A thoughtful, warm, and witty introduction Understanding the Bibleis designed to help empower skeptics, seekers, nonbelievers, and those of a liberal and progressive outlook to reclaim the Bible from literalists. In making accessible some of the best contemporary historical, literary, political, and feminist readings of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, it encourages all who would find in the biblical heritage an ally and not an enemy...

The "New York Times" bestselling author of "Don't Know Much About History" takes on the Bible, illuminating everything one needs to know about the "Good Book", but has never learned.

If you have a hard time making sense of the Bible, The Bible for Blockheads is for you. It will transform what might seem like gobbledygook into incredible significance-enough to change your life. It can do that because the Bible is more amazing than you've ever dreamed, packed with riches, and making sense of it is no mystery. You'll even have fun as you learn! The Bible for Blockheads-newly revised and updated-helps you to: - Discover how the Bible's...

Includes summaries of the Bible's most famous stories, detailed maps of its major figures' journeys, and descriptions of everyday life as depicted in the Bible.

"Explores how the Bible was written, the development of the canon, the role of Biblical criticism, the appropriation of the Bible in high and popular culture, and its use for political ends"--Provided by publisher.