only for academics.

God’s Word Alone covers the whole spectrum of issues related to our doctrine of Scripture, from the historical background of the doctrine as it came to prominence during the Reformation to a defense of its authority and clarity. It also addressed challenges that have been leveled at the doctrine over the years, Roman Catholic and secular alike. 

While it didn’t settle the specific issue I was trying to nail down (slippery little fellow that it is), I found it to be a well-researched, well-presented defense of Scripture and would heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a treatment of the issues that goes beyond the talking points.