How the Bible Actually Works

How the Bible Actually Works PDF Author: Peter Enns
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062686771
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 249

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Book Description
Controversial evangelical Bible scholar, popular blogger and podcast host of The Bible for Normal People, and author of The Bible Tells Me So and The Sin of Certainty explains that the Bible is not an instruction manual or rule book but a powerful learning tool that nurtures our spiritual growth by refusing to provide us with easy answers but instead forces us to acquire wisdom. For many Christians, the Bible is a how-to manual filled with literal truths about belief that must be strictly followed. But the Bible is not static, Peter Enns argues. It does not hold easy answers to the perplexing questions and issues that confront us in our daily lives. Rather, the Bible is a dynamic instrument for study that not only offers an abundance of insights but provokes us to find our own answers to spiritual questions, cultivating God’s wisdom within us. “The Bible becomes a confusing mess when we expect it to function as a rulebook for faith. But when we allow the Bible to determine our expectations, we see that Wisdom, not answers, is the Bible’s true subject matter,” writes Enns. This distinction, he points out, is important because when we come to the Bible expecting it to be a textbook intended by God to give us unwavering certainty about our faith, we are actually creating problems for ourselves. The Bible, in other words, really isn’t the problem; having the wrong expectation is what interferes with our reading. Rather than considering the Bible as an ancient book weighed down with problems, flaws, and contradictions that must be defended by modern readers, Enns offers a vision of the holy scriptures as an inspired and empowering resource to help us better understand how to live as a person of faith today. How the Bible Actually Works makes clear that there is no one right way to read the Bible. Moving us beyond the damaging idea that “being right” is the most important measure of faith, Enns’s freeing approach to Bible study helps us to instead focus on pursuing enlightenment and building our relationship with God—which is exactly what the Bible was designed to do.

How the Bible Actually Works

How the Bible Actually Works PDF Author: Peter Enns
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062686771
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 249

Get Book Here

Book Description
Controversial evangelical Bible scholar, popular blogger and podcast host of The Bible for Normal People, and author of The Bible Tells Me So and The Sin of Certainty explains that the Bible is not an instruction manual or rule book but a powerful learning tool that nurtures our spiritual growth by refusing to provide us with easy answers but instead forces us to acquire wisdom. For many Christians, the Bible is a how-to manual filled with literal truths about belief that must be strictly followed. But the Bible is not static, Peter Enns argues. It does not hold easy answers to the perplexing questions and issues that confront us in our daily lives. Rather, the Bible is a dynamic instrument for study that not only offers an abundance of insights but provokes us to find our own answers to spiritual questions, cultivating God’s wisdom within us. “The Bible becomes a confusing mess when we expect it to function as a rulebook for faith. But when we allow the Bible to determine our expectations, we see that Wisdom, not answers, is the Bible’s true subject matter,” writes Enns. This distinction, he points out, is important because when we come to the Bible expecting it to be a textbook intended by God to give us unwavering certainty about our faith, we are actually creating problems for ourselves. The Bible, in other words, really isn’t the problem; having the wrong expectation is what interferes with our reading. Rather than considering the Bible as an ancient book weighed down with problems, flaws, and contradictions that must be defended by modern readers, Enns offers a vision of the holy scriptures as an inspired and empowering resource to help us better understand how to live as a person of faith today. How the Bible Actually Works makes clear that there is no one right way to read the Bible. Moving us beyond the damaging idea that “being right” is the most important measure of faith, Enns’s freeing approach to Bible study helps us to instead focus on pursuing enlightenment and building our relationship with God—which is exactly what the Bible was designed to do.

Holy War in the Bible

Holy War in the Bible PDF Author: Heath A. Thomas
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 083083995X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 353

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Book Description
The first of its kind, this collection offers a constructive response to the question of holy war and Christian morality from an interdisciplinary perspective. By combining biblical, ethical, philosophical and theological insights, the contributors offer a composite image of divine redemption that promises to take the discussion to another level.

History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe

History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe PDF Author: William Edward Hartpole Lecky
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Rationalism
Languages : en
Pages : 392

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Book Description


Eloquence Divine

Eloquence Divine PDF Author: Phillip Arrington
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 022717688X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
While serious studies of the Bible’s rhetoric have been written for academic readers . . . few have attempted to examine the persuasiveness of speeches directly assigned to the biblical ‘God’ that so many believe in and worship . . . Further, no critic has yet tried to analyze how this God tries to invent and develop His arguments in the Bible as it has come down to us, or how this God arranges those arguments, or the styles He adopts to make them, and the roles memory and delivery play in His arguments . . . Eloquence Divine is one agnostic’s attempt at such a study. Th ose in the humanities, educators and their students, graduates and undergraduates, interested in rhetoric, persuasive language, religion, and the Bible are the ones most likely to be interested in this book’s explorations . . . in the hope that [these] readers, whatever their beliefs or theoretical preferences, can gain greater understanding of how one, a fairly popular version of God strives through His eloquence to affect the human audiences in the Bible. - From the Introduction

A History of the Bible

A History of the Bible PDF Author: John Barton
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0143111205
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 642

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Book Description
A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.

Biblical Counsel

Biblical Counsel PDF Author:
Publisher: Lettermen Associates
ISBN: 9780963682116
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 842

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Book Description


A Reasonable Response

A Reasonable Response PDF Author: William Lane Craig
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802483844
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 644

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Book Description
Followers of Jesus need not fear hard questions or objections against Christian belief. In A Reasonable Response, renowned Christian philosopher and apologist William Lane Craig offers dozens of examples of how some of the most common challenges to Christian thought can be addressed, including: Why does God allow evil? How can I be sure God exists? Why should I believe that the Bible is trustworthy? How does modern science relate to the Christian worldview? What evidence do we have that Jesus rose from the dead? Utilizing real questions submitted to his popular website ReasonableFaith.org, Dr. Craig models well-reasoned, skillful, and biblically informed interaction with his inquirers. A Reasonable Response goes beyond merely talking about apologetics; it shows it in action. With cowriter Joseph E. Gorra, this book also offers advice about envisioning and practicing the ministry of answering people’s questions through the local church, workplace, and in online environments. Whether you're struggling to respond to tough objections or looking for answers to your own intellectual questions, A Reasonable Response will equip you with sound reasoning and biblical truth.

Theologia et Apologia

Theologia et Apologia PDF Author: Adam S. Francisco
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1556351666
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 345

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Book Description
Theologia et Apologia gathers together eighteen essays, written by a wide range of scholars, on Reformation theology and its defense. Orthodox theology, grounded in the Scriptures, calls humanity to believe. This same theology must also be presented and defended to a world that has often not attended to its vital message. Collectively, these essays teach and defend the biblical theology articulated during the Reformation and still today. They address topics including the inspiration, canon, and interpretation of Scripture, Reformation era developments, classic and modern apologetics, and other topics. This helpful book, honoring Rod Rosenbladt, a notable theologian and apologist, is a welcome addition to the library of any thinking Christian.

Religious Books and Serials in Print 1978-1979

Religious Books and Serials in Print 1978-1979 PDF Author: R.R. Bowker Company. Department of Bibliography
Publisher: R. R. Bowker
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 1338

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Book Description


The Literary Guide and Rationalist Review

The Literary Guide and Rationalist Review PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Rationalism
Languages : en
Pages : 658

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Book Description