An Essay on Divine Authority

In the first book wholly concerned with divine authority, Mark C. Murphy explores the extent of God's rule over created rational beings. The author challenges the view—widely supported by theists and nontheists alike—that if God exists, then humans must be bound by an obligation of obedience to this being. He demonstrates that this view, the "authority thesis," cannot be sustained by any of the arguments routinely advanced on its behalf, including those drawn from perfect being theology, metaethical theory, normative principles, and even Scripture and tradition. After exposing the inadequacies of the various arguments for the authority thesis, he develops his own solution to the problem of whether, and to what extent, God is authoritative.

For Murphy, divine authority is a contingent matter: while created rational beings have decisive reason to subject themselves to the divine rule, they are under divine authority only insofar as they have chosen to allow God's decisions to take the place of their own in their practical reasoning. The author formulates and defends his arguments for this view, and notes its implications for understanding the distinctiveness of Christian ethics.

Mark C. Murphy is Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University. He is the author of Natural Law and Practical Rationality, Natural Law in Jurisprudence and Politics, and Philosophy of Law, and editor of Alasdair MacIntyre.

The topic of divine authority has not been addressed much at all in recent years, and no work of which I am aware comes even close to the depth and creativity that this excellent book exhibits.... Murphy's book, then, is one of those rare achievements—a breaking of genuinely new ground that lives up to its promise. It is a superb text that is likely to serve, and that ought to serve, as the seminal work on which discussion of divine authority will centre for years to come.

Murphy's book on the nature and extent of God's rule over human beings is a welcome addition to an impressive series.... While those without familiarity with philosophical argumentation will find this book to be very difficult reading, readers willing to follow Murphy's arguments carefully will find the experience valuable and thought-provoking.

In this book, Mark C. Murphy explores the question of God's rule over created beings. He challenges the view—widely held by theists and non-theist alike'that, if God exists, human beings must be bound by obligations of obedience to Him.' He argues that this view—what he calls the 'authority thesis'—is not sustained by any of the arguments usually made in its behalf.... The whole book is argued with admirable courage, rigor, and thoroughness.

I recommend his excellent book very highly to all philosophers of religion. And even moral and political philosophers who are not interested in religion are, I think, likely to find parts of it worth studying.