Jeffery Sheler: Is the Bible True?
Then Sheler delves into the quests to discover the historical Jesus. We learn that there have been three quests in recent times. I ended up thinking that vanity is a force which drives far too much of our lives. Next we learn about the recent emphasis on Bible Codes and what they are all about. Much ado about nothing in Sheler’s opinion, and I agree. The last part of the book is Sheler’s conclusion which was never really in doubt , since we were told beforehand what we would learn.
It is a conclusion, however, that I have known to be true ever since I dared to believe and act upon an evangelist’s invitation 40 years ago. I knew nothing about the Scriptures. The Bible was a book I found in hotel room nightstands. It was incomprehensible and meaningless. Not worth my attention. The debate over inerrancy, infallibility, historicity and so on meant nothing to me. They still don’t. Somehow I just knew they were of the highest value and reliability as soon as I was birthed into the Kingdom of God.
Sheler’s book is well done, though some scholars probably will not like it. It is not deep enough for that crowd, but to the ordinary person in the pew who wants a better understanding of the debate, here is an opportunity to be on the cutting edge, and what I think is also the popular edge of the debate. I enjoyed the book. It is good journalism.
Reviewed by H. Murray Hohns
Publisher’s page: www.harpercollins.com/9780062013460
Category: Biblical Studies, Fall 2000
1332 Followers
Fans
