Edwin D. Freed is Emeritus Professor of Religion at Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania. Jane Roberts is a Professor at The University of Akron Wayne College in Orrville, Ohio.

• FOREWORDPREFACEPart I: OVERVIEW OF BIBLICAL STUDYCHAPTER 1: THE BIBLE; WHAT IS IT?CHAPTER 2: ORAL AND WRITTEN SOURCES OF THE BIBLECHAPTER 3: TRANSLATING THE BIBLEPART II: THE OLD TESTAMENTCHAPTER 4: SOURCES OF THE PENTATEUCHCHAPTER 5: CREATION AND GARDEN OF EDEN STORIESCHAPTER 6: FLOOD STORIES AND THE TOWER OF BABELCHAPTER 7: GENESIS STORIES AS BEGINNINGSCHAPTER 8: PATRIARCHAL NARRATIVESCHAPTER 9: GODS MENTIONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENTPART III: THE NEW TESTAMENTCHAPTER 10: BACKGROUND OF THE CHRIST MOVEMENTCHAPTER 11: CHURCH AND CHURCHESCHAPTER 12: PAUL AND HIS THOUGHTCHAPTER 13: THE FIRST THREE GOSPELSCHAPTER 14: JESUS, MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE OR JOHN?CHAPTER 15: THE STORIES OF JESUS' BIRTHCHAPTER 16: THE RESURRECTED JESUSCHAPTER 17: THE MAN JESUSPART IV: BIBLICAL VALUESCHAPTER 18: LOVE, FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND SEXCHPATER 19: THE BIBLE AND SELECTED SOCIAL ISSUES TODAYCONCLUSION

"This clear, comprehensive, easy-to-read volume sums up much of the twentieth-century's work in historical critical studies on the Bible." - CHOICE "It challenges the simplistic assertion that 'The Bible says so' by illustrating the complexity and ambiguity of what the Bible actually does say - Freed has produced an interesting and thought-provoking book aimed at a general audience." - Journal for the Study of the New Testament

Edwin D. Freed is Emeritus Professor of Religion at Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania. Jane Roberts is a Professor at The University of Akron Wayne College in Orrville, Ohio.

• FOREWORDPREFACEPart I: OVERVIEW OF BIBLICAL STUDYCHAPTER 1: THE BIBLE; WHAT IS IT?CHAPTER 2: ORAL AND WRITTEN SOURCES OF THE BIBLECHAPTER 3: TRANSLATING THE BIBLEPART II: THE OLD TESTAMENTCHAPTER 4: SOURCES OF THE PENTATEUCHCHAPTER 5: CREATION AND GARDEN OF EDEN STORIESCHAPTER 6: FLOOD STORIES AND THE TOWER OF BABELCHAPTER 7: GENESIS STORIES AS BEGINNINGSCHAPTER 8: PATRIARCHAL NARRATIVESCHAPTER 9: GODS MENTIONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENTPART III: THE NEW TESTAMENTCHAPTER 10: BACKGROUND OF THE CHRIST MOVEMENTCHAPTER 11: CHURCH AND CHURCHESCHAPTER 12: PAUL AND HIS THOUGHTCHAPTER 13: THE FIRST THREE GOSPELSCHAPTER 14: JESUS, MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE OR JOHN?CHAPTER 15: THE STORIES OF JESUS' BIRTHCHAPTER 16: THE RESURRECTED JESUSCHAPTER 17: THE MAN JESUSPART IV: BIBLICAL VALUESCHAPTER 18: LOVE, FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND SEXCHPATER 19: THE BIBLE AND SELECTED SOCIAL ISSUES TODAYCONCLUSION

"This clear, comprehensive, easy-to-read volume sums up much of the twentieth-century's work in historical critical studies on the Bible." - CHOICE "It challenges the simplistic assertion that 'The Bible says so' by illustrating the complexity and ambiguity of what the Bible actually does say - Freed has produced an interesting and thought-provoking book aimed at a general audience." - Journal for the Study of the New Testament

Edwin D. Freed is Emeritus Professor of Religion at Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania. Jane Roberts is a Professor at The University of Akron Wayne College in Orrville, Ohio.

• FOREWORDPREFACEPart I: OVERVIEW OF BIBLICAL STUDYCHAPTER 1: THE BIBLE; WHAT IS IT?CHAPTER 2: ORAL AND WRITTEN SOURCES OF THE BIBLECHAPTER 3: TRANSLATING THE BIBLEPART II: THE OLD TESTAMENTCHAPTER 4: SOURCES OF THE PENTATEUCHCHAPTER 5: CREATION AND GARDEN OF EDEN STORIESCHAPTER 6: FLOOD STORIES AND THE TOWER OF BABELCHAPTER 7: GENESIS STORIES AS BEGINNINGSCHAPTER 8: PATRIARCHAL NARRATIVESCHAPTER 9: GODS MENTIONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENTPART III: THE NEW TESTAMENTCHAPTER 10: BACKGROUND OF THE CHRIST MOVEMENTCHAPTER 11: CHURCH AND CHURCHESCHAPTER 12: PAUL AND HIS THOUGHTCHAPTER 13: THE FIRST THREE GOSPELSCHAPTER 14: JESUS, MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE OR JOHN?CHAPTER 15: THE STORIES OF JESUS' BIRTHCHAPTER 16: THE RESURRECTED JESUSCHAPTER 17: THE MAN JESUSPART IV: BIBLICAL VALUESCHAPTER 18: LOVE, FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND SEXCHPATER 19: THE BIBLE AND SELECTED SOCIAL ISSUES TODAYCONCLUSION

"This clear, comprehensive, easy-to-read volume sums up much of the twentieth-century's work in historical critical studies on the Bible." - CHOICE "It challenges the simplistic assertion that 'The Bible says so' by illustrating the complexity and ambiguity of what the Bible actually does say - Freed has produced an interesting and thought-provoking book aimed at a general audience." - Journal for the Study of the New Testament