Trustworthy - by Benjamin Shaw (Paperback)

About the Book

How do we know the New Testament is reliable? In this clear introduction, Dr. Ben Shaw systematically surveys key scholarly topics related to the New Testament's historical credibility. Concise chapters provide guidance for exploring a wide variety of evidence including archaeology, authorship, text criticism, and non-Christian sources.

Book Synopsis

How do we know the New Testament is reliable?

It matters--but discussions on whether the New Testament is historically accurate can be tedious and overwhelming. We want to be confident that the reports in the New Testament are true and dependable, but scholarly discussions around the authenticity of the events recounted in Scripture can be challenging to navigate.

Dr. Ben Shaw provides the clear introduction we've needed for understanding the New Testament's historical reliability. In his book, Trustworthy, he systematically surveys key issues related to New Testament reliability and provides guidance for those setting out to explore the evidence. Concise, to-the-point chapters equip readers to answer the challenging questions one encounters when discussing the credibility of the New Testament. Addressing a wide variety of evidence including archaeology, authorship, text criticism, and non-Christian sources, Shaw leads readers through the key scholarly topics related to New Testament reliability.

Here's the truth: we can trust the New Testament not only for its historical accuracy but also as a guide to life.

Review Quotes

"Accessible, clear, and profoundly engaging, Ben Shaw's Trustworthy: Thirteen Arguments for the Reliability of the New Testament is a comprehensive guide to the avenues of textual, historical, and literary considerations that can be applied to the integrity of the New Testament. Shaw's breadth of knowledge and clarity of style make this a must-read for anyone with questions about the validity of the Bible as well as believers seeking to examine the foundations of their confidence in Scripture."

--Amy Orr-Ewing, honorary lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, School of Divinity

"Benjamin Shaw's Trustworthy presents clearly and concisely the best arguments for the reliability of the New Testament. Although informed by the best of scholarship, Shaw communicates at a level that all readers can follow."

--Craig A. Evans, John Bisagno Distinguished Professor of Christian origins at Houston Christian University

"For those who are wondering about the credibility of the New Testament, Trustworthy proves to be an accessible guide toward building confidence in the biblical text. Step by step, Dr. Shaw lays out an easy-to-understand cumulative case for why and how the Bible can be trusted as a reliable source of information. Readers are invited to simply survey the supportive evidence of each chapter or head into the substantive footnotes leading toward deeper study. Either way, Dr. Shaw invites us all to come and see that the biblical claims of Jesus are worthy of belief."

--Jana Harmon, teaching fellow at the C. S. Lewis Institute of Atlanta

"For Christians the New Testament forms their belief system and approach to life. Surveys have shown trust in the Scripture is at an all-time low. When the New Testament cannot be trusted, its message will not be accepted nor its truth applied. As a result, Christianity is facing an unprecedented decline. Dr. Shaw has written the right book to meet this need. His New Testament evidences are apologetic essentials, but his ability to communicate these on an entry level sets his work apart, making it accessible to both students and anyone with questions on why the New Testament can be a trustworthy guide for faith and practice."

--J. Randall Price, former distinguished research professor of biblical and Judaic studies at the John Rawlings School of Divinity, Liberty University, and president of World of the Bible Ministries

"In light of the amount of misinformation in today's world about the reliability of the Bible, we cannot have too many books like Benjamin Shaw's to set the record straight. For an absolutely up-to-date and succinct introduction to a representative selection of key issues about New Testament trustworthiness, Shaw's little book is hard to top."

--Craig L. Blomberg, distinguished professor emeritus of New Testament at Denver Seminary and author of The Historical Reliability of the Gospels

"Much of what we know about our final destiny depends on the accuracy of the New Testament documents. Are they trustworthy? This small but powerful book by Dr. Ben Shaw will show you, in an easy-to-understand manner, that the most important documents ever written are indeed trustworthy. That's good news for the ultimate Good News!"

--Frank Turek, coauthor of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

"Sometimes we need basic orientation to a topic. With as much debate about reliability as the New Testament generates, Trustworthy shows as a first step that there is good reason to be confident of the New Testament for many different reasons. This book is of special value to those new to faith or for those who have heard general objections to the New Testament and are looking for initial responses. The book also shows where follow-up can be found."

--Darrell L. Bock, executive director of cultural engagement and senior research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary

About the Author

Benjamin C. F. Shaw (PhD, Liberty) is president of Core Apologetics. He also serves as adjunct professor of theology at Liberty University and affiliate faculty member of Colorado Christian University. He has been working with Dr. Gary R. Habermas for over a decade to collaborate in philosophical, historical, and theological research and publishing.

Gary R. Habermas (PhD, Michigan State University) is distinguished research professor and chair of the department of philosophy and theology at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.