For two millennia the church has affirmed and celebrated Scripture as the written word of God. However, in the twentieth century, the doctrine of Scripture became the focus and flashpoint for division. One legacy of those debates has been a reluctance to address the nature of Scripture. This collection of essays seeks to re-open dialogue on this fundamental tenet of the Christian faith, by offering something of a prelude to a fresh approach to Scripture. In particular, these explorations seek to map out some implications of the fundamental link between the character of God as trustworthy and the trustworthiness of His word. Following an introductory orientation, the first two sections take soundings in selected texts from the Old and New Testaments. The third section offers perspectives from church history, and also grapples with aspects of the contemporary context and philosophical and epistemological issues. Two responses to the main essays complete the collection. None of the contributors wishes to articulate the discussion in terms of the categories of past controversies, or pretends to offer an exhaustive analysis. All, however, share the desire to engage their readers in constructive dialogue on this vital issue.
