Is the Bible reliable?

In this new series, Bruce Miller attempts to answer some of the questions that people most often ask the internet about God. Here, he examines the evidence for the Bible. Can an ancient book be trusted to be true? 

“The Bible is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies.” Mark Twain’s famous quote captures the complex relationship many people have with the Bible.  

Billions revere it, yet others question and criticise it. Is the Bible a reliable source of truth, or is it riddled with errors, contradictions and outdated ideas? 

The question of the reliability of scripture affects discussions about faith, history and morality. This question deserves careful consideration, especially in an age where it’s harder than ever to discern fact from fiction.