80%
Confidence
Belief overview
Bible as the only doctrinal authority
The Bible is the exclusive basis of doctrine, without an equivalent ecclesial tradition.
5
Supportive
2
Contrary
1
Neutral
What it is: The religion teaches that the Bible, composed of 66 books, is the only fully inspired and sufficient doctrinal norm for faith and practice.
How the religion understands it: Every legitimate belief must be capable of biblical grounding. Publications, speeches, and teaching materials carry great weight in internal life, but are presented as explanations and applications of Scripture, not as new public revelation.
Context: This position is related to the movement's restorationist character and its search to recover apostolic Christianity. In outside discussions, special attention is often given to the organization's interpretive authority and to translation choices in disputed texts.
Documentary evidence
Supportive
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Classic text on the inspiration and usefulness of Scripture.
Reference: 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Content: Paul states that all Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, reproof, and training in righteousness.
Use in debate: The religion uses it to support the functional sufficiency of the Bible as a doctrinal and moral basis.
Alpha Course and evangelism
Alpha Course is global evangelism program.
Reference: Alpha Course and its history.
Content: Course created in 1977 at Holy Trinity Brompton, London; offers introduction to Christian faith in informal setting; spread worldwide through various denominations; is one of largest evangelism programs.
Use in debate: Source to discuss contemporary evangelism, ecumenism, and religious education.
Christian pilgrimage and Camino de Santiago
Camino de Santiago is central Christian pilgrimage.
Reference: Camino de Santiago and Christian pilgrimage.
Use in debate: Source to discuss contemporary pilgrimage, popular devotion, and tourism.
What Are the Main Beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses?
Official summary of core beliefs published on jw.org.
Reference: Frequently asked questions page on jw.org about the main beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Content: The text presents in a concise way beliefs about God, the Bible, Jesus, the Kingdom, death, morality, blood, neutrality, and worldwide unity.
Use in debate: It is one of the best official sources for formulating the religion's public and contemporary position without depending only on secondary literature.
Willow Creek and seeker-sensitive model
Willow Creek developed seeker-sensitive model.
Reference: Willow Creek Community Church and seeker-sensitive model.
Content: Church founded by Bill Hybels in 1975 in Illinois; developed seeker-sensitive model that shaped contemporary evangelical worship and evangelism; has been criticized and replicated.
Use in debate: Source to discuss megachurches, evangelism, and contemporary worship.
Contrary
2 Thessalonians 2:15
Exhortation to hold to traditions received by word of mouth and by letter.
Paul exhorts the faithful to hold fast to the traditions they received, whether by word or by letter. The passage is important for the Catholic argument that apostolic transmission is not limited to written text. In confessional debates, it is one of the classic references against reducing religious authority to Scripture alone.
Dei Verbum 9-10
Vatican II document on Scripture, Tradition, and the magisterium.
The dogmatic constitution Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council teaches that Scripture and Tradition proceed from the same divine source and form one sacred deposit, whose authentic interpretation has been entrusted to the magisterium. It is a central text for the contemporary Catholic formulation of revelation and is frequently cited in ecumenical dialogue.
Neutral
Who Are Jehovah's Witnesses?
Official institutional page with self-definition and statistics.
Reference: Institutional section of jw.org on identity and global presence.
Content: The page defines the group as a worldwide religious organization that worships Jehovah, follows Jesus, and bases its beliefs on the Bible, while also presenting global statistics.
Use in debate: It serves for institutional origin, public self-image, mission, and basic descriptive data.