Does the Bible really matter in today's multicultural, scientifically informed and technologically enabled world? Does Richard Dawkins have a point when he says that the Bible is plain weird ... a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents, composed, revised, translated, distorted and 'improved' by hundreds of anonymous authors, editors and copyists"? Does studying the Bible have any place in twenty-first-century education, faith or life? Centuries of intensive biblical scholarship have made the meaning of the Bible less, not more, clear. Its authority and even importance has been called into question as questions about its historical accuracy have been raised and the apparent complexities of its authorship have been exposed. In clear and straightforward language and with plenty of lively examples, Bible Matters charts the development of Biblical Criticism and explores the philosophical assumptions which underlie Historical Criticism, more contemporary approaches to Biblical Interpretation

Perhaps human beings are animals, driven by the will to survive and reproduce, perhaps responsibility is a useful fiction and religion is the opium of the masses. Perhaps death is the end, life is ultimately meaningless, brutish and short. Perhaps man is the measure of all things and beauty, truth and justice are open to interpretation. Or, perhaps not. God matters. The choice over whether and what to believe is inescapable because it determines how we live our lives. Nothing matters more. Here is a book that encourages and enables students and general readers to ask fundamental questions about the nature and meaning of human life in an open, engaging but academically rigorous way. Centuries of scholarship in the Philosophy of Religion, from Jewish and Muslim as well as Christian traditions, are put in context and critically evaluated. Examples from art, film, and literature show the contemporary relevance of debates which have raged throughout human history. www.what-matters.org provides recommendations for further reading, a rich anthology of primary texts, questions for discussion and related activities.

How do we know the difference between right and wrong? How can we make decisions about issues from germ-line genetic engineering to the regulation of banking, from nuclear power to ethnic bioweapons, from end-of-life care to global warming? What does it mean to live a good life? Ethics Matters introduces students and general readers to the business of making moral decisions, engaging them in meaningful dialogue and inspiring them to find out more. Beginning with a discussion of the question of truth in Ethics, Peter and Charlotte Vardy outline and evaluate major approaches to doing ethics from Natural Law and Virtue Ethics to Situation Ethics and Postmodernism, considering how these might inform decision making in today's world. Ethics Matters places the latest scholarship in context, clarifying how it relates to today's biggest challenges, without in any sense 'dumbing down'. The style is engaging and accessible; good use is made of examples from film, literature and current affairs to shine a light on the fundamental philosophic questions which underpin practical dilemmas. A new web site, www.what-matters.org provides recommendations for further reading, a rich anthology of primary texts, questions for discussion and related activities.