Fallen and Flawed » Reading

9 Reasons Why You Should Read More Old Books

Demian Farnworth — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:06:07 +0000

If you’re like me, you get anxious and marginally depressed when you see all the new books published each year.

It can happen at Barnes and Noble or while scanning the New York Times bestseller lists.

But the result is always the same: an acute sense of failure. How in the world can I read all of these books?

Fortunately, most books published each year will end up on the remainder pile–forgotten, useless and cheap.

Really cheap.

And while reading new books is a great way to stay on top of the latest ideas, I think it’s much better to make a habit of reading older books.

Here are nine reasons why. Enjoy!

1. Past the classic test.
Old books are books with ideas and stories that endure for 50, 100–even thousands of years. When you read an old book, you can be confident it’s quality writing. Not so with new books.

2. Fewer old books.
Random House’s list of the 100 best novels [all classics, though that could change in 50 years] can be read in one year. You couldn’t possibly manage to do that will all the new fiction published in one year.

3. Look odd, somewhat-sophisticated.
Reading classics adds a depth to your cocktail conversations you can’t get from new books. “You know, while I was reading Oedipus this morning, I thought of a way to solve our modern transit problem. All we have to do is….” See how that works? You just look cool.

4. Learn about the past.
Classic novels, for instance, can teach you about a particular time of history–whether it’s reading Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby [1920s] or Augustine’s City of God [100 BC to 400 AD]–while you’re enjoying yourself.

5. Cheaper.
If you’re the type of worm who likes to own all your books but don’t have deep pockets, then Barnes and Noble re-packages old books in hardcovers and sells them for less than $10. You can also almost always find used copies of old books on Amazon.

6. Free.
Since most classics are in the public domain, you can find them free at many sources online, like the Project Gutenberg [print versions] or LibriVox [audio versions].

7. Available at your library.
Naturally you have a better chance of finding old books at your library. How many times have you been on a waiting list for new, popular fiction? Too many, I’m sure.

8. Lots of commentary.
One of the things I enjoyed about reading Steinbeck’s Of Mice or Men or Dickens Bleak House was hunting down the surrounding discussion on those books. The depth of supporting literature on old books grossly out weighs that of new.

9. Quality is better.
If it’s a classic, this is obvious. Why else would it endure? But what makes a new book a classic? Themes that touch all people across time is one trait. Another trait is a sense of novelty. The book explores an idea for the first time of experiments with an new technique.

Your turn. What reasons can you think of that would convince someone to read more old books? Did I miss anything?

And what do you think make books like Luther’s Bondage of the Will or Paul Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress classic? What qualities make a story like Homer’s Iliad timeless?

Please share. I look forward to your thoughts.

What Are You Reading? And Why?

Demian Farnworth — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:51:06 +0000

I’m always curious to know what books you are reading–helps me discover titles I might have never uncovered.

I’m also curious to know WHY you are reading those particular books.

In return, I like to share what books I’m reading in hopes I might introduce you to something new.

By the way: I’m trying to read 100 books this year. But guess what? I’m hopelessly behind.

[Let that be our little secret.]

Nonetheless, in my delusional quest to read 2.25 books a week perhaps I’ll break last year’s record…[which might be a little hard to determine since I never kept track of the books I read last year. Oh well.]

Anyway, here are the six books I’m working through right now.

Old Testament [Out of the Apologetics Study Bible]
Hoping to read this in about a 5 week period. By the way, does each book of the OT count as one book? If so, then I’ll have read 33 books in 5 weeks. [Please tell me it does!]

Why I’m Reading It: I don’t think a mature Christian you make without a solid understanding of the OT under your belt. So I make reading it an annual event.

Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament
Book-by-book survey of the OT. Reading it in lockstep with the OT.

Why I’m Reading It: See the above reason.

Coaching for Improved Work Performance
A business book geared for managers hoping to increase productivity. Insights so far: managers need employees more than employees need them and work is simply “renting a certain behavior.” In my case, writing behavior.

Why I’m Reading It: I always want to be better at what I do. At this time it’s being a better editor.

Paradise Lost
John Milton’s classic tale of the Fall. I have to confess: I’m actually listening to it. But you can, too. For free: Paradise Lost at LibriVox.

Why I’m Reading It: Never have. And I love the rich language. As a writer, this is important. I’d recommend all writers to read classics like Paradise Lost. [Or listen to it.]

City of God
St. Augustine’s classic defense of the Christian faith. Reading about 3 pages every morning, which will take me the entire year. In just 300 pages though I’ve got an extensive education on pagan religions and Platonism. Didn’t expect that. [I like those little surprises.]

Why I’m Reading It: I don’t interact with ancient texts [history in general] enough, which restricts my understanding of my faith. Hoping to bridge that gap.

Statistics Demystified
One of those DIY books on the branch of mathematics that deals with the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. It’s got a freaky cover. [So says my kids.]

Why I’m Reading It: I’ve always been fascinated with mathematics. But woefully ignorant of the topic. Plus, I like to learn about things wildly out of my field and exercise parts of my brain that are asleep.

So, what are you reading? And why? Also, are you a library fanatic? [I am.] Or do you prefer to buy books? New or used? I look forward to comments.

Why You Should Master the Old Testament

Demian Farnworth — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:56:26 +0000

If you think the Old Testament is a boring book and not worth your time or attention, let me give you one very good reason why you should master it: Jesus did.

In fact, he coped with Satan’s desert temptations by quoting from Deuteronomy…

He also used the Old Testament to teach his disciples and ridicule his critics…

He confirmed historical events like the destruction of Sodom, the murder of Abel and the calling of Moses–events found in the OT.

Jesus even confirmed the often-rejected OT accounts: the creation of Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood and the three days Jonah spend in a whale’s belly.

[Thanks to The BeAttitudes' article Jesus Quoted Old Testament Scripture: How Can Christians Deny It's Validity? for help on the previous portion of this post.]

But there’s another reason why we should master the Old Testament: neglecting it can rob you of a rich understanding of the teachings and narratives found in the New Testament.

Let’s look at the books of Samuel for instance.

The books of Samuel lay the foundation for the all-important doctrine of the Messiah. In particular 2 Samuel 7 tells us how these promises of the Messiah created hope and expectations that New Testament authors understood to be fulfilled by Jesus.

The Lord promised David he would:

Establish the kingdom of one of David’s Descendants
The New Testament identified Jesus as that descendant who brought the kingdom of God to humanity. [Matthew 12:28]

Build a House for God’s Name
The NT writers viewed Jesus as the one who built the ultimate temple of God in three days. [Matthew 26:61]

Sit on a Throne That Would Last Forever
Hebrews declared Jesus had just that. [Hebrews 1:8]

Live as a Son to God
Jesus was the ultimate Son of God. [Matthew 16:16]

Listen: One of the easiest ways to master the Old Testament is to simply get in the habit of reading through it every year.

Another helpful way to learn more about the OT is read a book like Vanhoozer’s book-by-book survey of the Old Testament

You could also use the Seven Births method [this has nothing to do with contraceptives, by the way].

Or if you’re a sucker for a challenge, throw yourself into a fake masters program on the OT.

How ever you do it, the point is to absorb the entire Bible [both Old and New Testament], because there is nothing worse than a biblically illiterate Christian.

What’s Your Morning Routine Look Like? Here’s Mine

Demian Farnworth — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:12:14 +0000

Three chapters from the Old Testament.

Small bit of commentary on these chapters.

And three pages from Augustine’s City of God.

That’s what my early morning routine looks like.

What does your morning routine look like? Please share. I’m curious.

Why Did I Change My Routine?

Anyone who’s been around Fallen and Flawed for a while knows I’m a big fan of the right-brain thinker’s guide to Bible study.

But to be frank, after two years of that routine (which basically amounted to reading the same eight chapters from the New Testament for 30 days straight) I hit a point where the monotony got to me.

I needed to break the mold and do something differently.

So, to start the year off fresh, the first thing I did was read the New Testament straight through in January.

Then I figured out how many chapters I need to read a day so I can finish the Old Testament in a year.

I did the same thing with City of God. And that’s where I’m at now.

Where I Got This Idea

I borrowed the idea of reading a church father from William Lane Craig who’s been working through the ante-Nicene fathers every morning for the past decade.

It’s amazing how much ground you can cover if you commit to doing just a little a day.

So what about you: What’s your morning routine look like? What devotions are you using? Praying through the newspaper? Reading the Intellectual Devotional?

Furthermore, how do you do it: In your favorite chair? Lying on your stomach on the floor [my favorite]? Outside on the patio? In bed and beneath your covers?

By the way, I’m successful about four out seven days. The other three days I’m scrambling before bed time or using a Saturday to catch up. How successful are you? Got any tricks that keep you on track for your morning routine?

Let me know. Curious to see your habits!

No related posts.

Psst…Karr? This Sex Scene Is a Really Bad Idea

Demian Farnworth — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:51 +0000

What do you do with a memoir that details in four pages a graphic display of child molestation?

What if its the author as a young child that’s the subject…

Does that change the make up of the story from autobiography to something more sinister–like pornography?

Does it matter that this is an event in the past? Does it make it any less real or problematic?

Those were some of the questions I asked myself as I finished reading Mary Karr’s 1995 memoir The Liar’s Club.

The book was Karr’s first memoir [she's since written two more--Cherry and Lit--I've read neither of them] and the idea to write it came from her friend Tobias Wolfe.

In her own words, Carr said it was an agonizing task that involved a mountain of emotional labor–not just to revisit dark places but to merely get the words on the page. Here she is in a Salon interview:

“I would lie down on the floor and go to sleep after about an hour and a half’s work. Literally go to sleep like I had been driving all night. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I went to a shrink and said, ‘Am I repressing something, bah bah bah bah.’ And she said, ‘Well, I think you are just really exhausted by it.’”

Fortunately, her herculean effort paid off.

The Essence of The Liar’s Club

She wrote a compelling, hilarious and haunting autobiography about growing up as a child in Leechfield, Texas–oil refinery country–raised by a hard-working, hard-drinking, but sturdy and surprisingly gentle father who managed to marry a displaced New Yorker living on the outskirts of madness.

The book ended up being a runaway bestseller–a justified judgment given the quality of the writing and a decent payoff for the task of exposing herself.

But the question is–did she go too far?

In Carr’s defense, as a child she played the hand she was dealt–and as a child that’s sometimes all you can do.

What you get is a gritty, foul-mouthed eight-year-old girl who fought hard for survival and security, revenge and love–things hard to come by when you have a mother who’s head is in a perennial cloud of vodka, methamphetamine diet pills, suspect men, brooding jazz and fatalistic literature.

So it comes as no surprise when I tell you that Karr’s mother lacked a woeful amount of judgment, most clearly seen in her decision to allow questionable men to babysit her daughters.

The scene was terrible. And you saw it like a dark storm slowly sweeping in from the sea. At one point I wondered if Carr was going to actually go there. Or would she pull out early enough to avoid the explicit?

I had hope she’d pull out. Earlier in the book Carr handled a case of rape very sympathetically without giving an uncomfortable amount of detail.

That’s why it surprised me that she dove into this particular scene with no holds barred.

Where I’d Like to Have Not Gone

At least that’s my guess because the moment I saw where she was going and had no intention of stopping, I bailed and counted the pages before the scene was over.

Four pages.

Granted, as I quickly skimmed the pages looking for the end (it came, by the way, when the chapter ended) the scene covered mostly emotional territory, like her mental activity during the event.

And I’m glad to say she never revisited the topic again.

But here’s the deal: This scene would NEVER make it to the movie screen. In fact, if you owned a video of this event, you’d be arrested.

Why, then, is it okay in a book? I argue it’s not. It permits us to go to dark places we should never visit.

Naturally, this uncorks a litany of problems, namely censorship. But should the world thank Mary Carr for “going there” on this particular topic and being candid about it?

No.

All this does is allow us to inch our moral boundaries back, calibrated by our sense of appropriate indiscretion–and that’s, unfortunately, what you get when you don’t have absolute boundaries.

Gore Vidal–who defended cannabis laws–once said that some people should be told not to do drugs.

I agree. And the same goes for morality. Mary Karr’s book would’ve been a runaway bestseller without this scene.

A curious–if not disturbing–side note about the The Liar’s Club is it’s viewed as the book that jump-started the memoir explosion. Naturally, in it’s wake we have self-expression without guardrails.

One has to wonder where this will take us if we don’t provide those boundaries.

5 Posts to Make You Wise [A Reading Primer]

5 Posts to Make You Wise [A Reading Primer]

Demian Farnworth — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:03:48 +0000

Reading is the cheapest and easiest way to grow your brain.

Cheap because you can get most books at your local library–or at Google Books.

And easy because you can learn about the history of gravity…

The political career of George Washington…

Or Augustine’s view of free will from your favorite reading chair.

That’s why I put such a high premium on reading. And spend a smidgen of time here writing about reading.

With that in mind, here are five posts on how to get the most out of your reading routine.

How to Absorb a Book into Your Bloodstream
One of the most important rules when it comes to reading.

How to Abandon a Book
You probably didn’t know this, but there’s an instinct to abandoning a book. An instinct you can develop.

How Do You Read?
Narrow, wide or something completely different? Share your reading style with me.

How to Read a 291-Page Book in 2 Hours
Want to read more books in less time–and even catch up on the classics you’ve missed? Try chapter pacing.

Drop-Dead Easy Guide on How to Journal
Twenty cool and easy tricks on how to get started with your journal. [A guide for those who don't want to spoil the pages of their books with a pencil.]

Granted, reading alone won’t make you wise. But it’s a start. By the way, do you have any reading tips? Please share.

A Christ-Centered Approach to Bible Study–Part 3

Demian Farnworth — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:14:45 +0000

**Guest article by Jonathan Woodward at Sorting Beans.**

Four weeks ago we launched a 5-part series on how to study the Bible.

This is a Christ-centered approach where we use the acronym T. H. I. N. C. as a study aid.

Part one was T for “Trust”—that’s where we begin—and part two was H for “Halting”—when Scripture causes us to put on the brakes.

What’s next?

Immediate Context. The I in “T.H.I.N.C.”

Immediate Context

Reading Scripture is not a solo activity. There are two things I mean when I say this.

1. You are physically not alone. When you trust the words of God and ask the Holy Spirit to help you read and understand, He will come and help you.

You are not alone.

2. The passages you are currently reading are not alone either. They are surrounded by other words…that are surrounded by other words…that are surrounded by other words.

And this matters. Don’t neglect it.

If you do, you risk uncharitable results. Scripture is meant to be read in the practice of exegesis, not eisegesis.

Exegesis is the embracing of a Scripture-derived theology. Eisegesis is man-centered theology.

Let’s take a look at the passage I mention in the previous entry of this study series.

“I have come to fulfill the law.” Matthew 5:17

What is the immediate context of this passage?

It is in the context of similes. Matthew 5 is full of illustrations to point to a significant truth.

For instance, just before this passage Jesus says that we are the light of the world. Does that mean we glow as a light bulb?

No. It means the Gospel in us causes us to radiate its message of hope to the world.

Therefore, we need to look at it with careful eyes.

Just after he says he came to fulfill the law, he says,

“Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:19

Remember, we must look carefully at what Jesus is saying.

Is he teaching that we must teach the law, insinuating a works-based salvation?

By no means! When Jesus says that, He is referring to Himself.

Jesus is going to be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven because He alone is the one who not only taught that the law must be fulfilled, but also fulfilled that very teaching in order that we might partake in His perfection and be His witnesses.

This is the only way this makes sense because the very next verse (v.20) Jesus says,

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20

What shall we say about this?

That we must “perform” greater deeds of righteousness than the pharisees?

Of course not! Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees because the Pharisees had no real righteousness!

Therefore, we must trust in Jesus’ righteousness, and His alone. By this we inherit a righteousness that is beyond that of the Pharisees—one where Christ lives in us, which is one that pleases the Father.

Now that we’ve looked at this in the context of its immediate surroundings, we realize—contrary to what I used to believe—that Christ is not upping the annie on a works-based salvation.

Jesus Points to Himself

If we take this into context of the entire chapter of Matthew 5, we see how Jesus is pointing to Himself through it.

Even when He says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), He is speaking in a particular context, which is wrapped up in Himself.

And now that we understand that reading Scripture properly is reading in the “light” of other Scripture, we understand it’s immediate context is of utmost importance, followed by its immediate context, followed by its immediate context, and so on.

But what do we do with this knowledge?

Glad you asked. That will be covered in the next installment of this Bible study series when we get to the N in “T.H.I.N.C.”!

But for now, what are some passages that you have once interpreted without taking into consideration its immediate context? And how has that changed?

A Christ-Centered Approach to Bible Study-Part 2

Demian Farnworth — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:17:08 +0000

**Guest article by Jonathan Woodward at Sorting Beans.**

Three weeks ago we launched a 5-part series on how to study the Bible.

This is a Christ-centered approach where we use the acronym T. H. I. N. C. as a study aid.

Part one was T for “Trust.” That’s where we began.

What’s next? Halting. Let me explain.

Halting

No doubt, when we read Scripture—all the while trusting in it—we are bound to be stopped in our tracks.

Sooner or later it will happen.

Why? Because that’s what Scripture does–impedes you, seizes your attention and beseeches your accordance.

That is the point of this post. When you read the Bible, you’re going to find something that is halting.

The question to ask yourself when reading Scripture is “What in this passage seems halting?”—that is, what causes you to stop and think?

Is it something powerful? Is it a difficult concept? Is it a charge? A mandate? Bizarre?

What is causing you to do the head tilt—those difficult passages of the Bible we just cannot live without?

When you begin reading the Bible this may not happen as frequent…mostly because it is something new to you…

But the more you grow in Christ and your understanding of Scripture increases the more you will find these halting moments.

Here’s an example of a halting passage. It comes from the Sermon on the Mount:

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

What in the world does Jesus mean by this? Can we be perfect just as God is perfect? I thought that was the whole reason Jesus came to this planet!

If this is not halting, then I don’t know what is.

It can either be personally halting, or objectively worthy of halting yourself to examine the text.

For instance, earlier in Matthew 5, Jesus says some other really good stuff (which happens a lot, mind you):

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17

When I first read this passage, I thought Jesus was talking about how the laws of the Old Testament was now going to be fully followed. But I think quite differently now.

In other words, I thought Jesus was bringing the smack down on puny mortals!

Is this really the case? I’m afraid that you will have to wait for the next post in this series before we go into what we do from here.

Until then, ask yourself these questions when you read Scripture:

What seems to be the topic, or point of this passage?

What is “jumping” out at you in this text?

What is shocking about this passage?

What is bold about this passage?

What is it that seems to be speaking directly to you?

What is making you “put on the brakes”?

The more we read, the more we learn, the more we find halting text. Your job is to not skip over it as though it has no immediate, or even future bearing in your life.

It does.

A Christ-Centered Approach to Bible Study-Part 1

Demian Farnworth — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:17:47 +0000

**Guest article by Jonathan Woodward at Sorting Beans.**

Last week we launched a 5-part series on how to study the Bible.

The acronym we’re going to use as a study aid is T. H. I. N. C.

So, what’s the first step in studying the Bible?

Trust.

The “T” in T. H. I. N. C.

For us to be able to get from the Bible what is intended for us, we must first trust the ultimate author—God—behind it as well as trusting the very words written by men under the divine inspiration of God.

This is almost as important as the last point, but we must begin here.

I am not saying that if you are not a believer and you want to read the Bible that you cannot do it without trusting.

Rather, I am saying that in order for the believer to really get God’s message to them, he must trust IN the message he is reading.

I must make a charge, though, to the non-believer: if you decide to read the Bible for the sake of exercising your critical eye, you will not be able to understand its intended message (lest you end up as Lee Strobel!).

But I will not make an appeal for the reliability of Scripture; I’ll leave Demian to that task!

All Scripture Reading Starts Here

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you are about to read and Trust in His guidance (John 16:13).

Without the Spirit illuminating the meaning of Scripture for us, we have not the ability to fully understand God’s word (1 John 5:20).

Just as much as we need the Spirit to help us understand, we need Him to empower us with the word of God as we read.

We lack the ability to empower ourselves with the potential that the word of God can have on our lives.

The Spirit of God is necessary for understanding and empowerment. Without the empowerment of the Word of God, we experience no life transformation, and without transformation we remain unchanged.

The Bible ought to change us in some way, both progressively and evidentially.

Trusting Means Believing

How many times have you read over some passage of Scripture and left it thinking on of these thoughts:

“I wonder if that is true?”

“I wonder if that really happened?”

“I wonder if that can REALLY mean anything for me?”

“That worked back then, but it won’t work today”?

This list of doubts can go on and on. Reading Scripture, though, ought to eliminate our doubts.

And if we do have doubts, God can handle them. Take a moment to tell God your doubts, asking Him to help you through them.

There is one door we enter Scripture, and one door we exit: Jesus is the place we start at when reading Scripture, and Jesus is the place we leave our Scripture reading.

What this means is that when we come to the Bible, we are not simply approaching words on paper, we are approaching Jesus our Lord and Savior, and He can handle our doubts.

Lay them down, surrender them, ask Him to help you with them.

A father of a boy child once asked Jesus to heal his son. Before he asked Jesus, he apparently asked the disciples first, and apparently the disciples had some issues with healing the lad.

He brought his son to Jesus and basically said, “. . . if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22b).

Jesus replied, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23).

The father responded with passion, “I believe; help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24).

The point here is that even though the man believed, he was humble in his approach to Jesus and asked for help in areas he is still lacking faith.

All of us have this dilemma. We all have a faith cavity where we lack belief in some way and in some aspect of our relationship with God. The point is to not despair, but trust with the the faith you do have.

You have to start somewhere, and if your faith is no larger than the size of a mustard seed, God can do amazing things in your sight (Matt. 17:20)!

Get Your Bias Out of the Way

Maybe you’re a Calvinist—to which I’ll say, you’re probably a geek. Get your intellectualism out of the way. Let God be your guide, not your extremely limited intellectualism capabilities. You’re not abandoning your brain, your just letting the Holy Spirit lead it. Don’t loose your availability to sense His presence amidst you.

Maybe you’re a Arminian—you are most likely inclined to have more of an emotional approach to Scripture.

It can be very much, “What’s God want to tell ME?”

Understand, it’s not all about you, and remember this: the wonderful love of God that gets you all mushy inside is the same love that drives His righteous judgment.

Let God speak to you and guide you.

Maybe you’re a Prosperity Faith person—well, you just need to repent.

In the end, approach your Bible study with faith, with trust, just like a child holding the hand of his or her parent. The child trusts where the parent will take it.

In the same manner, trust where God will take you. By this only can you be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Ben Affleck on Reading the Bible

Demian Farnworth — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:10:47 +0000

Ben Affleck never read the Bible as a child.

So, as an adult he expected it to be loaded with fire and brimstone…

Ripe with weeping and gnashing teeth.

Naturally this notion was only reinforced as he encountered one angry, hateful person after another who claimed to represent all Christians.

This stereotype held until he actually read the Bible.

In fact, this is what he said about reading the Gospel According to Matthew in an August 2008 Oprah magazine:

“Reading the Bible disabused me of any sense that a hateful person could represent this faith. The book is beautiful and exquisitely written–but it is characterized by one quality that colors every page: love.”

He went on to say that reading the Bible made it harder for him to accept the “damaging and small minded beliefs” that people promote in the name of Christian values.

I wonder if he had Fred Phelps in mind when he said that.

Where I’m Going with This

Often on this blog I here non-believers write the Bible off as a collection of hallucinogenic babbling from the mental fringe.

Indeed in my own experience as a non-believer I made outlandish claims about the perversity of the Bible…without ever reading it…so I’m inclined to believe neither have they.

At least not carefully.

Yet honest people like Richard Dawkins read the OT and shake their head in disbelief at what they deem a volatile, childish tyrant.

What gives? The New Testament gives.

Sinclair Ferguson writes, “You cannot open the pages of the New Testament without realizing that one of the things that makes it so ‘new’, in every way, is that here men and women call God ‘Father.’”

This conviction of intimacy with the creator of the universe lies at the heart of our faith. And it suggest we humbly read the Bible in it’s entirety…

And we understand the OT through the lens of Christ.

Reading Matthew obviously had an impact on Ben Affleck. But I don’t know if Ben Affleck is a true believer.

To be sure, he anticipates the question in the article when he says he considers his religious beliefs private matters.

But he nonetheless is moved by it. Perhaps no more than a deep interest in social justice as indicated by his involvement in genocide recovery.

Your Turn

But what about you: What was your first encounter with the Bible like? With the New Testament? With a particular Gospel?

Did you view it as a majestic piece of literature that can stand on it’s own feet [as I once did during a "Bible as Literature" course]?

Or were you appalled by what you read?

Or did you tear your clothes in grief like Josiah who said, “For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us”?

I look forward to your thoughts.