A neutral, text-driven framework. 12 major Christian traditions. 200 points across 18 categories. Calibrated weights. Sensitivity-tested results.
See the ResultsEvery Christian tradition claims to follow the Bible. But when measured against the text itself — not against tradition, not against theology, not against cultural preference — how do they actually score?
Which tradition most faithfully reflects the Bible in doctrine, structure, practice, purpose, and fruit?
The test uses a single foundational principle: the Bible is the floor, not the ceiling. A tradition can believe more than the Bible teaches — that's not automatically wrong. But it must contain everything the Bible does teach. And it must not contradict the text.
The most serious error isn't what you add. It's what you remove.
12 traditions. 200 points. Two layers: Method (how they handle the Bible) and Content (what they actually teach and practice). Scores shown under the calibrated weighted framework, with canon-aware ranking and sensitivity views.
| # | Tradition | Method | Content | Score | Canon Used | Band | 66-Book | 73-Book | 81-Book |
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Click any row to see the full evaluation. Own Canon ranks each tradition using the canon model it actually operates with; the sensitivity columns show how the same framework changes under 66-book, 73-book, and 81-book assumptions.
Not the one with the best theology. Not the oldest. Not the largest. The LDS Church reproduces more biblical patterns — offices, ordinances, structures, practices — than any other tradition evaluated. Pattern Fidelity (9/10), Church Structure (9/10), and Worship (9/10) are unmatched.
Every Protestant tradition removed practices the Bible describes — fasting, anointing, laying on of hands, apostolic offices. The traditions that removed the least (Pentecostalism, Baptists) score highest among Protestants. The ones that removed the most (Calvinism, Lutheranism) score lowest.
The first-place ranking survives every test: equal weights, inverted weights, 66-book canon restriction, removal of any single category, and maximum scorer variation. Even under maximum stress, the gap persists. The rankings are not artifacts of methodology.
Oriental Orthodoxy benefits most from the 81-book canon (+12 points). The LDS Church benefits moderately (+7). But even under the restrictive 66-book Protestant canon, the LDS Church leads by 28+ points. The result is not driven by canon choice.
The traditions with the strongest "Bible alone" claims (Baptists, Evangelicals, Reformed) score in the middle or below. The tradition that also claims additional scripture (LDS) scores highest. The claim doesn't determine the score — the practice does.
The Biblical Accuracy Test uses a calibrated weighted system across 18 categories in two layers. Each raw score (1–10) is multiplied by a category weight reflecting biblical emphasis, then normalised to a 200-point scale (100 Method + 100 Content).
×1.3 — Nature of God, Salvation (highest biblical emphasis)
×1.2 — Text Alignment, Coverage, Consistency, Pattern Fidelity, Worship, Ethics, Fruit
×1.0 — Justification, Canon, Evidence, Human Nature, Covenant
×0.8 — Transparency, Tension, Church Structure, Requirement Justification
170–200: Very High alignment
140–169: Strong alignment with identifiable weaknesses
100–139: Partial alignment — retains major elements but significant departures
Below 100: Low alignment — substantial departure from the text
The Weighted Failure Hierarchy: Not practising what the Bible teaches (removal) is more serious than teaching what the Bible doesn't (addition). Contradicting the text is most serious of all.
Framework Neutrality: Extra-biblical frameworks (Tradition, confessions, additional scripture) are neither rewarded nor penalised — only their material effect on biblical alignment is scored.
Four-Tier Canon: The evidence base is the union of all major Christian canons — Core (Protestant 66), Broad Secondary (Catholic deuterocanonical), Narrow Secondary (2+ traditions), and Tradition-Specific (1 tradition). The canon sensitivity analysis shows how scores change under each model.
Silence of the Text: A tradition is not penalised for having positions on topics where the Bible is silent. It is penalised for requiring such positions as essential with salvific consequences.
Click any tradition to see its detailed scoring across all 18 categories.