Faith Lab What if the Gospels are more reliable than you were told?
Mar 25, 2026
Lydia McGrew, a New Testament scholar who defends a reportage model of the Gospels. She discusses why historical evidence matters and defines 'high reliability' versus general reliability. Short segments explore undesigned coincidences, internal and external checks, and how small details across accounts support eyewitness-proximate reporting.
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Start With History Not Assumption
- Lydia contrasts presuppositionalism (starting with God) and evidentialism (building a case without assuming faith).
- She argues historical cogency can be shown before theological commitment, letting history lead to theology.
Reportage Model Of Gospel Reliability
- The reportage model says Gospel authors came from people close to the facts and were conscientious reporters.
- Lydia McGrew contrasts high reliability with inerrancy and calls the Gospels highly successful eyewitness-rooted reporting.
High Reliability Allows Limited Good Faith Errors
- High reliability allows for understandable memory slips while rejecting deliberate fabrication.
- McGrew positions inerrancy as a limiting case inside the reportage model, admitting some good-faith errors are possible.
