Biblicism is not the attempt to be faithful to Scripture (i.e., to be biblical). Rather, in its extreme form, biblicism is the attempt to read Scripture in isolation. It is the attempt to read Scripture in isolation from the rest of Scripture and in insolation from the ecumenical creeds and the confessions produced by the various churches. It is the attempt to interpret Scripture as if no one has ever read it before. It attempts to interpret Scripture in insolation from the history of the church and especially the history of interpretation. It is the attempt to interpret Scripture in isolation from systematic theology or apart from one or more of the other departments of theology (e.g., practical theology). Not every instance of biblicism manifests all of these tendencies but any attempt to interpret Scripture atomistically or in isolation from the church, or the history of exegesis is, to some degree, guilty of biblicism.

Below are some resources, the most complete of which is the volume Recovering the Reformed Confession, which seek to diagnose, illustrate, and correct biblicism.

Table Of Contents

• Articles
• Podcasts
• Sources

Articles

1. R. Scott Clark, The Strange Familiarity Of Socinianism
2. R. Scott Clark, The Difference Between Sola Scriptura And Biblicism
3. R. Scott Clark, La Diferencia Entre La Sola Scriptura Y El Biblicismo
4. Matt Emerson, What Makes A Doctrine Biblical?
5. Paul Helm, On Owen Contra Biblicism
6. Derrick Brite, No, The Trinity Debates Aren’t Over
7. Luke Stamps, Grudem and Eternal Generation: Did I Bury The Lede?

Sources

1. Augustine Contra Biblicism
2. Richard Muller: Biblicism is A Trojan Horse Full Of Rationalism
3. Bavinck Contra Biblicism
4. Trueman: Might You Be A Socinian And Not Know It?
5. Biblicists And Federal Visionists Together
6. Muller On The Sources Of Biblicism
7. Tony Phelps: The Antidote to Biblicism

Podcasts

1. More Conference Audio: Biblicism Versus Sola Scriptura
2. Heidelcast 189: What Must A Christian Believe? (7): Against Deism, Gambling, Pentecostalism, And Biblicism
3. Heidelcast 208—Taking Calls On Church Discipline For Doctrinal Error, Final Salvation Through Works, Divinization, Justice, Ecstatic Worship, And Providence
4. How Did Some Evangelicals Come To Teach The “Eternal Subordination Of The Son”? Biblicism
5. Heidelminicast Series: On Biblicism
   • On Biblicism (1): What is Biblicism?
   • On Biblicism (2): What is the Connection Between Biblicism and Socinianism?
   • On Biblicism (3): What is the Difference Between Biblicism and Sola Scriptura?
   • On Biblicism (4): Augustine on Biblicism
   • On Biblicism (5): Bavinck on Biblicism
   • On Biblicism (6): Biblicism is a Trojan Horse Full of Rationalism

RESOURCES

• Subscribe To The Heidelblog!
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• The Heidelblog Resource Page
• Heidelmedia Resources
• The Ecumenical Creeds
• The Reformed Confessions
• The Heidelberg Catechism
• The Heidelberg Catechism: A Historical, Theological, & Pastoral Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2025)
• Recovering the Reformed Confession (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008)
• Why I Am A Christian
• What Must A Christian Believe?
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