What Is Scripture?Scripture is no longer an absolute. In the last two centuries, as Westerners have become more keenly conscious of the flatly historical character of their own biblical documents, they have also realized the normative function of scripture in other traditions. W. C. Smith's vastly erudite work asks how it is that certain texts have so seeped into human life in a rich, complex, and powerful way as to be deemed sacred. Examining the history and use of