Book Preview

OK, I'm going at this a bit backward. You usually wait until after you read a book to talk about it. But there I was at Barnes and Noble, just killing time. (And without more than a dime in my pocket which is the best way to make sure I don't buy a CD or book or DVD or something).


Lo and behold, this book catches my eye. It is called, "Biblical Literacy" by Timothy Beal. The book has been out about a month and here's how it sells itself:

Whether watching political candidates quote Jesus or tracking court cases on how the stories of Adam and Eve should be taught in schools, we are surrounded by the legacy of the Bible in our contemporary world. Every person needs to know the core Bible stories — those biblical stories that have cultural, historical, or literary significance — that lie at the foundation of Western civilization. Professor Timothy Beal argues that without knowing these core stories, we cannot fully participate in the popular, political, and especially spiritual worlds that surround us.

Have you ever been told that you are the apple of someone's eye? Have you ever described a disastrous situation as the blind leading the blind or easily predicted the future by reading the writing on the wall? Unbeknownst to most of us, all these common expressions have biblical roots.

In Biblical Literacy, Beal showcases the Bible stories that have most shaped history and our world and provides the key information we need to know for how to understand these profound stories.

What a novel idea, reminding people just how much of our culture and our world is shaped by the Bible. It's on my to-read list. If you get to it first let me know how it goes.