After Chapters & Verses: Engaging the Bible in the Coming Generations

by Smith, Christopher R.

• ISBN13: 9780830856008
• ISBN10: 0830856005
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-08-10
• Publisher: Intervarsity Pr

Summary

Only 16 percent of Christians polled said they read the Bible daily. -Gallup Poll 10202000Something must be done to bring a stop to the steep decline in people who read and engage in Gods Word. Only through reading and understanding the Bible for what it really is, one big narrative, can this alarming trend be reversed.After Chapters and Verses traces the history of the features that were added to the Bible, such as chapter and verse numbers, section headings, and study notes. It shows how these features make it more difficult, and actually get in the way of us understanding the Scriptures, and explains how International Bible Society now Biblica designed a new format to remove all these reading and comprehension roadblocks.After Chapters and Verses also looks to the future, showing how we can read, study, preach, and teach the Bible more meaningfully and effectively by engaging its books and letters the way their authors purposefully intended.

Author Biography

The Rev. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is a freelance writer and independent scholar who lives in East Lansing, Michigan. He pastored local churches for nearly twenty years and is now a volunteer staff member with Graduate InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Michigan State University. He was a consulting editor to Biblica for The Books of The Bible, an edition of the Bible that presents the biblical books according to their natural literary outlines without chapters and verses.

Table of Contents

Introduction The Time for Chapters & Verses is Over	p. 1
The Problem with Chapters & Verses	p. 17
The Problem with "Books"	p. 51
A Bible without Chapters & Verses	p. 87
Reading the Bible After Chapters & Verses: Experiencing Whole Books	p. 119
Studying the Bible After Chapters & Verses: Understanding the Parts within the Whole	p. 147
Preaching the Bible After Chapters & Verses: Situating a Story within a Story	p. 171
Teaching the Bible After Chapters & Verses: Inviting People to Join the Conversation	p. 199
Conclusion	p. 221
Notes	p. 225
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