From the Publisher
In The Bible Tells Me So, Peter Enns addresses the problems of scripture form the position of an evangelical Christian who observes with candor and fresh humor that too often faithful readers approach the Bible with expectations it is not set up to meet.” — Publishers Weekly
“Peter Enns has written a great book about The Book. If you’ve ever struggled with the violent or contradictory or just plain strange passages in the Bible, this book is for you . . . And he’s funny.” — Rob Bell, author of Love Wins
“Cross a stand-up comic, a robust theological mind, a college professor, and a decent normal guy, and what do you get? Peter Enns. And what does he write? A super-enjoyable, highly informative, disarmingly honest, and downright liberating book. The message of this book needs to get out. Fast.” — Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity
“The question of how to read, inwardly digest, and eventually ‘live’ the Bible is probably the most divisive one among Christians today. This is a book that every Christian will be the better and richer for having read.” — Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence
“Peter Enns has emerged as one of the stars of biblical interpretation for thinking Christians. With writing that is winsome, readable, and non-intimidating, he cuts a path between wooden literalism and faithless liberalism, giving us a way to read the Bible that is both faithful and intellectually credible.” — Tony Jones, theologian-in-residence at Solomon's Porch and the author of Did God Kill Jesus?
Brian McLaren
Cross a stand-up comic, a robust theological mind, a college professor, and a decent normal guy, and what do you get? Peter Enns. And what does he write? A super-enjoyable, highly informative, disarmingly honest, and downright liberating book. The message of this book needs to get out. Fast.
Phyllis Tickle
The question of how to read, inwardly digest, and eventually ‘live’ the Bible is probably the most divisive one among Christians today. This is a book that every Christian will be the better and richer for having read.
Tony Jones
Peter Enns has emerged as one of the stars of biblical interpretation for thinking Christians. With writing that is winsome, readable, and non-intimidating, he cuts a path between wooden literalism and faithless liberalism, giving us a way to read the Bible that is both faithful and intellectually credible.
Rob Bell
Peter Enns has written a great book about The Book. If you’ve ever struggled with the violent or contradictory or just plain strange passages in the Bible, this book is for you . . . And he’s funny.
From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY
"This is not an academic book, instead, it's a popular, short treatment designed to provoke a reset of how we read the Bible." —Library Journal
Library Journal
09/15/2014
Enns (biblical studies, Eastern Univ., Inspiration and Incarnation) surveys the Bible with a premise that evangelicals have misinterpreted it by viewing scripture as a historically accurate rulebook. Instead the author encourages reading the Bible as a story with a human viewpoint designed to deliver religious and political messages of the time. He states "Israel's stories…were not written to 'talk about what happened back then.' They were written to explain what is. The past is shaped to speak to the present." Enns reviews additional passages contending that the Bible isn't necessarily an owner's manual that answers all of our questions about God but a "guide for the faithful—by being a story, not by giving us a list of directions disguised as a story." This is not an academic book, instead, it's a popular, short treatment designed to provoke a reset of how we read the Bible. Most evangelicals will disagree with the author's view, however, it may spur discussion. VERDICT This title will appeal to readers who enjoy works by N.T. Wright or John Dominic Crossan. Recommended for larger public and academic libraries.—Ray Arnett, Fremont Area Dist. Lib., MI
