Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny?

If you want to read a book probing the meaning of "authority" (a concept far too frequently taken for granted in most Christian circles), please read William Countryman's "Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny?" The real question that must be decided in dealing with most of the great controversial issues in contemporary Christianity all relate to the following question: "What does the authority of the Bible entail in this conversation? That is to say, how do we interpret what the Bible has to say about what we interpret to be references to the particular subject at hand?" Without answering that question, any discussion between the two opposing sides will just be a shouting match without any initial understanding of the terms of the discourse or the admission (or barring) of any evidence from either the Bible or Church history or any other source for that matter. This book is a refreshing, if somewhat bracing at first, approach to some fun-damental questions of what it means to be authoritative in the first place. Countryman then follows up his discussion of authority with explorations on the nature of inspiration and authority, biblical inerrancy versus biblical authority, hermeneutical methodologies over the history of the Church [rabbinical, allegorical, historical-grammatical, and historical-critical] the relationship[s] between the Church and the Bible, and their place as co-authorities in the life of the believer. While deflating much of the overwrought fundamentalist rantings about the "perfection/Godhood" of the Bible, he also charts a course away from the Bible-negating tendencies of Christian liberalism and builds a bridge over which a coherent dialoge can cross for those willing to take a step of faith and act on God's authoritative word, rightly used.

Though this book is only 125 pages long, it carries a wealth of valuable insights and stimulating thoughts. Countryman has done a very good job of countering the extreme biblical literalist camp without throwing out the Bible. Often it's tempting to throw the baby out with the bath water (as the saying goes), but Countryman shows how the Bibles value is not diminished just because some modern camps of Christian theology have abused it. The often tyrannical use of the Bible does NOT eliminate it's value or worth.He explains our need both for the Bible and for a believing community as sources of authority in our lives. Without community it's too easy for personal misinterpretations to lead people off the deep end into extreme or heretical theological positions (the Bible is much more complex than most people understand). And without the Bible, entire communities can also drift into erroneous understandings about God and His will for them (as was the case prior to the reformation).Countryman briefly covers the different views of the canon and the various ways the Bible has been interpreted throughout church history. He starts with the early literal-allegorical method, moves to the grammatical method, and finally to the historical-critical interpretation method. This is a nice introduction to the topic, especially for anyone that wrongly thinks Christians have always read and understood the Bible the same as they do today.The book is very readable, and I often found myself highlighting entire paragraphs (starting from page 1) because they were written so well. Whatever ones theological persuasions, they should read this book to gain insight into Countryman's (and many others) views of Biblical authority without Biblical tyranny.

If you want to read a book probing the meaning of "authority" (a concept far too frequently taken for granted in most Christian circles), please read William Countryman's "Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny?" The real question that must be decided in dealing with most of the great controversial issues in contemporary Christianity all relate to the following question: "What does the authority of the Bible entail in this conversation? That is to say, how do we interpret what the Bible has to say about what we interpret to be references to the particular subject at hand?" Without answering that question, any discussion between the two opposing sides will just be a shouting match without any initial understanding of the terms of the discourse or the admission (or barring) of any evidence from either the Bible or Church history or any other source for that matter. This book is a refreshing, if somewhat bracing at first, approach to some fun-damental questions of what it means to be authoritative in the first place. Countryman then follows up his discussion of authority with explorations on the nature of inspiration and authority, biblical inerrancy versus biblical authority, hermeneutical methodologies over the history of the Church [rabbinical, allegorical, historical-grammatical, and historical-critical] the relationship[s] between the Church and the Bible, and their place as co-authorities in the life of the believer. While deflating much of the overwrought fundamentalist rantings about the "perfection/Godhood" of the Bible, he also charts a course away from the Bible-negating tendencies of Christian liberalism and builds a bridge over which a coherent dialoge can cross for those willing to take a step of faith and act on God's authoritative word, rightly used.

This is a terrific introduction to biblical authority. Some doctrine is mixed in and is from an Anglican perspective, but it is not intrusive and is tempered. Don't let the 125 pages fool you, it's enough to give you a great feel for what the Bible is all about (and what it's not).

This book raises many valid points about the way the Bible has been used and misused over the centuries. Countryman asserts that God is not limited to the Bible. God is bigger than the Bible. The Bible is one way that God reveals "Himself" to people. I recommend this book for people struggling with faith communities that seem to worship the Bible rather than the Creator.