See more of this title: A Clear and Present Word: The Clarity of Scripture

A lack of confidence in the clarity or perspicuity of Scripture is apparent in Western Christianity. In this excellent study, Mark Thompson restates the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture. He surveys past and present objections, engages with contemporary hermeneutical challenges, and expounds the living God as the Guarantor of his accessible, written Word.

By almost any measure, a bold and confident use of the Bible is a hallmark of Christianity. Underlying such use are a number of assumptions about the origin, nature and form of the biblical literature, concerning its authority, diversity and message. However, a lack of confidence in the clarity or perspicuity of Scripture is apparent in Western Christianity. Despite recent, sophisticated analyses, the doctrine is ignored or derided by many. While there is a contemporary feel to these responses, the debate itself is not new. In this excellent study, Mark Thompson surveys past and present objections to the clarity of Scripture; expounds the living God as the Guarantor of his accessible, written Word; engages with the hermeneutical challenges and restates the doctrine for today.