BIBLE 101
FIRST THINGS FIRST: If you are new to the Bible, please read this basic introduction.
· Unit 1. Introduction - What is the Bible?
· Unit 2. A Record
· Unit 3. How to Write a Record
· Unit 4. A Complete Written Record
· Unit 5. A Selective Record
· Unit 6. A Historical Record Part 1
· Unit 7. A Historical Record Part 2
· Unit 8. A Historical Record Part 3
Definitions
Lists and Tables
Resources
STUDY UNITS
· Preface: Some Explanations· Unit 1. Introduction - What is the Bible?
· Unit 2. A Record
· Unit 3. How to Write a Record
· Unit 4. A Complete Written Record
· Unit 5. A Selective Record
· Unit 6. A Historical Record Part 1
· Unit 7. A Historical Record Part 2
· Unit 8. A Historical Record Part 3
Definitions
Lists and Tables
Resources
Have you ever tried to construct a definition of what the Bible is?
It is a lot harder than it sounds, trust me! It took a while, but I finally managed something that I could work with. Warning: it's not a "spiritual" definition at all. In fact, you could use the format to describe most books, not just the Bible.
In the words of Bible scholar Fenton John Anthony Hort [1]:
"We approach the Bible like any other book, to find that the Bible is unlike any other book".
I'm not nearly at Hort's level of scholarship, but I decided to try and remove the blinkers of traditional "Christianese"
as much as I could. I wanted to look at the Book from a new angle, and see what I would find. And I was convinced more strongly than ever before that we are dealing with a book like no other.
If such an unorthodox approach worries you, consider the following description of what we need urgently in the fight against climate change:
"Self-replicating, solar-powered machines that synthesize carbon dioxide and rainwater into oxygen and sturdy building materials on a planetary scale." [2]
It's not science fiction, we have these machines. We call them trees. But reading a description like this makes us see them with new eyes, as the incredible entities they are, and why they should be protected.
In the same way, looking from a new perspective might just revolutionise our view of the Bible: it's not just a book, it's a book like no other, with a message like no other.
So join me in discovering, or rediscovering, the most incredible Book in existence. We'll try to steer clear of traditional Christian jargon and theological terms, and look with fresh eyes.
This is a work in progress, and I will announce new material here as it becomes available.
¤ NEW CONTENT
¤ The first part of Study Unit 7 is now available.
¤ Timelines of Biblical history from creation to the period of the Judges were added to the Lists & Tables page.
[A slowly-growing list of suggested resources can be found at "Resources".]
Please come back often, and journey along.