Biblical authority in interaction: How do evangelicals use the Bible?

Abstract

Evangelicals are characterized by biblicism, the belief that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that it is authoritative in the lives of Christians. Scholars studying religion have identified a wide gap between what evangelicals say they believe about the Bible and how scripture is actually used in their communities. However, researchers have yet to describe the micro-interactional deployment of the Bible in evangelical talk. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing the interactional production of scripture references using conversation analysis, a method that has previously been underutilized by scholars of religion. I analyze recordings of New Life Live, a popular call-in radio show, to interrogate when and to what purpose the show's hosts appeal to the Bible. I identify three distinct uses of scripture in this context: 1) to distance talk from the recipient's perspective; 2) to mitigate disaffiliation from callers, and 3) to identify a takeaway from the call as a whole. Across these uses, I argue that the Bible's local relevance is not taken for granted but is rather an achieved outcome of speakers' talk.