May 1, 2024
FORT WORTH, Texas — Seminary Hill Press, the publishing arm of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has released a revised and expanded edition of The Authority and Sufficiency of Scripture. The book is a collection of essays written by 15 Southwestern Seminary and Texas Baptist College faculty members that collectively express confidence in Scripture in 14 different aspects of life and ministry.
“We are grateful for and excited about the publication of the revised version of The Authority and Sufficiency of Scripture, which represents and articulates Southwestern’s deep commitments to the inspiration, truthfulness, sufficiency, and authority of the Bible,” said President David S. Dockery, who co-edited the book with Malcolm B. Yarnell III, research professor of theology at Southwestern. “The contributors to this substantive volume have provided readable and accessible discussions regarding the nature of Scripture as well as key application points for all aspects of life, ministry, and practice.”
Dockery called it a joy to work with Yarnell and the faculty who contributed to the book. “We trust the volume will serve students, alumni, church leaders, and our various constituents well in the months and years ahead,” he added.
Chapters in the previous edition written by former Southwestern faculty have been updated by current faculty in the revised edition, which also includes a new chapter, “Public Theology.”
In the preface, the editors explain that the book’s contents reflect the belief that “the Holy Bible speaks both with perfect authority and with perfect sufficiency into every aspect of the life of the people of God and into every aspect of the theological education which helps the people of God to know both God and His will for our lives. The inspiration of Scripture by the Spirit of God, who perfectly guided the prophets and apostles of the Old Testament and the New Testament to write their words, ensures those words are inherently perfect. Because the Bible’s very words are perfect because of the Spirit’s inspiration, they continue to manifest the power of the Holy Spirit in authority and sufficiency.”
In his endorsement of the book, Jeff Iorg, president of Gateway Seminary in Ontario, California, and president-elect of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, declared, “In an era trumpeting ‘my truth,’ Baptists stand in the orthodox mainstream of accepting the Truth revealed through and communicated by the Bible. The essays in this volume view this important issue through different lenses – all of which support and enhance our conviction of the Bible’s authority and sufficiency, both for life and ministry.”
Iorg concludes, “No matter the intensity of cultural pressure, Baptists must stand together for the Truth of God’s Word for today. This helpful book charts a path forward toward that goal.”
The 282-page book will be one of the featured giveaways at Southwestern Seminary’s booth at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting June 11-12 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Authority and Sufficiency of Scripture is available for purchase for $13.99 at SeminaryHillPress.com.
