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Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the…
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Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today (edition 2014)

by Adam Hamilton

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324479,793 (4.11)3
Denominations from evangelical to mainline continue to experience deep divisions over universal social issues. The underlying debate isn't about a particular social issue, but instead it is about how we understand the nature of scripture and how we should interpret it. The world's bestselling, most-read, and most-loved book is also one of the most confusing. In Making Sense of the Bible, Adam Hamilton, one of the country's leading pastors and Christian authors, addresses the hot-button issues that plague the church and cultural debate, and answers many of the questions frequently asked by Christians and non-Christians alike. Did God really command Moses to put gay people to death? Did Jesus really teach that everyone who is not a Christian will be assigned to hell? Why would Paul command women to "keep silent in the church?" Were Adam and Eve real people? Is the book of Revelation really about the end times? Who decided which books made it into the scriptures and why? Is the Bible ever wrong? In approachable and inviting language, Hamilton addresses these often misunderstood biblical themes leading readers to a deeper appreciation of the Bible so that we might hear God speak through it and find its words to be life-changing and life-giving.… (more)
Member:mwthomas87
Title:Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today
Authors:Adam Hamilton
Info:HarperOne (2014), Hardcover, 352 pages
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Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today by Adam Hamilton

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Some pastors would prefer to avoid the really tough questions parishioners have about the Bible. Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest United Methodist Church in the world (near Kansas City) tackles such questions head-on in his 2014 book “Making Sense of the Bible.”

Is the Bible inspired by God? What does that even mean? Is it infallible? Were Adam and Eve real people? What does the Bible really say about homosexuality, women in leadership positions and other controversial issues? Not every reader will like every answer Hamilton gives, but they should all appreciate his willingness to offer his answers frankly, while admitting they are not necessarily the correct ones.

Hamilton describes himself as an evangelical, while conceding that his views have changed over the years, especially on the homosexuality question.

He doesn't believe God dictated the Bible word for word. Rather, he says, the Bible was written by people as fallible as anyone else. But Jesus himself frequently quoted passages from what Christians call the Old Testament, giving it authority for him and thus authority for his followers. As for the New Testament, it was written by those who either knew Jesus or knew others who knew Jesus. This proximity to Jesus makes these books more essential to the faith than books written in later centuries that may be no less inspired by God. Thus he is not bothered by the fact that the gospel writers told the same stories a little differently. They were only human, after all. What's important is that they agree on the important things, the Resurrection for example.

Hamilton takes a middle position between the two extremes of the Bible controversy. "Instead of assuming that the Bible is the result of God's word-for-word inspiration of its authors, or that the Bible is merely a human book, I've suggested that the scriptures were written by human beings who were inspired by God yet wrote in the light of their own experiences, the scientific knowledge they had access to, and the historical circumstances in which they lived."

According to John 1:1, Hamilton points out, the word of God is not the Bible but Jesus himself. ( )
  hardlyhardy | Apr 10, 2020 |
I found the Biblical theories espoused in this book very interesting. I didn't agree with everything he wrote, but agreed with enough to recommend the book. ( )
  csobolak | Mar 4, 2018 |
This book is very good. It attempts to answer questions that people struggle with in regards to the bible in a reasonable way. I'm not sure if I agree with all of Hamilton's conclusions, but will admit that the book has given me some things to think about. I would consider the book a success for that reason. ( )
  rft183 | Jul 14, 2015 |
Very accessible and awesome. ( )
  aegossman | Feb 25, 2015 |
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Denominations from evangelical to mainline continue to experience deep divisions over universal social issues. The underlying debate isn't about a particular social issue, but instead it is about how we understand the nature of scripture and how we should interpret it. The world's bestselling, most-read, and most-loved book is also one of the most confusing. In Making Sense of the Bible, Adam Hamilton, one of the country's leading pastors and Christian authors, addresses the hot-button issues that plague the church and cultural debate, and answers many of the questions frequently asked by Christians and non-Christians alike. Did God really command Moses to put gay people to death? Did Jesus really teach that everyone who is not a Christian will be assigned to hell? Why would Paul command women to "keep silent in the church?" Were Adam and Eve real people? Is the book of Revelation really about the end times? Who decided which books made it into the scriptures and why? Is the Bible ever wrong? In approachable and inviting language, Hamilton addresses these often misunderstood biblical themes leading readers to a deeper appreciation of the Bible so that we might hear God speak through it and find its words to be life-changing and life-giving.

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