What Is the Bible
A 22-day reading invitation
Tomorrow — November 1, 2022 — I am starting a 22-day reading schedule, and I’d like to invite you to join me. But first, I want to talk about the question in the title: What is the Bible?
The answer we immediately give will depend on several factors. Of course, our belief system will dictate a lot of the answer, but where does that come from, and where did we adopt or develop it?
For a person who practices a faith that uses another religious text, such as the Torah or the Koran, the answer will be different from someone who considers themselves a Christian. And even within professed Christianity, there can be a variety of answers, from a helpful guide, to an allegory, to outdated text, to the Word of God. The universality or pantheist might consider the Bible to be one of many sacred texts from which we can learn.
For the atheist or agnostic, the Bible may come with baggage, especially if they departed faith or church due to disillusionment or unanswered questions. It could be literature. It could be historical. Or maybe it’s just irrelevant. And for some, it might be offensive and triggering. If you’ve had someone use the Bible to bludgeon or belittle you, it might not seem like a book you’d want anywhere near you.
