Joanne Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Now that I've graduated, I'd like to study the Bible. However, anything from a literalist, fundamentalist, perspective won't work for me. I am more universal, pluralist, liberal, postmodern. Suggestions? Or should I just check Cokesbury or see if the UU has a sales site? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 (edited) Here is a list of some Authors and books that I've read in the last couple of years: Karen Armstrong- The History of God The Battle for God In the Beginning The Bible A Short History of Myth Bart Ehrman- Misquoting Jesus Lost Christianities Isaac Asimov- In the Beginning James Kugel- How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now Scott Korb- Life in Year One I haven't read any systematic studies through scripture yet, but I have Isaac Asimov's Guide to the Bible on my nightstand right now. I'm not any further than Genesis in that one. The above books were read because that is what my little bitty country library happened to have that weren't fundamentalist. I'm still looking into other books in their collection, but I don't have any more recommendations yet. I didn't agree with every single thing I read in the above, but I don't think that's going to happen anyway. :-) They sure were mind stretching and thought provoking. I would say explore what's available in your public library and feel free to toss what doesn't work aside. Edited December 14, 2011 by Onceuponatime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 I haven't read any systematic studies through scripture yet, but I have Isaac Asimov's Guide to the Bible on my nightstand right now. I'm not any further than Genesis in that one. The above books were read because that is what my little bitty country library happened to have that weren't fundamentalist. I'm still looking into other books in their collection, but I don't have any more recommendations yet. I didn't agree with every single thing I read in the above, but I don't think that's going to happen anyway. :-) They sure were mind stretching and thought provoking. I would say explore what's available in your public library and feel free to toss what doesn't work aside. Thank you. I work in a seminary. ;) But the material there is slanted towards scholarly work rather than personal. Most Bible studies have a literalist bent, it seems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristyB in TN Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I appreciate all those suggestions! I'm writing them down. I love Karen Armstrong's biography of The Bible. Truly enlightening for me and I reread parts of it occasionally just to be clear. I'm a dork. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraL in OK Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I'd like to study the Bible... I am more universal, pluralist, liberal, postmodern. A couple of years ago I started dipping my toes back into study of the Bible several decades after being drilled in a very conservative approach that simply wasn't right for me. Now I'm Episcopalian and very happy with the breadth of belief generally accepted in the Episcopal Church. I am not a literalist or inerrantist. I do believe the Bible tells the story of God's passionate love for us. Here is a book that introduced me to modern approaches to the Bible with a story I know very well: The Last Week: What the Gospels really teach about Jesus's final days in Jerusalem, by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan. I also read and thoroughly appreciated Borg & Crossan's book about the apostle Paul, The First Paul: Reclaiming the radical visionary behind the church's conservative icon. The descriptions on both book covers are kind of sensationalistic, but I found these books were a great introduction to various approaches in current Biblical scholarship. Along the way a friend, a faculty member in religious studies at the local state university, recommended several commentaries to use alongside books of the Bible. The only affordable one, which he actually highly recommended, is the Sacra Pagina series of commentaries. It is published by a Roman Catholic press, but when you get into Biblical studies outside purely denominational resources, the level of scholarship is what matters. I bought the volume for the Gospel of Mark, and after Christmas I plan to start reading it and Mark together, at whatever pace works for me. It's Advent, so I am enjoying Borg & Crossan's The First Christmas: What the Gospels really teach about Jesus's birth. I am starting to see the four Gospels as individual texts; the very different nativity stories in Matthew and Luke are the focus of this book, and it'll be great to study the Gospel of Mark afterward. It is very cool to also have been reading some of the apocryphal infancy / nativity stories of Jesus and begin to see where some of the "folk" traditions have come from -- earlychristianwritings.com has many or most of the better-known texts, as well as brief introductions to them. Personally, Bart Ehrman's works seem pretty polemical and anti-Christian. I prefer to read something more balanced, or balance reading his stuff by also reading something (dare I say) pro-Christian. This fall our church offered an evening class on Christian apocryphal writings (i.e., texts that did not make it into the New Testament) and Ehrman's Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures are good resources... alongside the articles & such that the teacher provides (my religious studies faculty friend). Good luck! Have fun! Learn and explore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 James Kugel- How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now . I am currently reading this and I think it may just win my personal award for Best Book I Read in 2011. Kugel is a former chaired professor of Hebrew at Harvard and also an Orthodox Jew, and the book compares and contrasts ancient interpretations of the Hebrew Bible with contemporary biblical scholarship, and he explicitly grapples with the seriously destabilizing implications of the latter for people of faith (which he considers himself to be). It is the most intellectually honest thing I've read in ages. That said, I'm Jewish, and I'm not familiar enough with Christian perspectives to know how the book would translate, although it is directed at a broad readership. Joanne, you might also take a look at A.J. Levine's lectures for the Teaching Company. I believe she has them on both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraL in OK Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Thank you, Jenny, for the Kugel recommendation -- sounds very intriguing! Joanne, you might also take a look at A.J. Levine's lectures for the Teaching Company. I believe she has them on both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. If this is Amy-Jill Levine, she is a wonderful speaker. I had the opportunity to hear her in person last winter. I'm headed over to the Teaching Company to look her up -- thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I'm Episcopalian, too--and I'm on the more conservative end. That said, my hubby is not quite as conservative as I am. He does not appreciate Crossin or Borg (Borg can hardly be called a Christian in any orthodox sense of the word, forget inerrancy or whatever). He says their scholarship is faulty. I know many find them enlightening. I would encourage you to look into EfM at your local Episcopal church. While I personally disagree with many of the materials, I suspect you would be fed by the fellowship, the scholarship, and the theological reflection. It's a big commitment, but really, not that difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSNative Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Have you looked at the DISCIPLE bible study by the UMC? I went through it almost 15 years ago. I remember it being a very systematic study of the bible. Not a ton of commentary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I'm a big fan of the New Interpreter's Bibles. They have copious notes, as well as both scholarly and devotional articles. I also have a Methodist pastor friend who has an online Bible Study on youtube on the book of Luke. (CyberBible 2.0, Union United Methodist) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battlemaiden Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Now that I've graduated, I'd like to study the Bible. However, anything from a literalist, fundamentalist, perspective won't work for me. I am more universal, pluralist, liberal, postmodern. Suggestions? Or should I just check Cokesbury or see if the UU has a sales site? :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in Austin Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Marcus Borg or Bart Ehrman. They have more popular as well as their more scholarly writings. If you can stomach something a little more scholarly, I like Ben Witherington. And don't forget Peter Enns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 The Anchor Yale commentaries are outstanding and scholarly. A good seminary would likely own a collection (they are voluminous and expensive for mere mortals). There may be more depth than you desire, but for a through study they are an amazing academic resource. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 :blink: Did you have a comment? Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Marcus Borg or Bart Ehrman. They have more popular as well as their more scholarly writings. If you can stomach something a little more scholarly, I like Ben Witherington. And don't forget Peter Enns. I just read a book by him on Old Testament, for extra credit. I enjoyed it. I wrote a footnote about the kerfluffle. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 The ELCA has recently published a new Lutheran study Bible that is quite liberal. I don't know whether it was from Augsberg or Fortress Press, but I would guess Augsberg. Personally, I like the LCMS study Bibles very much. I have used the Concordia Self-Study Bible for years, and love it, and the new Lutheran Study Bible from Concordia is also very good. But I'm not sure that they are what you're looking for as they are conservative. They are not fundamentalist, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I'm just seconding the EfM recommendation/ You might be able to find a local group through your local Episcopal diocese but there are also online groups. It gives you a firm grounding in moderate-liberal biblical scholarship. You'll learn about the documentary hypothesis and four source theory and much more in terms of Biblical criticism. It's a four year course and. in the US, a credit course I think. My minister said it's more intensive and deeper then what he got at the local college of theology. It's challenging intellectual, spiritually and offers some great fellowship. I thin it would be right up your alley actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 I'm just seconding the EfM recommendation/ You might be able to find a local group through your local Episcopal diocese but there are also online groups. It gives you a firm grounding in moderate-liberal biblical scholarship. You'll learn about the documentary hypothesis and four source theory and much more in terms of Biblical criticism. It's a four year course and. in the US, a credit course I think. My minister said it's more intensive and deeper then what he got at the local college of theology. It's challenging intellectual, spiritually and offers some great fellowship. I thin it would be right up your alley actually. Thanks. I may check it out. :) I studied the bold, as a student, last term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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