This article addresses the most common questions about the reliability of the Bible, including questions about its text and canon, about its agreement with science and history, and about the miracles and resurrection of Christ.
Bible
No Group
Archaeology
Archaeology: Has It Helped or Hurt the Bible?
Introductory article on biblical archaeology, addressing some common questions about the historical reliability of the Bible.
Do Archaeology and the Bible Merely Intersect?
A Review of William Dever’s Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel
Authority
Understanding Sola Scriptura: The Evangelical View of the Authority of the Bible
The term sola scriptura, meaning “only Scripture” or “Scripture alone,” is a key concept in evangelical Protestant theology. What exactly does it mean? Is this concept itself biblical? Is there any precedent for the idea in church history prior to the Reformation? This article addresses these questions and answers a number of popular objections to the doctrine.
Bible Codes
Canon
Do We Have the Right Books in the Bible?
Christians accept a set list of books—called the canon—as Scripture. What is the basis for the canon, and what about books that various religious groups argue should be included?
Mormonism and Alleged “Lost Books” of the Bible
Mormons claim that the Bible is incomplete because it mentions various books that are not found in the Bible. Were any of these books ever regarded as part of the canon of Scripture?
Lost Books and Latter-Day Revelation: A Response to Mormon Views of the New Testament Canon
This paper, initially presented at the 1992 Chicago Sunstone Symposium, surveys the Biblical and historical evidence relevant to the LDS Church's teaching of a total apostasy and missing New Testament books.
The Canon of the Bible and the LDS Standard Works
The Bible is not missing any books; the Mormon scriptures are.
Da Vinci Code
Cracks in The Da Vinci Code
The author's claims that his novel is based on accurate scholarship don't hold up to scrutiny.
Inerrancy
Is Scripture without Error?
Why should Christians believe that the Bible is without error, and what do we say about such matters as copying mistakes or mistranslations?
Inspiration
Evidence You Never Knew Existed: Why Jesus and the Bible Can Be Trusted — Introduction
This study surveys compelling evidence for the divine origin and unique authority of the Bible, and then traces the clear biblical teaching on how to have a right relationship with God.
No Group
Interpretation
Reviews
New Bible Dictionary — Book Review
J. D. Douglas, editor, New Bible Dictionary — Reviewer David M. Howard, Jr., Ph.D, calls this "the best one-volume Bible dictionary available."
Text
Is Today's Bible the Real Bible?
Explains why the process of copying manuscripts in the ancient world, even though it produced copies with many mistakes, does not significantly affect the reliability or meaning of the books of the Bible.
Has the Bible Been Copied Reliably?
Biblical manuscripts were copied by hand and contained mistakes. Does that make the text of the Bible unreliable? Part 1 of “The Bottom-Line Guide to the Bible.”
Versions
FAQ: What are the best English translations of the Bible?
Brief article listing the best English versions of the Bible and explaining their merits.
FAQ: How should I go about choosing a translation of the Bible?
For those who don’t want to be told which version to use, this article provides some suggested guidelines to employ.
FAQ: Why are there so many different translations of the Bible?
Different translations of the Bible are a blessing, not a curse, as this article explains.
Bible Texts and Translations and the Joseph Smith Translation
The text of the Bible is reliable; the Joseph Smith Translation is not.
The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
Is the LDS view that the Bible is corrupted and untrustworthy a fair and accurate assessment? Did Joseph's changes to the Bible restore parts that were lost from the original manuscripts? In this response to GP chapter 10 we provide an overview and short evaluation of each of the major Mormon scriptures and how they compare to one another and the Bible.
Has the Bible Been Translated Reliably?
There are many translations of the Bible, and they don’t read exactly the same. How big of a problem is that? Part 2 of “The Bottom-Line Guide to the Bible.”