Scripture as External Authority

In these schools (and in many other communities) scripture is understood and experienced as an “external authority,” itself making claims and commanding action, even if that authority was understood as that of an “agent of God” rather than a final, ultimate authority. There was a key difference in how the Qur’an and Bible were approached both individually and collectively, with the Qur’an understood as a slightly more difficult text that required more expert interpretation and the Bible understood as democratically available and hermeneutically clear. Scripture gains its authority in a few ways. First, it functions as a powerful boundary from other communities. Second, it is understood and described as an autonomous agent that acts in people’s lives. Third, scripture maintains its power through its role as a practice in people’s day-to-day experience of relating to the text, especially reading and memorizing.