God’s Word Alone

God’s Word Alone

Taught by Matthew Barrett

The Five Solas Series offers you a look back to the five rallying cries of the Reformation—the five solas. In the God's Word Alone course, scholar and professor Matthew Barrett explores the historic, heroic adherence to sola scriptura, seeking to return today’s Christians to a biblical understanding of the authority of God’s Word.

Course Details

  • 14 Units

  • Self-paced

  • 8 hours of video

  • Intermediate

  • God’s Word Alone

12 Month Access
$179.99 USD

Already Enrolled? Sign in

Get academic credit for this course.
 Take this course via The BibleMesh Institute to get transfer credit for degree programs at select institutions.

Course Description


Historians and theologians alike have long recognized that at the heart of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation were five declarations (or solas) that distinguished the movement from other expressions of the Christian faith.

Five hundred years later, we live in a different time with fresh challenges to our faith. Yet these rallying cries of the Reformation continue to speak to us, addressing a wide range of contemporary issues. The Five Solas series will help you understand the historical and biblical context of the five solas and how to live out the relevance of Reformation theology today.

In the God's Word Alone course, scholar and professor Matthew Barrett explores the historical and biblical roots of the doctrine that Scripture alone is the final and decisive authority for God's people. Units explain the development of this theme in the Reformation and trace the crisis that followed, resulting in a shift away from the authority of Scripture. Each lesson shows that we need to recover a robust doctrine of Scripture's authority in the face of today's challenges and why a solid doctrinal foundation built on God's Word is the best hope for the future of the church. The God's Word Alone course is accessible to college and seminary students, pastors, lay learners, and anyone interested in learning about the authority of God's Word.

By completing this course, you’ll gain

  • Greater understanding of the doctrine of Scripture and the history behind it
  • Deeper grasp on why key Christian doctrines matter to your faith today
  • Confidence in your growing knowledge through personalized review sessions and unit assessments

Meet Your Instructors

Matthew Barrett

Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Matthew Barrett is associate professor of Christian theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as executive editor of Credo Magazine. He is the editor of The Five Solas Series and the author of several books, including God's Word Alone, Reformation Theology, Salvation by Grace, and Owen on the Christian Life.

Course Outline

  • Introduction: Sola Scriptura

  • The Road to Reformation

  • The Modern Shift in Authority

  • Today's Crisis over Biblical Authority

  • God's Word in the Economy of the Gospel

  • God Speaks Covenantal Words

  • MIDTERM

  • God's Covenantal Word Proves True

  • God Speaks with Authority

  • God Speaks Truthfully

  • God Speaks to Be Heard

  • God's Speech is Enough

  • Conclusion

  • FINAL EXAM


BibleMesh is now offering an integrated reading experience for our new book-based courses. As before, students will be guided through their reading with book excerpts embedded within the course. This allows for an improved reading experience within the course. Students will also be able to pop out the book reader into a full-screen, fully-featured web-based reading platform where they will be able to see the wider context of each excerpt and access the complete book.

Retain what you learn with Cerego's award-winning learning engine

High-quality video lectures and interactive reading materials are further enhanced by Cerego. Cerego’s team is comprised of experts in memory science, technology and education committed to advancing the personalized learning movement. Their next generation learning engine applies adaptive learning and memory science to enhance how you learn, study, and remember.

  • Learn Faster

    All of your lessons are taught by scholars, designed by educators, and enhanced by Cerego. Cerego's technology is built on proven memory science that helps students learn faster and remember longer.

  • Remember Longer

    Your study plan is 100% personalized for your brain and based on the latest in cognitive science to help you retain what you learn.

  • Track Your Progress

    Your dashboard updates every time you study, so you can see what you've learned—and what to review next on your path to mastery.