Scripture

The deep wellspring of Christian moral reflection is Scripture. Our contributors explore Christian practices that help us read the Bible in a way that allows it to question our presuppositions and transform our discipleship.

Since the Bible's "mysterious climax in the Father's sending of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit places us in a coherent drama," Daniel Treier and Stephen Pardue explain, "we read for neither information nor inspiration alone, but fellowship" with the Triune God. Todd Billings surveys a developing school of theological interpretation of Scripture. Stephen Chapman challenges some ways of reading the Bible that leave us in control and reduce it to a commodity.

To read Scripture afresh, Andrew Selby adds some pre-modern scripture commentaries to our reading list. "Patristic and medieval biblical interpreters can help us relearn reading Scripture within the story of salvation," he explains.

Kathy Maxwell commends the performance of biblical stories, because this "gives Scripture freedom to work in the lives of the hearers in refreshing and unexpected ways." Christine McSpadden offers advice for preaching and hearing the so-called "difficult" biblical passages.

The study guides and lesson plans integrate Bible study, prayer, and worship to help us become more faithful and theologically informed interpreters of Scripture. The guides can be used in a series or individually. You may download and reproduce them for personal or group use.

Download the entire Scripture issue and the set of five Study Guides. Or, download individual pieces by clicking the titles below.

Articles

• "A Trinitarian Way of Reading Scripture," by Daniel J. Treier and Stephen T. Pardue
• "The Journey of Reading Scripture" by J. Todd Billings
• "Studying the Word of God," by Stephen B. Chapman
• "Reading the Beatitudes like a Christian," by Andrew Selby
• "Preaching Scripture Faithfully," by Christine T. McSpadden

Art

• "The Urgency of Inspiration," by Heidi J. Hornik, on Caravaggio's Inspiration of Saint Matthew
• "Inspired Translator," by Heidi J. Hornik, on Antonello da Messina's Jerome in His Study and Andrea del Castagno's Saint Jerome's Vision of the Trinity with Saints Paula and Eustochium

Hymn and Worship Service

• "Many Books, One Holy Canon" by Ann Bell Worley
• Worship Service by Amber Inscore Essick

Inspirational Pieces

• "Embodying Scripture through Performative Interpretation" by Kathy Maxwell
• "Why Bother with the Bible?" by Bill Ireland
• "Other Voices," Quotations on Scripture

Book Reviews

• "Overcoming Historicism's Dividing Wall of Hostility," by Don Collett
• • J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture
  • Stephen E. Fowl, Theological Interpretation of Scripture
  • Christian Smith, The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture
  • N. T. Wright, Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today
• "Reading with the Great Cloud of Witnesses," by Rachel M. Billings
• • Jason Byassee, Praise Seeking Understanding: Reading the Psalms with Augustine
  • John L. Thompson, Reading the Bible with the Dead: What You Can Learn from the History of Exegesis That You Can't Learn from Exegesis Alone
  • Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture series
  • Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible series

Study Guides and Lesson Plans (Download the set of five Study Guides)

• "A Trinitarian Way of Reading Scripture"
• "The Journey of Reading Scripture"
• "Studying the Word of God"
• "Reading the Beatitudes like a Christian"
• "Preaching Scripture Faithfully"