Westminster Confession on Authority of Scripture
Scripture alone is the final, only infallible authority
The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined; and in whose sentence we are to rest; can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.
THE POSITION
Chapter 1 settles the question by naming a judge and excluding the rivals by name. Councils, the ancient writers, doctrines of men and private spirits are all placed under examination rather than alongside Scripture, and 1.6 closes the canon against additions from either direction - new revelations of the Spirit and traditions of men are refused in the same clause. The church's testimony is granted a real but preliminary role in 1.5: it may move and induce a reader to esteem Scripture, but the full persuasion of its authority comes from the Spirit's inward witness, not from the church's warrant.
29 Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
18 OTHERS HOLD THIS
ABOUT THIS FIGURE
The confessional standard of English-speaking Presbyterianism, completed by the Westminster Assembly in 1646 and adopted with its Scripture proofs. This entry rests on the 1646 text from the manuscript of Cornelius Burges as edited by S. W. Carruthers (1937) for chapters 1-24, and on the 1647 text for chapters 25-33; the Assembly's own proof texts attached to each paragraph supply every reference below.
Cite this page
"Westminster Confession on Authority of Scripture", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/westminster/scripture-authority (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/westminster/scripture-authority).