In Why bother with biblical law? I set out six principal reasons why Christians should engage constructively with biblical law. They are: (1) Jesus took Torah seriously and He expects us to as well; (2) Biblical law helps us to understand better who Jesus is; (3) The New Testament shows that there is a right use and a wrong use of Torah; (4) The right use of Torah negates Christian concerns about “legalism”; (5) Biblical law enables us to be specific about what it means to ‘love God’ and ‘love our neighbour’ (6) So we can be a force for good in public life.

The Theopolis Institute invited five scholars too engage with this argument which you can read here: This was followed by my closing response The radicalism of biblical law.

In Words of Wisdom, Words of Prophecy: Why and How Biblical Law Speaks in the Public Square I set out how I think biblical law can be applied today. Consistent with my earlier work, notably in God, Justice and Society, I argue that bridges can be built between biblical normative conventions and modern forms of law and social regulation. As a result, biblical law does indeed have contemporary relevance and so can inform legal, sociological, and theological debate. Again, and consistent with my reading of biblical law as a whole, I have argued that the authority of biblical law does not rest on its enforceability as a modern legal code but on its power to shape moral understanding and communal identity. Rooted ultimately in the character of God and expressed in covenantal form between God and Israel, the authority of biblical law is theological, moral, and pedagogical; it guides character, reveals divine values, and offers a relational vision of justice. Biblical law remains relevant because it offers a rich vision of justice and a source of moral imagination which shows how communities can protect the vulnerable, repair relationships, and cultivate wisdom.

Applying biblical law is therefore not simply a matter of extracting rules. Rather, it involves selecting from a body of discourse shaped by narrative and worldview; internalising a fixed text and improvising a faithful response that is shaped and constrained at every point by practical wisdom. This process is inherently communicative, requiring argument, appeal, and persuasion. Rather than viewing it as a straightforwardly transferable legal code, I see it as an authoritative theological and ethical resource that illuminates questions of responsibility, character, and social order.