Reading the Bible - a new publication from SCM

Reading the Bible

Who wrote the Bible?
Who decided which books would be included?
Does it matter which translation you use? Why are they different?
Should we allow our own experience to influence our reading of the Bible?
Can we learn anything about God or faith by looking at how artists respond to scripture?
Is there one true interpretation of any Bible passage? Who decides what it is?
Do Christians have to believe the Bible is literally true?
What does the Bible have to say about politics and social issues?
How do you deal with passages in the Bible that promote genocide, slavery or sexism?

Reading the Bible may not be as straightforward as you think...
Explore these questions with us, and understand scripture better

Reading the Bible is a new 56-page glossy A4 book, SCM’s first publication since 2000! It aims to equip you with a wide range of approaches to scripture, from both academic study and church tradition. We wanted to celebrate the diversity and richness of the Bible itself, and of the ways in which Christians use it.

Reading the Bible will be an invaluable resource to anyone who’s leading Bible studies, training for ministry, or just interested in new ways of using the Bible. Accessible articles introducing the approaches, from expert writers

Bible studies, suitable for groups or individuals, which show how the approaches can be used practically to explore the Bible for yourself

CD-ROM with printable handouts, liturgy and worship materials, and a range of visual and multimedia resources about the Bible

Facts, figures and quotes about the most translated book in the world

The articles in the book have all been written by recognised authorities in the relevant fields. Contributors include John Saxbee, John Rogerson, Paul Foster, Henry Wansbrough, John Barton, John Sawyer, John Vincent, Christopher Rowland, Patricia Mcdonald, Robert Beckford and Lisa Isherwood.

Click here to see the nice things some prominent church leaders and theologians have said about the book!

Click on the links below to download some sample pages of the book. Files are supplied in PDF format; if you have difficulty opening them, you may need to download the Reader software from Adobe’s website.

The introduction, setting out the aims of the book
The formation of the canon of scripture – an article by Dom Henry Wansbrough, world-famous Bible translator and scholar
Loose canons? – the Bible study by Howard Ingham which accompanies Henry Wansbrough's article
You pays your money – an article by Howard Ingham on the ways we all read the Bible selectively
Contents page – a full list of all the articles and their authors

Inevitably, these samples only give a flavour of a small selection of the material in the book. The strength of the book lies in its diversity, so to get the full benefit you’ll need to buy a copy! It's just £10 for the book and CD-ROM, including postage and packing – and SCM members get their usual 15% discount. There are two ways to get a copy:

Download the order form, print a copy and post it to us with your cheque.
Contact the SCM office (0121 200 3355 or scm@movement.org.uk) and ask us to post you an order form.