Is the Bible True?: How Modern Debates and Discoveries Affirm the Essence of the Scriptures Book

What this book is not: a partisan (Jewish or Christian) account declaring the absolute historical accuracy of the Bible. What it is: a fair-minded exploration of the question of the Bible's historical truth. Author Jeffrey Sheler is a journalist (religion correspondent for US News and World Report) who relies extensively on interviews, onsite reports from Israel and Egypt, and a lot of library research. Instead of claiming to offer any startling breakthroughs, the book gives the reader an even-handed treatment of this immensely controversial text. In a style that is clear and conversational, Sheler walks the reader through key moments in the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament, exploring the grounds for the historical truth behind such figures as Abraham, Moses and David, and behind such scriptural accounts as the Flood and the Exodus. Sheler retells the astonishing story of the discovery of the Qumran (Dead Sea) scrolls, and explores their significance for our understanding of first-century Judaism and early Christianity. He also discusses at length the work of the controversial Jesus Seminar scholars. His own conclusions, while not fundamentalist, are also not deconstructive: "After all of the scholarly scrutiny", he writes, "the Bible emerges affirmed but not unscathed, a credible but complex chronicle of humanity's encounter with God". --Doug ThorpeRead More