Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny? [Paperback]

William L. Countryman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1994

What is scripture's relation to the believer? What kind of authority is "scriptural authority"? How do we gain access to that authority for guidance in our lives? Professor Countryman proposes that the scripture be understood as a word which prompts more questions that it answers, that in scripture God has not uttered the last word for us but the first, and that in scripture God has given us "a word designed to set us off on a pilgrimage in pursuit of that life that God has willed for us to have." Biblical Authority is ideal for teachers and students of scripture in the parish and in the classroom. The book discusses and uses various tools and styles of exegesis. “Countryman becomes the articulator for the ‘critical’ right, those Christians who profess the Bible’s authority, disagree with the fundamentalist’s view, but are often at a loss to express, explain, or defend their own convictions.” —Theology Today “Countryman presents a lucid, patient, and direct approach to both a fundamentalist attachment to and a liberal detachment from the scepters. This book offers some common ground on a sensitive and volatile subject.” —Interpretation L. William Countryman is Professor of New Testament at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA, and the author of Good News of Jesus and The Language of Ordination, both published by Trinity Press International.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Countryman's presentation of biblical authority, inerrancy, and inspiration is both innovative and illuminating." —Pro Ecclesia (Proc Ecclesia Pro Ecclesia )

"Countryman's presentation of biblical authority, inerrancy, and inspiration is both innovative and illuminating." —Pro Ecclesia (, Pro Ecclesia )

About the Author

L. William Countryman is Sherman E. Johnson Professor in Biblical Studies at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. He is a popular speaker, and the author of many books including Gifted by Otherness, Living on the Border of the Holy, Forgiven and Forgiving, and Love Human and Divine, all available from Morehouse Publishing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Trinity Press Int'l; Rev Sub edition (March 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563380854
• ISBN-13: 978-1563380853
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,437,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A much needed question with a surprising set of answers., July 27, 2000

By 

Shane Griswold - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny? (Paperback)

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.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small in Quantity, Big in Quality, January 1, 2001

By 

Ken (PORT ANGELES, WA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny? (Paperback)

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.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Respectful and thought-provoking, May 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny? (Paperback)

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.