Pocket Guide to the Bible A Little Book About the Big Book

by Boyett, Jason

• ISBN13: 9780470373095
• ISBN10: 0470373091
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-08-03
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

"Jason Boyett's Pocket Guides are smart and hilarious. And they're sneaky too: You don't realize how much you're learning because you're having so much fun." -AJ Jacobs, author, The Year of Living BiblicallyAmericans consistently identify the Bible as the most influential book in history, but seriously: are you really reading it? Probably not. If all you know about the Bible are a few Psalms and the Christmas story, then you're missing out on a book that's wilder, weirder, and more entertaining than you ever imagined.With a stealthy combo of entertainment and insight, Jason Boyett's Pocket Guide to the Bible fills the gaps in your religious education. It introduces you to the characters you must know, reveals the thrilling development of the biblical canon, and details the less-churchy parts of Scripture (hello, sex and violence!). Don't miss out on discoveringHow God employs talking donkeys, mentally unstable prophets, and helpful prostitutes in his master planWhich moral failures may result in an old-fashioned smitingWhy Catholic Bibles include books some Protestants refuse to recognizeWhether your New International Version of the Bible may in fact be demonicWith Pocket Guide to the Bible, you'll finally realize what's so good about the Good Book.

Author Biography

Jason Boyett is not a professional theologian or historian but that hasn't stopped him from writing this book. His work has appeared in a variety of publications as well as on his blog (www.jasonboyett.com). He lives in Texas with his wife and children.

The Pocket Guide Series explains complex religious subjects with a lethal dose of educational hilarity, guided by the author's insatiable curiosity, humor, and gentle irreverence. The Pocket Guide series includes Pocket Guide to Sainthood, Pocket Guide to the Afterlife, and this book. Discover more at www.pocketguidesite.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Biblicabulary (A Glossary of the Good book)

Cast of characters (A to J)

Cast of Characters (K to Z)

What Happens, Part 1 (The Old Testament at Breakneck Speed)

What Happens, Part 2 (The Old Testament at Breakneck Speed)

The Brief History of Holy Write (a timeline)

Versions and Perversions (A Selective Survey of Translations)

List Ye Be Smitten (Biblical flotsam and Jetsam)

Selected Bibliography

The Author

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.