Top Five Books on the Five Solas: Sola Scriptura

The following books are a good place to begin studying the meaning and importance of this doctrine. It should be noted that most of these books are not light reading. The issues involved in the debates were and are complex, and they require serious and deep thinking. For those who need to dip their toes in the water before diving into the deeper works, the book Sola Scriptura, edited by Don Kistler, is a very helpful introduction.

1. William Whitaker, Disputations on Holy Scripture. What John Owen’s Death of Death in the Death of Christ is to the doctrine of effectual atonement, Whitaker’s sixteenth century work is to the Reformed doctrine of Scripture. This is not easy reading, but it is worthwhile reading. It will reward the time and effort put into it.
2. Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Vol. 1. Francis Turretin’s work is a masterpiece of theological reflection, and his chapters on the doctrine of Scripture in volume 1 address the main points of contention between the Reformers and the Roman Catholics.
3. Peter Lillback and Richard Gaffin, eds. Thy Word is Still Truth. This rather large work (1392 pages) is subtitled Essential Writings on the Doctrine of Scripture from the Reformation to Today. And that is what it is. The four selections found in part one are significant contributions by Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, Heinrich Bullinger, and John Calvin on the doctrine of sola Scriptura. These provide much-needed historical context.
4. Keith A. Mathison, The Shape of Sola Scriptura. In my book, I attempt to trace the history of the doctrine and defend it against critics on both the Roman Catholic and evangelical sides.
5. Richard A. Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 2: Holy Scripture. This work, while probably the most demanding of the five listed here, is very helpful for those willing to expend the effort. In this work, Muller looks at every aspect of the doctrine of sola Scriptura, from its context in the late fifteenth century to the detailed explanations of it found in the writings of the post-Reformation theologians.