A 'must read' for those doubting historical reliability of New Testament

TRUSTWORTHY:
Thirteen arguments for the reliability of
the New Testament
By Benjamin Shaw
IVP. 160 pages. £18.99
ISBN 978 1 514 007 587

In this short, punchy, and incredibly accessible book, Benjamin Shaw has managed to produce a comprehensive introduction to the main arguments for the reliability of the New Testament.

Given the significant amount of academic ink that’s regularly spilt over the topic, a major strength is how this book cuts right to the heart of each argument. Each chapter provides enough rigour and insight to each of the arguments that the reader has enough to be convinced of the point without being overwhelmed by data or detail.

The chapter conclusions follow a very helpful format, including a summary of the key points and suggestions for further reading, allowing for key information to be noted as well as providing a wealth of additional resources if any issue in particular demands further exploration. In this way, a little like having a tasting menu at a restaurant, you get a little of the flavour of all the options and can then opt to have a bigger portion of the one that intrigues you most!

There are fascinating chapters that might include lesser-known arguments for many as well, such as the brilliant exploration of an early creed in 1 Corinthians 15 (chapter 5), or the ‘minimal facts’ approach (chapter 13).

I’d confidently say this is a ‘must-read’ for anyone who has doubts as to the historical reliability of the New Testament that we hold to be God’s word. Equally, this would be a great book to chat through with a sceptical friend. Shaw regularly quotes non-Christian or sceptical sources throughout the book, more often than not to demonstrate how even the most critical scholars often still agree on the strength of the evidence for New Testament reliability. This, he concludes, should move us to believe in the Son of God with confidence, and that would be a great prayer to pray for a non-Christian friend as you read through this with them.