Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally
Reading the Bible Again for the First Timeis Marcus Borg's  follow-up toMeeting 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 Biblebegins 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 Bibleis 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 Gross--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.