Many times people say to me, “I don’t know a lot about the Bible. Is there a good book I can read that will help me understand it better?” The answer is yes and here are my top three books on the Good Book.
Making Sense of the Bible, by Adam Hamilton. This book is one of the best you can read about the Bible. Adam has combined a pastor’s heart with a scholar’s background and delivered a terrific guide to many of the complex and difficult questions that surround its contents. In the first section of the book, he takes on topics like inspiration, how and why the books of the Bible were chosen (and why others were not included), and the nature of scripture. In the second part he deals with contemporary issues like science, suffering, homosexuality and violence. For my money this is the best book available for the person in the pew on how to read and make sense of the sacred and holy word.
An older but still very worthwhile volume is Peter Gomes’ book, The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind. Professor Gomes is in the resurrection now but during his lifetime he was named as one of the top ten preachers in the USA. Some of you may recall that he delivered a series of lectures and a sermon here at Country Club Christian Church several years ago. Gomes takes on issues and concerns similar to Hamilton’s but with a slightly different approach. If you’ve ever heard Peter preach you’ll no doubt hear his voice as you read chapters with titles like, “The Bible in America,” “The Bible and Race,” and “The Bible and Mystery.”
Convictions: How I Learned What Matters Most, by Marcus Borg, focuses on the question, “What does it mean to be Christian and American today?” As you can see the book is not about the Bible but it does delve into matters centered around concerns that are raised about the Bible. For example, chapter five, “Jesus is the Norm of the Bible,” is a very practical guide to reading the Bible through the viewpoint of Jesus (and it is similar to an idea proposed in Adam’s book above). Another chapter, “The Bible is Political,” demonstrates that the Bible often took on political issues of the day.
All three of these volumes are worth your time to read. I am certain your faith will be enriched. If you read any or all, please let me know your thoughts. I’d love to be in conversation with you about these good books on the Good Book!
Grace and peace to you,
