Authority and truthfulness of Scripture
- F15.1 Scripture is the inspired, true word of God: consensus from Era I (high)
Two separate measures, shown side by side; neither is combined with the other (confidence-weighted, out of 4; counts show how many of this doctrine's 1 questions each rests on). This doctrine is first-order (tier weight 3). How scoring works · Scripture and tradition · Glossary · Every score with its citation
Closeness to Scripture
Closeness to the fathers
Charts: closeness to the fathers by question, and timeline
- c. 96 Clement of Rome F15.1
- c. 180 Irenaeus F15.1
- c. 415 Augustine F15.1
- 1646 Westminster Confession Presbyterian
- 1672 Confession of Dositheus Orthodox
F15 · Authority and truthfulness of Scripture
Scripture is God’s inspired word.
Tier: First-order (scoring weight 3). How the tiers were set: theological triage. Method: conventions. Traditions’ sources: confessional sources.
In short
Scripture calls itself God-breathed and unbreakable. The fathers, from Clement of Rome on, call it the true words of the Holy Spirit, and Augustine says its authors were free from error. All nine traditions, in their classic statements, hold this. They differ on how Scripture relates to church tradition (S07).
Plan
Question: F15.1: is Scripture God’s inspired and truthful word? How Scripture relates to tradition is S07. Scripture: 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20–21; John 10:35; Matt 5:18. Fathers: 1 Clement 45; Irenaeus, Against Heresies II.28.2; Augustine, Letter 82.3.
Questions
- F15.1 Is Scripture God’s inspired and truthful word?
Verdicts and trace
Weighed under the source-proximity principle: Scripture first, then the father eras I–IV.
F15.1 · Is Scripture God’s inspired and truthful word?
| Question | Verdict | Confidence | Reasoning | Key sources | Scripture (benchmark) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F15.1 | Scripture is the inspired, true word of God: consensus from Era I | High | F15.1.1 · F15.1.3 weighing | clement-of-rome-f15-s1 · irenaeus-f15-s1 · augustine-f15-s1 | F15.1.4: high |
Post-750 development
Which of this doctrine’s questions each tradition stays closest to, or departs from. Each row links to the tradition’s notes; exact scores and bases are in the reasoning.
| Tradition | Closest to the fathers on | Departs or sharpens on |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | F15.1 | — |
| Orthodox | F15.1 | — |
| Oriental Orthodox | F15.1 | — |
| Lutheran | F15.1 | — |
| Anglican | F15.1 | — |
| Presbyterian | F15.1 | — |
| Reformed Baptist | F15.1 | — |
| General Baptist | F15.1 | — |
| Anabaptist | F15.1 | — |
Overall verdict
All nine classic traditions confess Scripture’s inspiration and truthfulness; they differ on its relation to tradition (S07).
Verification status
Dositheus 2 wording to verify.