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1phelpsswoop's review against another edition
4.0
There's a LOT to like here. Bell's descriptions of how to literately read the Bible line up with my personal views and interests, so I had to actively work to keep my critical thinking goggles on. Weirdly, this book would at times be very intricate and thoughtful, but at other times it almost felt like a superficial sermon...but it's a good read overall!!
megancm's review against another edition
3.0
Really felt geared towards young people, which can be a tad annoying. But it's easy to read and he has a lot of good insight and knowledge on the subject. He does a good job of explaining some core concepts about the Bible and what it means on a whole.
nlwisz's review against another edition
3.0
This was...interesting. The jist is this: the Bible was written by humans, so although people claim it as the word of God, it’s from a human perspective so really everything’s open to interpretation. Also, I listened to the audiobook version and someone should have corrected the author on the proper pronunciation of “nuclear” (cringe!) And he seemed really excited about coining the Bible as a “library of books,” because he says it about a thousand times. Overall, this did have some good information but was just okay.
mrincredible's review against another edition
4.0
I always like Rob Bell's works. Sure, he has his fair share of critics, and can sometimes massage things to fit his point, but I love his ability to ask questions and communicate in a sincere way.
His book follows a good arc, and I like where it lands. Perhaps it's a product of our times, and I'd hesitate to label his understanding of what the Bible is to be the "correct" one, but a more inclusive, context-aware, and environmentally sensitive reading seems to be a good start. Definitely a book worth threading along with other biblical critique and more in-depth scholarship.
If you've ever had questions about the nature of the Bible, this book is a great place to start your journey from.
His book follows a good arc, and I like where it lands. Perhaps it's a product of our times, and I'd hesitate to label his understanding of what the Bible is to be the "correct" one, but a more inclusive, context-aware, and environmentally sensitive reading seems to be a good start. Definitely a book worth threading along with other biblical critique and more in-depth scholarship.
If you've ever had questions about the nature of the Bible, this book is a great place to start your journey from.
jlemke26's review against another edition
5.0
Such an interesting read. Will be thinking about this one for a while and continuing to ask lots of questions.
jdintr's review against another edition
3.0
This is probably the third of Bell's books that I have read. It reads more like a lecture or a compilation of sermons than a focused book.
The community that Bell has in mind with this book is Christian fundamentalists whose apocalyptic, proof-text reading and denial of the Bible have run roughshod over Christianity (and American politics), but I'm not really sure that they will really get into this book.
What it ends up reaching are "recovering fundamentalists" like me and the person who recommended this to me. The Bible is such a rich, rich book, yet one with contradictions and clear cases of evolution in the way that it presents God, community, worship--and even that dastardly, devilish Satan.
For us, What is the Bible? is a little light on the scholarship. Bell is versant in Hebrew and Greek, and he brings out some fascinating details. But there are better books out there by New Testament scholars that are better able to help committed Christians to read the Bible without blinders on.
The community that Bell has in mind with this book is Christian fundamentalists whose apocalyptic, proof-text reading and denial of the Bible have run roughshod over Christianity (and American politics), but I'm not really sure that they will really get into this book.
What it ends up reaching are "recovering fundamentalists" like me and the person who recommended this to me. The Bible is such a rich, rich book, yet one with contradictions and clear cases of evolution in the way that it presents God, community, worship--and even that dastardly, devilish Satan.
For us, What is the Bible? is a little light on the scholarship. Bell is versant in Hebrew and Greek, and he brings out some fascinating details. But there are better books out there by New Testament scholars that are better able to help committed Christians to read the Bible without blinders on.
mattlefevers's review
5.0
I always like how Rob Bell's sub-titles really swing for the fences. This book's "...Can Transform The Way You Think And Feel About Everything" is an even bolder generalization than Love Wins' "...The Fate Of Every Person Who Ever Lived". From somebody else I might find that kind of thing annoying but I feel like the overexcited exclamations in the titles really capture the essence of Bell's energetic, infectious enthusiasm for topics.
That enthusiasm crackles through this book like electricity. There's no dry theology here, and the subject matter (deliberately, as explained in the introduction) flits from story to story in nothing like a linear fashion. If you want more of a sober, methodical outline of this way of reading scripture, you might want to start with something more like Peter Enns' [b:The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It|20262405|The Bible Tells Me So Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It|Peter Enns|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407711405s/20262405.jpg|27431469] or Adam Hamilton's [b:Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today|19596571|Making Sense of the Bible Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today|Adam Hamilton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387665977s/19596571.jpg|27712381]. But this book, more than either of those, made me EXCITED to go read the Bible again. Enns' books are like taking a good college class at 11:00 AM from a likable instructor. Rob Bell's writing is more like your friend shaking you awake at midnight because he saw something amazing, and dragging you out of bed to check it out.
Because of the kinds of things I tend to read (accessible books on Bible context and interpretation are my jam), there was less here that was truly new information to me than might be the case for someone else, but the book's beating heart still spoke to me. Bell's ultimate assertion is that the Bible is *good* - both that it is worth reading, and full of interesting ideas and narratives, but also that it documents an arc towards justice and compassion, and that this arc is often visible even in its most unsettling moments. Rob Bell truly believes that love and justice and equality are God's endgame, and that even at our worst, God is still meeting us where we are and pulling us forward. On the days that I struggle to believe that myself, a book like this is a big, chocolatey mug of hope.
This book is much more substantial than some of Bell's others, which, while terrific, could sometimes be read in a couple of hours, making them feel a bit lightweight. I devoured this one in about three days and, upon finishing, immediately started making plans to re-read some scripture, excited to dig in with fresh eyes. It'd be hard to think of a better compliment to pay to a book with a title like this.
That enthusiasm crackles through this book like electricity. There's no dry theology here, and the subject matter (deliberately, as explained in the introduction) flits from story to story in nothing like a linear fashion. If you want more of a sober, methodical outline of this way of reading scripture, you might want to start with something more like Peter Enns' [b:The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It|20262405|The Bible Tells Me So Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It|Peter Enns|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407711405s/20262405.jpg|27431469] or Adam Hamilton's [b:Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today|19596571|Making Sense of the Bible Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today|Adam Hamilton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387665977s/19596571.jpg|27712381]. But this book, more than either of those, made me EXCITED to go read the Bible again. Enns' books are like taking a good college class at 11:00 AM from a likable instructor. Rob Bell's writing is more like your friend shaking you awake at midnight because he saw something amazing, and dragging you out of bed to check it out.
Because of the kinds of things I tend to read (accessible books on Bible context and interpretation are my jam), there was less here that was truly new information to me than might be the case for someone else, but the book's beating heart still spoke to me. Bell's ultimate assertion is that the Bible is *good* - both that it is worth reading, and full of interesting ideas and narratives, but also that it documents an arc towards justice and compassion, and that this arc is often visible even in its most unsettling moments. Rob Bell truly believes that love and justice and equality are God's endgame, and that even at our worst, God is still meeting us where we are and pulling us forward. On the days that I struggle to believe that myself, a book like this is a big, chocolatey mug of hope.
This book is much more substantial than some of Bell's others, which, while terrific, could sometimes be read in a couple of hours, making them feel a bit lightweight. I devoured this one in about three days and, upon finishing, immediately started making plans to re-read some scripture, excited to dig in with fresh eyes. It'd be hard to think of a better compliment to pay to a book with a title like this.
nomadicneurd's review against another edition
5.0
Fabulous book! I don't think it matters whether you consider yourself a person of the Christian faith or a skeptic or anywhere in between; this book really uncovers the complex relationships of social, political, economic, and psychological agendas interwoven within historical contexts of human history and how stories of the time shaped early humans then and how they can continue to shape our understanding and evolution now. And if you don't mind audiobooks, I'd recommend listening to the version narrated by the author - his energy, passion, and conviction adds another layer to the understanding that this book helps reach about humanity and the human struggle to understand ourselves and the world around us while continuing to BE in the world.
davidjordan's review against another edition
5.0
I'm probably always going to praise a Rob Bell book, so take my enthusiastic recommendation for what it's worth. I think he gets better and better with each successive volume, and this one is no exception. What a fantastic examination of Scripture and its reliable usefulness for one's faith, avoiding fundamentalist insistence on inerrancy. I'm so encouraged by this scholarly and compassionate treatment of our finest tool for understanding the heart and mind of God.
moonpie's review against another edition
4.0
I took forever to finish What Is the Bible? because I read it during pick-ups at school. I think it might have benefited from a smoother, quicker read. But I also have issues with Bell's writing style so it seemed like a good way to stop from overdosing on overabundant line breaks and chummy parentheticals. The audiobook would have been a better bet, most likely. It's a conversational style that I don't think works as well in print; it made it hard for me to concentrate on the substance of the book because I kept getting distracted by Bell's style.
Ignoring style: I did like the substance of the book. I think the message that the Bible should be read within the context of the time(s) it was written, paying attention to the people doing the writing and the intended audience, is excellent and important, and I think Bell does a good job of supporting his assertions, though a few citations would have been nice (although they wouldn't really fit the conversational style). I wish some of the space used up by line breaks had been filled with more written material, to be honest, because I wanted more information about many points that were made.
The last section of the book was actually my favorite part, from the FAQ to the list of books Bell suggests for further reading. I liked most of What Is the Bible? but those pages would have made it worth the read even if I didn't.
(three-and-a-half stars)
Ignoring style: I did like the substance of the book. I think the message that the Bible should be read within the context of the time(s) it was written, paying attention to the people doing the writing and the intended audience, is excellent and important, and I think Bell does a good job of supporting his assertions, though a few citations would have been nice (although they wouldn't really fit the conversational style). I wish some of the space used up by line breaks had been filled with more written material, to be honest, because I wanted more information about many points that were made.
The last section of the book was actually my favorite part, from the FAQ to the list of books Bell suggests for further reading. I liked most of What Is the Bible? but those pages would have made it worth the read even if I didn't.
(three-and-a-half stars)