Fighting with the Bible: Why Scripture Divides Us and How It Can Bring Us Together

(Paperback)

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Description

In times of conflict, the Bible is often used as a club to beat those whose opinions differ from one's own. We recoil from such usage, yet the Bible actually represents many diverse and conflicting points of view. It is like a library, full of books that speak to all sides of every question.

Like Christians today, the communities and individuals who wrote the biblical texts often strongly disagree with each other. Ruth and Ezra, Isaiah and Ezekiel, Micah and Joel, Deuteronomy and Daniel, Mark and John. What would they say to each other Do they have anything in common Each of these voices is firmly committed to his or her specific view of "the truth," whether it reflects a particular place or community, a prophet, a style of worship, or an "understanding" of who is in and who is out.

The author guides us in considering how we can do justice to this welter of disparate voices. What can the Bible teach us about living together How can we use it as a powerful resource for understanding and for moving beyond conflict

A study guide and template for creating safe spaces for conversation about the tough issues in which the bible may be dividing your community is found at the end of the book.

Reviews

"The dean of Church Divinity School of the Pacific presents examples of difference and division in the Bible and helps readers to discover how the Bible can help us to understand current divisions in the church. Particularly effective is the section titled Authority: Where Are Wisdom and Direction to be Found"
The Living Church

"This author's keen insights throw light on the pluralism within the biblical tradition, and his pastoral sensitivity offers a method for dealing gracefully with the pluralism we find in life itself, a method grounded in the very texts that could separate us."
The Bible Today

"Any biblical study group needs Fighting with the Bible: Why Scripture Divides Us and How It Can Bring Us Together and also heartily recommend it to Christian studies community library shelves."
The Midwest Book Review

Author Bio

Donn Morgan recently retired as Dean & President of Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, CA. He lives in Berkeley, California.