How (Not) to Read the Bible
Making Sense of the Anti-women, Anti-science, Pro-violence, Pro-slavery and Other Crazy-Sounding Parts of Scripture
- Apologetics
- Publisher: Zondervan Reflective (Zondervan)
- Published: 2020
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Publisher's Description
Is Reading the Bible the Fastest Way to Lose Your Faith? For centuries, the Bible was called "the Good Book," a moral and religious text that guides us into a relationship with God and shows us the right way to live. Today, however, some people argue the Bible is outdated and harmful, with many Christians unaware of some of the odd and disturbing things the Bible says. How (Not) to Read the Bible tackles big questions like: Does the Bible degrade women? Is the Bible anti-science? How could a loving God command such violence in the Old Testament? Does the Bible endorse slavery? Bestselling author Dan Kimball guides you step-by-step in how to tackle many of the real questions that people wrestle with when reading the Bible and how to make sense of many of the more difficult and disturbing Bible passages. Filled with fun stories, visual illustrations, and memes reflecting popular cultural objections, How (Not) to Read the Bible is a lifeline for anyone—Christians and doubters alike—who are confused or discouraged with questions about the Bible. Yes, there are puzzling and disturbing Bible passages... But there are explanations!
Endorsements (18)
“pay attention!” Blue means “very poetic.” Green means “super weird or hilarious.” There is a lot of green in my Bible! Dan helps make sense of the bizarre and demonstrates why we can have confidence that the Bible is trustworthy and God inspired.”
“In our culture the Bible has, for many people, become an obstacle in the journey of faith. Biblical stories about sex, slavery, and divine violence are often too bizarre and disturbing for most modern readers. Dan Kimball understands this from personal and pastoral experience, and he’s given us a thoughtful guide for reading these problematic parts of the Bible. If you’re struggling to make moral sense of the Bible, or know someone who is, this book is for you!”
“The Bible presents many problems to many readers, and they can be forceful and fearless in their questioning traditional beliefs in the Bible. It’s because Dan’s pastoral heart has heard people ask these questions and because he has worked through their issues that there is no one in the world better to write this book than Dan Kimball. A book full of theological wisdom and pastoral care for honest Bible readers who have genuine and difficult questions about the Bible.”
“We need this book. Dan Kimball has long been a guide for a generation trying to find their footing in a post-Christian world, for those of us who want to believe, yet struggle to make sense of the Bible in our age. Yet again, he steps in to offer kind, intelligent, wise, and, as you’d expect from Dan, funny guidance.”
“Dan Kimball answers tough questions with both clarity and a genuine sympathy for those who struggle with them. His compassion and sensitivity are a result of his own struggles with the strange book called the Bible. In this book, Kimball describes how to resolve those doubts. We need to read the Bible cautiously and carefully, with ancient eyes, not modern ones. This book is Kimball’s winsome and insightful tutorial on how to accomplish that task.”
“about the difficult and often bizarre parts of the Bible lead them to doubt Christianity. It should be on the bookshelf of every pastor and parent who gets peppered with “gotcha!” questions about the Bible. It should be read with an open mind by skeptics and anyone on a spiritual deconstruction journey. Chances are, there’s someone in your life who needs to read it right now.”
“The Bible is the most amazing and life-changing book ever. Yet today, many are confused by Bible verses that seem strange and disturbing. The good news is that when you learn how (not) to read the Bible, you will find there are answers and explanations that make sense. Dan shows ways of gaining confidence in how and why the Bible was written, and how to make sense of difficult Bible passages.”
“Dan Kimball asks a question that I and many of my fellow nonbelievers have been asking: “How do thinking people understand and believe the weird and disturbing things found in the Bible?” As Dan points out, many of them don’t, and as a consequence they leave the faith. Although I made a similar transition myself, it must be admitted that most initial salvos from atheists against the many disturbing and morally problematic biblical passages we quote have explanations, or at least historical context for what they’re trying to convey. While my skepticism remains undeterred, I will confess (if I may) that I learned a lot reading this book.”
“What a brilliant and easy to understand guide to the Bible difficulties that perplex Christians and drive the mockery of skeptics. Dan writes with a humility and clarity that will draw you in and won’t let you put this book down. I’ll be recommending it for years to come—this is the most accessible resource I’ve seen on the topic.”
“Dan Kimball is a man after my own heart: part investigator, part pastor, and part storyteller. Dan deftly explains how to read the Bible the way it was meant to be read. Perplexed by difficult passages in Scripture? Struggling to respond to friends and family members who sometimes misread the text and assume the worst of God? This timely book will equip you to read more clearly and explain more concisely. It will change the way you consider and defend the truth.”
“Dan Kimball once again raises his voice to help us understand how this generation is learning about faith and the Bible. He shows ways to help understand the difficult parts of Scripture while being faithful to its historical and beautiful truths. Insightful, powerful, and practical—you’ll love this book!”
“Dan Kimball’s book is a wise, honest guide to caricatures about the Bible as well as to challenging and difficult to understand passages. It is accessible, readable, and engaging. Kimball speaks with great pastoral concern and insight about the most troubling or perplexing questions raised by Scripture.”
“Hand this book to a seeker who is struggling with Scripture or to a young person who is ready to give up on Christianity. Dan Kimball walks through the hardest passages of Scripture and the ways they are mocked on social media. On science, he shows how texts like Genesis 1 were not meant to answer our modern questions about evolution but to teach the ancient Israelites about the one true God and the goodness of creation.”
“Whether it’s learning to master a sport, cooking, driving, or some other skill, there are times when learning how not to think or perform a task is crucial to success. Dan Kimball has rendered such a service with his provocative, humorous, but ultimately instructive book. Never has the need for reading Scripture accurately, within the contexts of its ancient writers, been so dire. This book reorients readers to make that task possible.”
“Dan Kimball takes us through the weird, the bad, and the ugly of the Bible with penetrating insight. Whether its misogyny, slavery, or violence, Kimball takes an honest approach and shows us how (not) to read the Bible and why we can still believe in a God who loves all people. A valuable resource for doubters, seekers, and anyone confused about whether the Bible is true and good for people.”
“Many people, even Christians, write off the Bible without really reading it. Or perhaps they selectively read it and avoid the parts that embarrass them. Dan Kimball takes us right to these controversial passages and helps us set them in the broader context of Scripture. Thank you, Dan, for this insightful, well-written, profound, but readable book on an important topic. Reading it will transform your attitude toward the Bible and toward God himself.”
“Dan Kimball is an absolute genius at helping Christians see why many people reject God because they read the Bible! He goes deep into those strong negative reactions to help us feel their power before gently showing us a better way. Reading crazy passages in light of the whole story shows us the power of the redemption of God through Jesus.”
“journey through some of the strangest and most challenging parts of Scripture. He helps us navigate the complexity and arrive on the far side of the Bible’s most perplexing stories with a renewed confidence in God’s love and grace. This book is a must-read for anyone struggling to make sense of the difficult and disturbing parts of the Bible.”
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