Summer Read: Scripture and the Authority of God

I've become a fan of N. T. Wright over the past couple of years and have read a number of his books. His style is a as readable, and helpful, as C. S. Lewis'. His eschatological viewpoint is one that I have held, more of less, for a while, and his books have brought it together for me in a greater way and moved it forward. His view on Scripture and the authority of God is one I think would be very helpful for the Church.

Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today
by N. T. Wright

From the product description:
“But what does scripture say?”

That question has echoed through a thousand debates in the life of the worldwide church. All churches have officially endorsed strong statements about the centrality of scripture and its authority in their mission, life, doctrine, and discipline. But there is no agreement on what this might mean or how it might work in practice. Individuals and churches struggle with how to respond to issues such as war, homosexuality, and abortion, and especially how to interpret biblical passages that discuss these topics. These disagreements often serve to undermine our confidence in the authority of the Bible.

Bishop and Bible scholar N. T. Wright delivers a new model for how to understand the place of scripture and God’s authority in the midst of religious confusion. Wright gives new life to the old, tattered doctrine of the authority of scripture, delivering a fresh, helpful, and concise statement on how to read the Bible today, restoring scripture as a place to find God’s voice.

In this revised and expanded edition of the previously titled book The Last Word, Wright provides two case studies that delve into what it means to keep Sabbath and how Christians can defend marital monogamy. These studies offer not only bold biblical insights but also showcase Wright’s new model for how to interpret scripture and restore its role as the church’s main resource for teaching and guidance. Removing the baggage that the last 100 years of controversy and confusion have placed on this doctrine, Wright renews our confidence in the Bible and shows how it can once again serve as the living Word of God for our lives.

Reviews:
“This wide-ranging whirlwind-tour account of Scripture channeling God’s authority, with its tweaking of distortions back into shape and its first-class approach to Bible study, is masterly throughout.” ~ J. I Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College

“In a fashion that is both old fashioned and new fangled at the same time Bishop Wright takes us through a sane and helpful study of what it means to treat the Bible as the authoritative Word of God. Highly Recommended!” ~ Ben Witherington, author of The Brother of Jesus

“[P]robing, provocative, insightful…This is a book of uncommon wisdom for all who read and love the Bible.” ~ Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and Executive Editor of Christianity Today

“Written by one of the leading Christian thinkers in the world today, this book is a refreshing and accessible resource concerning the perennial question of biblical authority that moves the discussion beyond the liberal-conservative impasse of our times. Highly Recommended.” ~ John R. Franke, Professor of Theology, Biblical Theological Seminary