Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible

Great book, he does a great job of walking the centre line. Very informative. Really is a book every Christian should read.

Important and timely book. Thank you Michael Bird.

People say many buzzwords about the Bible and at times it seems that some of the buzzwords haven't had much thought put into them and lay open to some significant challenges which adherents of the Bible are all too often ill-prepared to address.What is meant by saying it is divinely inspired?Is it inerrant? If so, about what?How was it composed and what implications does that have for how one ought to read it?Bird tackles seven main areas along these lines wherein one tends to find views which perhaps can use some polishing up. While some of the topics center around deep questions involving substantial scholarship over the centuries, Bird manages to keep this book very approachable and even lighthearted at times. For those who find some of these scholarly topics to be a bit dry, Bird will be a refreshing change of pace and allow you to get a good grasp on these topics without needing to get a degree in ancient Hebrew or Greek. For those who want to dig a bit deeper, Bird takes the time to suggest a few resources at the end of each section - rather than making the reader sift through his citations - a helpful addition.Perhaps most importantly for North American readers, this Bird is on an outside branch looking in at the United States and Canada on some of these issues which have become rather divisive in certain circles. Bird holds up both the beauty of the Bible and promotes its authoritative nature for Christians; while also cautioning against some views which have been problematic at times.The book is well designed, readable for just about any level of learner and would make a nice reference for many people as well as even a nice guide for a study group on this topic. I'd recommend it for anyone with a curiosity about the Bible and its significance for Christians. It's informative and written thoughtfully and practically.

"Seven Things" presents clear and understandable evangelical account of the Bible's inspiration, canonization, significance, and relevance in a way that is irenic and compelling. It is a must read for any serious Bible reader who desires an informed and mature view of the Bible that will enrich their faith.Now my personal take on this book is that it was excellent, very easy to read and should be read by all "regular" folk. If someone has extensively studied scripture, then this book is likely just a bunch of head nodding and not needed, but it is packaged so concisely that it would also serve as an excellent resource book. My one critique of the book is that I think it used a text from Luke 22 in an unhelpful way, but it wasn't a glaring issue and it's also probably a point that many people would disagree with me (the issue of Jesus telling his disciples to sell a cloak and buy a sword, just a couple paragraphs before Peter uses his sword against the temple guard and Jesus emphatically strips his disciples of all violent self-defense. It's not really that I disagree with his point in this section of the book (ch 4 or 5), but how he frames it I am concerned that an unknowing reader will actually presume that Jesus is condoning violence and we just need to not worry about that being relevant to today. No. That is not what Jesus is doing. I appreciate Bird's effort to defend the Bible, but in this situation the words of Jesus do not need defended. They are true and they are NOT violent. He strips Peter of all violence of the sword just a few paragraphs later. Anyways, other than that though, I thought the book was excellent and that one "issue" for me would not stop me from highly recommending it to all, especially new believers, in discipleship courses and for anyone in a teaching role (sunday school, Bible study, etc). Really, just as a disciple of Jesus individually, read it. Excellent!

Within a couple of evenings this week, I read this new book by Michael F. Bird -- Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew About the Bible. This is a book for open-minded readers. Closed-minded readers will quickly put it aside.Michael is an amusing writer in many ways, so the book is as entertaining as it is insightful. With Scripture, he plainly shows how some of our perceptions about the Bible need to be challenged.Michael loves the Bible and takes it seriously. He wants his readers to also do so. He believes the Bible is the most important book in the world.Michael is an Anglican priest, academic dean, and prolific writer. I was first introduced to his writing through the wonderful sourcebook -- The New Testament in Its World -- which he co-authored with N. T. Wright.I had a lot of understandings confirmed through his seven things. Like any critical thinking person, I did not agree with everything, but I respected his perspective throughout.