Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally
by Marcus J. Borg
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Book Summary Information
Author: Marcus J. BorgEdition: Paperback
Published: 2002-02-05
ISBN: 0060609192
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco
Book Reviews of Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally
Book Review: "When A Second Time Is Best"
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are as disgusted as I am with the shrill claim of fundamentalists and most evangelicals that the Bible is the final and infallible authority for faith then Marcus Borg's book entitled "Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally" may be just the antidote that you need to get you past your irritation. It is, in Karen Armstrong's words, "profound, challenging and engrossing." This book represents an approach to the biblical texts that is illuminating.
What is Borg's approach? He uses the phrase "historical-metaphorial" as a way of seeing and reading these texts that distinguishes his approach from the conscious literalism of fundamentalists and many evangelicals. In establishing this perspective he rejects three conclusions of the approach he calls "conscious literalism." These are: (1) the claim that the Bible is a divine product; (2) the claim that the Bible, therefore, is true and authoritative because of its origin; (3) the claim that the Bible is historically and factually true. This understanding that he rejects was conventional Christianity as recently as a century ago. This way of seeing and reading the Bible, Borg claims, "...leads to a way of being Christian that has very litle to do with believing. Instead, what will emerge is a relational and sacramental understanding of the Christian life. Being Christian...is not about believing in the Bible or about believing in Christianity. Rather, it is about a deepening relationship with God to whom the Bible points...."
Borg proceeds to "read again" the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. The creation stories, the Pentateuch, the prophets and the wisdom literature are examined through the lens of his "historical" and "metaphorical" approach. He concludes each chapter by describing the biblical story in the light of his approach. He is at his best in these segments!
Then he uses the same approach to "read again" the gospels, Paul and Revelation. His chapter on Revelation would challenge some interpretations such as that of John Hagee as well as the domination system that Jesus, Paul and early Christianity faced.
This review chooses his perspective as an avenue to encourage you to read Borg's book. "In the process of shaping Christian identity and vision in community, the Bible has a central role, perhaps second only to that of the Spirit. As the foundation of the Christian tradition, the Bible is the source of our images and stories for speaking of God's passion. Thus its interpretation shapes our vision of what it means to take the God of the Bible seriously." Read this book. It will encourage you to "read the Bible again for the first time" from a perspective that is exciting, as well as liberating from the prisons of a dead vision of "the good Book!"
Summary of Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally
Reading the Bible Again for the First Time is Marcus Borg's follow-up to Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time. Like his earlier book, this one is written for lay people whose faith has been frustrated by their misapprehension that fundamentalism's claim to be the one true faith is valid. Borg, a professor of religion at Oregon State University, describes an alternative to fundamentalists' so-called "literal" readings of scripture. (He believes that such "literal-factual" readings do not live up to that description, and that the limitations of such readings have alienated many people who would otherwise remain part of the church.) Borg calls his alternative "historical-metaphorical" reading, a way of "taking the Bible seriously without taking it literally." Reading the Bible begins with a history of recent conflicts regarding biblical interpretation. Borg navigates the minefields of his subject with sensitivity and precision, explaining, for example, the important distinction between evangelical and fundamentalist readings of the Bible. He then offers historical-metaphorical readings of some key texts from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Throughout, Borg writes with calm assurance and respect for those who would disagree with him. Reading the Bible is a credible guide to the project it names. It is a faithful exercise of reason, undertaken to help Christians hear more clearly the many voices recorded in the Bible. --Michael Joseph GrossOne of the vital challenges facing thoughtful people today is how to read the Bible faithfully without abandoning our sense of truth and history. Reading the Bible Again for the First Time provides a much-needed solution to the problem of how to have a fully authentic yet contemporary understanding of the scriptures. Many mistakenly believe there are no choices other than fundamentalism or simply rejecting the Bible as something that can bring meaning to our lives. Answering this modern dilemma, acclaimed author Marcus Borg reveals how it is possible to reconcile the Bible with both a scientific and critical way of thinking and our deepest spiritual needs, leading to a contemporary yet grounded experience of the sacred texts.
This seminal book shows you how to read the Bible as it should be examined—in an approach the author calls "historical-metaphorical." Borg explores what the Scriptures meant to the ancient communities that produced and lived by them. He then helps us to discover the meaning of these stories, providing the knowledge and perspective to make the wisdom of the Bible an essential part of our modern lives. The author argues that the conventional way of seeing the Bible's origin, authority, and interpretation has become unpersuasive to millions of people in our time, and that we need a fresh way of encountering the Bible that takes the texts seriously but not literally, even as it takes seriously who we have become.
Borg traces his personal spiritual journey, describing for readers how he moved from an unquestioning childhood belief in the biblical stories to a more powerful and dynamic relationship with the Bible as a sacred text brimming with meaning and guidance. Using his own experience as an example, he reveals how the modern crisis of faith is itself rooted in the misinterpretation of sacred texts as historical record and divine dictation, and opens readers to a truer, more abundant perspective.
This unique book invites everyone—whatever one's religious background—to engage the Bible, wrestle with its meaning, explore its mysteries, and understand its relevance. Borg shows us how to encounter the Bible in a fresh way that rejects the limits of simple literalism and opens up rich possibilities for our lives.
"Special e-book features: This PerfectBound e-book contains an exclusive interview with Marcus Borg and in-text hyperlinks to each of his notes and to key passages in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. One of the vital challenges facing thoughtful people today is how to read the Bible faithfully without abandoning our sense of truth and history. Reading the Bible Again for the First Time provides a much-needed solution to the problem of how to have a fully authentic yet contemporary understanding of the scriptures. Many mistakenly believe there are no choices other than fundamentalism or simply rejecting the Bible as something that can bring meaning to our lives. Answering this modern dilemma, acclaimed author Marcus Borg reveals how it is possible to reconcile the Bible with both a scientific and critical way of thinking and our deepest spiritual needs, leading to a contemporary yet grounded experience of the sacred texts. This seminal book shows you how to read the Bible as it should be examined -- in an approach the author calls ""historical-metaphorical."" Borg explores what the Scriptures meant to the ancient communities that produced and lived by them. He then helps us to discover the meaning of these stories, providing the knowledge and perspective to make the wisdom of the Bible an essential part of our modern lives. The author argues that the conventional way of seeing the Bible's origin, authority, and interpretation has become unpersuasive to millions of people in our time, and that we need a fresh way of encountering the Bible that takes the texts seriously but not literally, even as it takes seriously who we have become.
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