Many read the Bible as a single book, treating it as a metanarrative. But the Bible was written not as a single book and it is a collection of various writings produced in different times for over a thousand years. It involves a multitude of authors or editors, disparate communities, and eclectic ideas. It is necessary to liberate the Bible and put it back in its place. We must interpret various parts of the Bible from diverse perspectives.
Strictly speaking, the Bible does not talk to us. The Bible does not mean, but we (as readers) mean with the text. So we need critical engagement with the text, considering various writings in the Bible seriously, and taking a stand about our interpretation.
Authority is not encoded in the text. It is not knowledge or information. It is the power of God that transforms people and the world. It becomes the catalyst for a new humanity. Through the reader's conscientious engagement, the authority of the scriptures may come alive. That is, through our endless, careful interpretation, the word of God for our time can be unlocked, activated, and communicated to the world.