A Compact Guide to the Whole Bible: Learning to Read Scripture's Story

This compact, one-semester introduction to the Bible prepares students to begin reading the biblical text as Christian Scripture, focusing on the meaning of Scripture for the church. The editors and contributors--experienced teachers with expertise in different parts of the Bible--orient students to the whole of Scripture so that they may read the biblical text for themselves. The book first explains what Christians believe about Scripture and gives a bird's-eye survey of the whole biblical story. Chapters then introduce the story, arrangement, style, and key ideas of each division of the Old and New Testament, helping readers see how the books of the Bible make a coherent whole.
Contents
1. Reading the Bible as Scripture
2. Reading the Bible as Story
3. The Beginning of the Story
Genesis-Deuteronomy
4. The Story of Israel in (and out of) the Land
Joshua-Esther
5. The Witness of Israel's Poets and Sages
Job-Song of Songs
6. The Witness of Israel's Prophets
Isaiah-Malachi
7. Israel in Waiting
The Time between the Two Testaments
8. The Story of Jesus
The Four Gospels
9. The Story of the Church
Acts and the Letters
10. The Story's Conclusion
The Revelation to John
11. Epilogue
Glossary
Index