USEFUL TOOLS?  

4 comments Posted by Andrew


We're coming towards the end of our series on how to read the Bible. This week we're looking at some simple rules when it comes to reading the Bible and in our final week were looking at some useful tools that will help with reading the Bible. In the final week on useful tools, I intend to simply wave some useful tools in front of our people that will help them read the Bible so that they don't have to read it cold. And I want to hear from them about some useful tools they've found useful as they've read their Bibles.

I limited myself to looking at local stores and libraries and the books/tools have to be easy to read. In search of some easy accessable tools that people can get their hands on I went our local Christian bookstore and our local library. At the local bookstore I found Fee and Stuart's How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. This is a classic. I also found plenty of NT Wright's .... e.g. (Paul/Mark/Luke) For Everyone series. These are great! I also bought the IVP's New Bible Dictionary and The New Bible Commentary. I thought these would be good but they're a bit too scholarly for most Christians so I won't be recommending them. I also ordered The Learning Bible through our Christian bookstore after Real Live Preacher's recommendation.


Then I visited our local library (not holding out too high of hopes). To my surprise the library has some great simple tools available. They have a copy of Eugene Peterson's Eat This Book! I'm loving that! They also had some of the Cambridge Companion series (companion to postmodern theology - I'm impressed) but they're not an easy read for most Christians. I gout out The Idiot's Guide to the Bible; The Bible Book; and the crowing find from the library The Bible Guide. The Bible Guide is a very accessable, readable book that combine good scholarship with a deep devotion - I love it and am going to get my own copy as it's so good and the author's theology seems close to mine. I'm going to try and have a look for The Bible for Dummies, I hear that it's also pretty good.

Does anyone have any simple, readable, accessable tools they'd recommend?
Update: Stephen G has recommended a more humourous help for Bible reading:
Richard Briggs, Be an Expert in 137 Minutes in Interpreting the Bible (Bletchley: Scripture Union, 1998). Have a read of the comments to follow the hermeneutical spiral!
Another hilarious book I've heard of from Real Live Preacher is:
Jason Boyett, Pocket Guide to the Bible. The video clip is well worth watching - v. funny


THE HUMANITY OF JESUS  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

Paul has a very good post on the humanity of Jesus with a link to an essay by NT Wright. It's a little off the current Bible reading series but it's all good.

Here's a snippet regarding Jesus' self understanding: " Jesus believed himself called to do and be things which, in the traditions to which he fell heir, only Israel’s God, YHWH, was to do and be. I think he held this belief both with passionate and firm conviction and with the knowledge that he could be making a terrible, lunatic mistake." Go and have a read here.

HOW TO READ THE BIBLE ON IT OWN TERMS  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

We've started a short series at Napier on How To Read the Bible on Its Own Terms. I think getting the Bible read is one thing but getting it read on its own terms is another thing. I'm keen to hear what stops us from reading our Bibles, what sort of 'stuff' would you love to explore about reading the Bible or how it came to be etc? What topics should we raise and consider? What would be helpful to explore about the Bible that might help you to read it, understand it and live it out? I haven't finalised the topics in this series and I'd love your input on it...

If you have any good resources to recommend then let us know.

Cheers,
Andrew

REFRESHED AND BACK  

0 comments Posted by Andrew


Hi all, I have not been posting throughout January because I've been away on holiday. We had a great break, spending Christmas with Margaret's family coming here to Napier. It was lots of fun. There were many highlights but perhaps the greatest was being given an autographed Wayne Anderson t-shirt! My sister in law actually went to Wayne's house and videoed a Christmas message from him to me - legend!


Then we spent some time up in Auckland relaxing, spending time in the Carey library (very geeky but relaxing for me) and catching up with friends. While I was in the Manukau Mall Wayne Anderson walked past me singing at the top of his voice - he is indeed the singer of songs!!


Hope your holiday has gone well....

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