Beginning with a brief overview of the Bible's structure and history, the authors highlight the development of the canon, point out the major events in the story of the Bible's translation into English, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the different contemporary English translations of Scripture.

Rice's commentary on I Kings is part of the International Theological Commentary which has as its goal bringing the Old Testament alive in the worldwide church and moving beyond the usual critical-historical approach to the Bible. It is particularly sensitive to issues of special concern to those who live outside the "Christian" West.

Vawter's study on the Book of Ezekiel is a contribution to the International Theological Commentary, whose goal is to bring the Old Testament alive in the worldwide church. In moving beyond the usual critical-historical approach to the Bible, the series offers a distinctive theological interpretation of the Hebrew text.

William Barclay testifies to the Bible's unique value as an inspired book and gives clear advice on the best way to read it. He tells how the biblical writings came into being and finally gained acceptance as Scripture. And he explains the significance and the status of the Apocrypha. Most important of all, William Barclay presents the Bible as a book to be read and enjoyed today - a light in the darkness of a world that has lost its way.
Barclay's original text has been edited and revised by Professor John W. Rogerson, who has also written a new introduction. Rogerson is the head of the Department of Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield and an authority on the Old Testament. This is a required text for "Lay Speakers Lead Bible Study: Advanced Course." (Abingdon Press, 1997)
Table of Contents:
Foreward by Ronnie Barclay Prayers for Bible Study Introduction by John Rogerson The Making of the Old Testament The Making of the New Testament The Apocrypha How to Study the Bible The Inspired Book Aids to Reading Maps Index

189 pages

Using an approach similar to that in his book "Parables from the Back Side, "popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas brings a new perspective to selected Old Testament stories by approaching them from the back side through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new lens, or the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character. Chapter titles and Scripture: The Second Sin (Genesis 3:1-13); The Importance of Naming Joseph (Genesis 30:22-24); Because My Mother Told Me (Exodus 2:1-10); Moses Midlife Crisis (Exodus 2:11-22); Patron Saint of the Minority Report (Numbers 13:1-3, 25-33); Tragic Son, Tragic Father (Judges 11:1-6, 30-35); Honey in the Lion (Judges 14:5-14); Beauty and the Beast (1 Samuel 25:2-42); A Refugee at the King s Table (2 Samuel 9:1-13); In Defense of Job s Wife (Job 2:1-10); Jonah s Christmas Story (Jonah 3:1-6, 10; Matthew 12:38-42); God Is Better Than His Plans (Ruth 1:1-5; 4:13-17). Includes 12 Sessions with a study guide."

Janzen stresses the theological themes permeating Genesis 12-50 as calling for theological reflection and religious response, and shows how the story of Israel's ancestors has continuing significance for all humankind.

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.""--2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) Everyone who studies and teaches the Bible has a responsibility to accurately interpret and communicate God's message. Understanding the principles of sound interpretation, therefore, is of vital importance. Pastors, Bible teachers, and anyone who studies the Scriptures will appreciate the helpful guidance of this collection of scholarship. Rightly Divided" brings together the insights of twenty-one experienced Bible scholars in the field of hermeneutics, providing a basic overview of hermeneutics and also addressing specific issues of interpretation. Included are chapters by: Darrell L. Bock--"Evangelicals and the Use of the Old Testament in the New" G. B. Caird--"Ambiguity in the Bible" Norman Geisler--"The Relation of Purpose and Meaning in Interpreting Scripture" Walter C. Kaiser Jr.--"Issues in Contemporary Hermeneutics" I. Howard Marshall--"The Holy Spirit and the Interpretation of Scripture" J. Robertson McQuilken--"Identifying the Audience God Intended" Bernard Ramm--"The Devotional and Practical Use of the Bible" Roy B. Zuck--"The What and Why of Bible Interpretation"

Casey offers fascinating insights into how the prayerful experience of lectio divina can be sustained and invigorated by the techniques of sacred reading--techniques distilled from the author's deep acquaintance with the Bible and the ancient books of Western spirituality.

Ancient Yahwistic Poetry is a particularly tempting field of study. In this small body of literature are preserved the oldest and most creative expressions of Israel's faith. this study of ancient Yahwistic poetry by Frank Moore Cross Jr. and David Noel Freedman untangles some of the serious textual difficulties and linguistic obscurities that have been a challenge to students of the Hebrew Bible for many generations.

J. Benton White claims that both modernists and fundamentalists believe in the Bible and take it seriously. Here he surveys the many Protestant approaches to the Bible and then focuses on the issues raised by each group during this century. He gives special attention to Protestants' struggle with the question of how the Bible should be understood. By doing so, he helps individuals examine this crucial question and allows them to draw their own conclusions. White focuses on Martin Luther's affirmation of the "Protestant principle" of the Bible alone, then follows debate up to the present.

Is the creation story in Genesis nothing more than a botched version of a Babylonian myth? Is 'free will' illusory? Are the Jesuits really educated men? In these three classic essays "The Forgery of the Old Testament", "The Myth of Immortality" and "Lies of Religious Literature" Joseph McCabe (1867-1955), ex-priest and the 'world's greatest scholar', exposes the inconsistencies, absurdities, and outright mendacity that lie behind the most revered texts and 'truths' of Christianity. With forcefulness, clarity, and often biting humor, McCabe attacks two millennia of Christian tradition which, he says, must withdraw before the weapons of science and reason.

In this book, W. Dow Edgerton reviews narratives from the Bible, the Talmud, Greek mythology, and modern fiction in order to provide a better understanding of the nature and work of interpretation. Disclosed are rich, complex, and compelling possibilities for imagining the work of interpretation and what it means to do that work in a time when so much is needed and so much is possible.

The Literary Currents in Biblical Interpretation series explores current trends within the discipline of biblical interpretation by dealing with the literary qualities of the Bible: the play of its language, the coherence of its final form, and the relationships between text and readers. Biblical interpreters are being challenged to take responsibility for the theological, social, and ethical implications of their readings. This series encourages original readings that breach the confines of traditional biblical criticism.

This volume guides readers through the world of the Bible, the land where the decisive religious experiences of the ancient Israelites and the earliest Christians took place. One cannot understand Judaism or Christianity without knowing not only the history and culture but also the geography of the biblical lands. Here the authors bring together the fruits of contemporary historical and archaeological research to introduce the writings, events, and, most important the land of the Bible. The Land and the Book provides an overview of the geography and the history of the Bible by the use of brief descriptions of each of the major areas in which the events of the biblical narrative took place ( primarily Palestine, Egypt, and Syria) and reviews of the history of ancient Israel, beginning with the patriachs and continuing through the New Testament era and the crusader period to the present. Extensive archaeological and historical descriptions set the stage for a more thorough understanding of the biblical drama by detailing the natural environment of a site; the human artifacts, buildings, and structures discovered there; and the manner in which all illuminate the biblical material * Includes charts and descriptions of archaeological periods, a chronological chart of biblical events, and a glossary of terms-- helps the reader better understand the world of the Bible.

One of the world's leading feminist theologians demonstrates how reading the Bible can be spiritually and politically empowering for women. Schussler Fiorenza challenges us to destroy the dominant models of biblical interpretations that have held some people in subordination and to construct m"

The comprehensive introductions from Westermann's great three-volume commentary on Genesis are now presented in a convenient form for both students and scholars. Three major parts--primeval events, the patriarchal story, and the Joseph story--include historical discussion, theological reflection, and detailed bibliographies. The result is an authoritative introduction to the composition, interpretation, and theology of the first book of the Hebrew Bible.

From the author of the best-selling book THE GLASGOW GOSPEL, comes the Good News in Scots this time. The well known story of Jesus of Nazareth is re-enacted in the 'gutsy vernacular' of the Scots tongue-delightful and dramatic, it 'demands to be aired publicly, or read aloud around the family fire .... ' The Herald