The Next Best Book Club discussion

I've been cruising Amazon for a while looking for books about the Bible and Christianity that are written from a scholastic point of view. While reading the book I don't want to feel like it is being written by someone who inherently believes everything in the Bible/that Christianity teaches. At the same time, although I wouldn't mind a slightly skeptical point of view, I don't want to read a full out Richard Dawkins type book either. Anyways, I've been having difficulty searching on my own so would love any suggestions. As of right now I'm mostly looking for a basics book so to speak, although book suggestions for a more specific or inovlved topic having to do with Chrsitianity will also be appreciated.

Thank you!

x-posted

I have not read it myself, but my father really liked Misquoting Jesus The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. I believe it's by the head of the religion department at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, a fictional account of Dinah's life (sister of Joseph of the coat of many colours). It describes the biblical scene of the slaughter of Schechem as the author would have imagined it from Dinah's point of view. The latter half is fictional imagining of the rest of Dinah's life (as the bible doesn't tell any of the rest of her life). Also fiction, Lamb:The Gospel According to Biff Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore tells Jesus' life story through the eyes of his best friend. It's not historically accurate; it's an imaginative tale based on Christ's life.

The Screwtape Letters
Christ the Lord Out of Egypt A Novel

are both written by people who believe in God, but are NOT using their novel to sway or preach. You can take it at face value, as a story that some believe is true.

I know this isn't the answer you want to hear, but my best source for this sort of information has been not books, but rather TV - history channel does a number of specials looking at historical accounts of biblical events, and I always find them fascinating.

Other than that, I would try searching Amazon for "biblical history" and see what pops up.

Huh. This is interesting.
I am gathering that you arent looking for fiction then?

If you were, I would suggest:
The Left Behind series
God Is Dead


My favorite author David Maine wrote these, they are fiction, but stick very closely to the actual biblical stories:
The Preservationist
The Book of Samson
Fallen

These are two novels by Glen Duncan that take christianty and the bible to a whole "other" level:
I, Lucifer Finally, the Other Side of the Story
Weathercock

as for non-fiction..... Im sorry. I cant help :(

The Idiots guide to the Bible is great!

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Lewis was a life-long atheist and then converted to Christianity. In Mere Christianity, he explains why intellectually, the concept of a Christian God does in fact, make "sense". The book isn't designed to convert you, only explain how you can believe with your head, if not your heart. Great read...

That's a tough combination to find because those who write such books generally begin with either a strong Christian worldview or a strong non-Christian worldview. The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James doesn't address the Bible or Christianity but it does look at religious experiences from a psychological perspective. A couple of authors that would be worth checking out are Josh McDowell and Francis A. Schaeffer. An internet search on Christian Apologetics could also be useful.

A History of God does a good job of giving a non-biased account God and gods over time. Also Ken's Guide to the Bible is a completely irreverent and funny collection of bible cross-references.

I would recommend you CS Lewis. He was a Christian, but rejected is in his youth and was always very aware of the struggles there are between a Christian worldview and the real world. He wrote fiction with religious and philosophical implications, such as the Narnia series, the Spage Trilogy, and the Screwtape Letters, as well as more hard-core books such as Mere Christianity. His approach to the Bible is literary- he makes a fantastic use of analogies to boil complicated concepts down. It seems he infuses insight into even the smallest passage. I think you'd enjoy reading him even if it wasn't precisely what you were looking for.

The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers

Although she was known for her detective series featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, she did a lot of deep thinking about the nature of Christianity.

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel is a non-Christian reporter looking at the facts and seeing what conclusions he would come to. It is very historical and fact base and an easy read because of his writing style not because it has been dumbed down.

Travelling Mercies by Anne Lamott is her thoughts on faith. She is funny and very real in her approach almost like having a conversation with her. She has other ones that follow it up but I have not read them yet. (Plan B)

Karen Armstrong started as a Catholic nun but is now a Muslim. Her writings on Islam are obviously biased and full of the uncritical fervour of the convert, however her books on comparative religion and on Christianity are much more reasonable and readable.

I am reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, which is basically the case for Atheism (not what you are looking for I think), but he quotes some other authors that might be more in line with what you want.

Maybe try The Story Behind Who Changed the New Testament and Why by Bart Ehrman

Hi Jacqueline...If you would like to know about the Bible from a scholastic point of view, I would suggest you read the bible from a scholastic point of view. : ) The one book that has helped me do that is Kay Arthur's "How to study the Bible for Yourself." It takes you through wonderful study aids so you can do it yourself. I've taught this way for 18 years and people learn what is in the Bible without having to read someone else's point of view.
Donna

What is Christianity? by Adolf Harnack might be the sort of thing you are looking for.

From the blurb:
"...His approach is not meant to prove any set of dogmatic beliefs, as many Christian scholars set out to do, but is one of objectivity. His factual approach is not colored by the bias of trying to save souls or convert readers to the faith. He states early in the book that this is simply an historical approach to the question, What is Christianity?"