Biblical Authority

Biblical Authority Draper, James T. and Keathley, Kenneth. Biblical Authority:The Critical Issue of the Body of Christ. Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2001. 144 pages. Reviewed by John Sanders Biblical Authority is a co-authored work written and compiled by two great and able authors, James Draper Jr. and Kenneth Keathley, that has been revised and edited coming to completion in a 2001 edition of the book for all to read. Biblical Authority is a work that represents a concept that should be at the forefront of all believers, especially Southern Baptists. Dr. Keathley shows his competence in this subject especially in Southern Baptist circles having life experience in the pulpit and in the classroom at both New Orleans and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries in addition to his Ph.D degree in theology. The same high qualities and merits can be applied to James Draper Jr. Draper has under his belt pastoral experience, knowledge from being a former president of LifeWay Christian Resources and even a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention (biographical information for authors from back of book). These gentlemen have high marks of experience and solid biblical teaching which has allowed them to produce a literary work that is short, concise, and direct in its intention to show the importance of biblical authority. Both of these authors have been involved in and Southern Baptist life which holds a high view of Scripture and qualifies these gentlemen to write a literary work to those who have allowed Scripture to fall into the gutter. These authors have the experience, passion, and love for Scripture to write a book to urge all churches to return to biblical authority. Scripture is man’s greatest access to the mind and will of God and should be the guidebook to every evangelical to ascertain the will of God and to live a life that is holy and pure, but this has not always been the case. There was a time when a pastor was the smartest

person in town and when a church service was compiled of deep theological hymns and direct powerful sermons. Times have changed, but this change has not always been for the better. The pressure and urge to be new and creative with the word of God has allowed Pastors to come to the word with laziness, leaving the church in a state of malnutrition because the focus and emphasis that once was built upon the strong foundation of Scripture has been removed. Biblical Authority leads its readers down a road that allows them to view various philosophical thoughts that could potentially lead to a falling away from Scripture. Man’s intellect and ability to reason is definitely a trait that belongs to the pinnacle of God’s creation, but when coupled with the fall, reason has turned people away from Scripture because it has shifted the source of authority. The authors declare that “the basic problem that we face today has to do with knowledge and truth. It is not the quantity of truth…but is the source of truth.”1 Evangelicals and others who used to place emphasis on the Bible “have slowly moved away from the historic position of the Bible…and when one takes that step he courts disaster in his life and ministry.”2 Draper and Keathley also follow the concept and belief of biblical authority back to the early church proving that Scripture from the beginning was seen as not only important but critical for evangelicals, until recently. Recently, Scripture has been pushed aside and not kept at the top where it belongs. Draper and Keathley quote several key figures in evangelical church history including Clement of Rome, Origen, Augustine, Athanasius, and Aquinas which proves their point of only recent fall from biblical authority but this trend was not only found in the early church.

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James Draper Jr. and Kenneth Keathley. Biblical Authorithy: The Critical Issue for the Body of Christ (Nashville:Broadmand and Holman Publishers, 2001), 2 2 Biblical Authority, 1

Biblical Authority was written by Southern Baptists for Southern Baptists and therefore includes Baptist history to ascertain its view and how Scripture was viewed in the beginning of the Baptist denomination. Early Baptists held to a high view of Scripture and the reason for looking back and then comparing to now show how far one has come or how far one has gone astray. Biblical Authority seems to point out that evangelicals had their priorities right in the beginning but that statement cannot be made for all modern day evangelicals. Scripture seems to have lost its supremacy in the eyes of its readers but it is not always the group that should be in focus but rather the content. The Holy Bible is the inerrant word of God meaning that it contains no errors in what it says and if one wanted to see how high the view of Scripture should be, then one should look at Scripture and see what it says about itself. Scripture affirms itself in several places and is there for all to read and see. However, if a high view of Scripture is not taken, then the affirmations are passed off as meaningless. The Holy Bible contains main writings from many authors in different times. It is therefore complex, but those who put it in its proper place see that it is without error and sufficient in its purpose. Biblical Authority was written to remind the readers of today that there is power in the word of God and that the word of God is something that is informative and certain and absolute which are terms that are now debated in modern circles. The authors of this book had in mind that Scriptures once were exalted as they should have been but times have changed. Now the Bible is debated and questioned. Without a certain source of absolute truth, where will society end up? The Bible is man’s greatest asset to Christian life and until the day comes when biblical authority is practiced, preached, and taught in churches man will wander aimlessly without a guide or light in a world of darkness.

Draper and Keathley in their work Biblical Authority sought to produce a literary work that would explain the importance of having a correct view of Scripture and to inform readers what the view of Scripture has been all long. It is very easy for a particular person, in this case two devoted Southern Baptists, to make a stand on a particular topic such as the authority of Scripture but their integration of history in the book was very well done. Without the history it could be viewed that the authors are biased or that they are correct in whatever they say, but the purpose of the historical evidence was to show roots of biblical authority in evangelical circles. The vast number of quotes and number people mentioned in the section that spoke of the historical view of the authority of Scripture in both the early church and the early Baptists was a definite strength for this book. Another obvious strength would be the book’s brevity and clear direction. In order for the concept of biblical authority to be changed in evangelical churches, the churches must be informed of what is happening in modern day churches. Biblical Authority is the perfect tool for that. Instead of textbooks upon textbooks filled to the brim with quotes, dates, and philosophical concepts, this book is filled with the essentials that will guide one to further studying and correct knowledge of the authority of Scripture. This work proves that it is not impossible to have something of worth in concise form; rather it is the brevity that allows this work by Draper and Keathley to be potent and essential to a wandering church. While Biblical Authority is an excellent resource to have and to implement and with great strengths, the work also has minor weaknesses. For the devoted Bible student or church leader, one may argue that as great as the brevity is for the laymen. The brevity is a hindrance for those thirsting for more. This work by Draper and Keathley is so good that a weakness that it has is that it stopped with the authority, when it could continue on with rules and guidelines for

hermeneutics, prayer, homiletics, and many others. Draper and Keathley did such an excellent job describing and clarifying the importance of biblical authority and still there are plenty of other topics that need and deserve the same quality and attention. The final weakness or improvement could be on application. Wayne Grudem in his theology book Systematic Theology at the end of each section includes several song titles and lyrics that apply to the doctrine just covered and also questions from the previous chapter. This technique allows for an interaction with the text and a time for brainstorming ideas and this type of activity would be a great improvement to Biblical Authority. This approach could allow a place for a Pastor to write down his prayers for his church who has fallen away from the authority of Scripture, or songs that exalt the glory and magnificence of God’s inspired word and would be a grand improvement to Draper and Keathley’s Biblical Authority and beneficial for all whom read it. This work as discussed has great strengths and even greater potential to teach and inform those who read it to return to the correct view of biblical authority. While the book is written for those who have some knowledge of some theological concepts such as Bible students and Pastors, each topic is discussed and would be appropriate for anyone who was interested in the topic or concerned what is happening now in evangelical circles. The day has now arrived that there is opposition to the authority of Scripture, but this literary work if viewed as a tool could be used make a turn to a proper placement of biblical authority thanks to the work and dedication of James Draper Jr. and Kenneth Keathley.