Scripture Alone by R. C. Sproul

This is a handy little volume defending the evangelical doctrine of sola Scriptura. Sproul provides a short history and some of the challenges to sola Scriptura(chapter 1), discusses the formation of the canon (chapter 2), builds a case for inerrancy (chapter 3), devotes chapter 4 to the internal testimony of the Spirit to the authority of Scripture, and then spends the remainder of the book detailing the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.

The Chicago Statement was written by a team of more than 200 evangelical scholars in 1978 to “affirm that ‘the authority of Scripture is a key issue for the Christian church in this and every age’” (p. 121). This has proven to be one of the finest documents on the nature of Scripture ever written, and we should be appreciative of Sproul’s explanation.

Scripture Alone is a most helpful volume on the Word. My only criticism is that I would like to have seen more analysis of Scripture and less philosophical reasoning and fewer quotes from Calvin in the defense of this watershed doctrine.