A Brief Annotated Bibliography of some of the most accessible books and papers that inform my understanding of biblical authority and interpretation: by Steve Quinlan
Presbyterian Understanding and Use of Holy Scripture
A Position Statement Adopted by the 123rd General Assembly (PCUS old southern church)
Biblical Authority and Interpretation
A Resource Document Received by the 194th General Assembly (UPCUSA old northern church)
(Documents on Scripture agreed to at Presbyterian Reunion in 1983 - see FPC Peru Web site)
Authority and Interpretation of the Bible: An Historical Approach
by Jack Bartlett Rogers and Donald K. McKim
Harper Collins; 1st edition (February 1980)
A historical review of the issues and a proposal for a Presbyterian approach to Bible Interpretation and Authority by two leading scholars of the late 20th century
Biblical Authority: A Critique of the Rogers/McKim Proposal
byJohn D. Woodbridge
Zondervan; Subsequent edition (December 1, 1982)
Just what it says: a conservative response to the previous book
Reading the Bible and the Confessions: The Presbyterian Way
by Jack Rogers
Geneva Press; 1st edition (June 1, 1999)
The Modern Use the Bible Lyman Beecher Lectures at Yale University
by Fosdick H E
Macmillan (1924)
The classic “liberal” approach coming out of the fundamentalist / modernist controversy
"Fundamentalism" and the Word of God
byJ. I. Packer
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (March 1958)
The “fundamentalist” point of view clarified and defended by a renowned British scholar
Beyond Fundamentalism: Biblical Foundations for Evangelical Christianity
byJames Barr
Westminster John Knox Press; 1st American edition (November 1984)
A classic pastoral refutation of fundamentalism and a proposal for a “non-fundamentalist” yet biblical faith
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth Paperback
by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
Zondervan 4th edition (June 24, 2014)
By two evangelical scholars, a very useful tool for understanding reading the Bible in its historical and literary context
Taking the Bible Seriously: An Invitation to Think Theologically.
by Leander E. Keck
Association Press (1962)
Holding critical inquiry and faith in dialogue, Keck takes a “thoughtful” approach
Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally
by Marcus J. Borg
Harper San Francisco Reprint Edition (2002)
The late “Jesus Seminar” scholar wants a nuanced, critical and faithful interpretation that eschews preconceived expectations
The Art of Biblical Narrative
by Robert Alter
Basic Books; 2nd edition (April 26, 2011)
Alter can be a little difficult, but offers an important understanding of the Old Testament as narrative (story)
The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture
by Christian Smith
Brazos Press; Reprint edition (August 1, 2012)
Smith overstates his case, but makes some good points about why “Biblicism” is wrong
Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today
by N. T. Wright
Harper Collins Reprint edition (March 1, 2011)
Wright’s central theme: “the authority of scripture” means the “authority of God somehow exercised through scripture.” His book is about the “somehow.”
Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology
by Daniel L. Migliore
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.; 3 edition (August 8, 2014)
(see especially Chapter 3 for a mainline Presbyterian’s understanding)
How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now
by James L. Kugel
Free Press; Reprint edition (October 21, 2008)
Here is a Jewish hermeneutic by a well-known Jewish scholar (Harvard) – very illuminating
Engaging Biblical Authority: Perspectives on the Bible as Scripture
by William P. Brown
Westminster John Knox Press (October 3, 2007)
A collection of essays on the current state of the discussion
Biblical Authority: a personal reflection
By Walter Brueggemann
Christian Century, January 3-10, 2001
A gem of an essay. A top Old Testament scholar reflects on how his view of Biblical authority has been shaped. (see FPC website)