The Bible has authority because it's true. It tells us what human life is really like, and it shows God's nature and identity. It points to Jesus as the true one who discloses the character of God. And it usually expresses these profound insights in metaphorical language. We can help each other understand what it means to live in community.
All authority is communal.
As long as we are responsible only for ourselves, nothing has a claim on us and there can be no authority over us. The more closely knit our faith community becomes, the more aware we are of our responsibilities to others and their claim upon us. Today, increasing numbers of people have no experience of community life. They make choices solely on the basis of individual goals. Therefore, we must help each other experience and understand community to understand authority.