How Flawed Interpretation Disrespects the Bible and Divides the Church

The Crisis of Biblical Authority is noted biblical scholar John H. Walton's response to one of Christianity's most pressing challenges: the damage done when believers treat the Bible as a tool for advancing their own agendas rather than as a sacred text to be faithfully understood.

Christians agree that the Bible has authority, but it can be difficult to identify where that authority resides in the text. Without a clear framework for reading Scripture faithfully, we risk leveraging its authority for our own interests, causing damage to our churches and fractures to our witness. If our methods only reinforce our own ideas, we are at risk of following our own word rather than God's.

At its worst, this kind of individualist interpretation doesn't just lead to mild disagreement, it fuels conflict between believers and has even been used to justify the dehumanization of others. Even further, to weaponize Scripture in service of our own agendas is to abuse the very text we claim to hold sacred.

Walton shows the way forward in learning to read the Bible well and developing appropriate approaches to these issues vital to our faith. He presents a clear, step-by-step hermeneutical framework for interpreting Scripture that remains faithful to the text without overstepping its boundaries. The Bible's authority isn't found in how we think it should work; rather, interpretation should focus on the author’s original intent. The result is a thoughtful approach to biblical interpretation that takes the Bible seriously without falling into individualism.

Walton explores four levels of understanding needed to read the Bible responsibly:

Answering the question, “What is the Bible and how does it function?”
Defining the scope of authority within the text
Articulating a method to prioritize understanding the authors' intent
Practical procedures that guide productive biblical interpretation

This book doesn't seek to establish the Bible's authority for its own sake, but for how it shapes the way Christians understand, interpret, and apply that authority in their lives. Walton offers a consistent way to appeal to the Bible’s authority that moves beyond prooftexts to shape our thoughts, hearts, and lives responsibly.

This book is perfect for pastors, students, and informed lay readers seeking to understand hermeneutics, and it serves as an excellent introductory text for biblical interpretation courses. Whether you're a longtime fan of Walton's acclaimed Lost World Series or new to studying biblical interpretation, this accessible book invites you to take seriously the words of the Bible and to be faithful to the intent of the authors that carries the authority of God.