Biblical Literacy

“The Bible…is a locked treasure for those unfamiliar with the Scriptures….Beal offers a key with his accessible guide.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer “With skill and insight, Timothy Beal has given us a great gift: a lucid and engaging introduction to the most important book ever published.” —Jon Meacham, author of American Lion, winner of the Pulitzer Prize In the tradition of Stephen Prothero’s Religious Literacy, and with the deftness of Bill Bryson’s Mother Tongue, Timothy Beal’s Biblical Literacy is a one-stop course in the Bible passages and background information that everyone needs to know to navigate our nuanced cultural landscape—from devout believers to decided atheists, average citizens to pop-culture aficionados. Like Religion in America, Religion and its Monsters, and other of his highly acclaimed books, Beal’s Biblical Literacy is a must-have handbook for understanding today’s world.

Summaries of two research projects. The first is a survey of what English teachers believe their student know about the Bible; the second is an analyis of a survey of what American teens know about the Bible.

Provides the general public and undergraduates with an introductory level text in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament.

What do we mean when we call a woman a Jezebel? Where did go the extra mile originate? What exactly was a scapegoat? Why was a fast-and-furious driver called Jehu? Where did the phrase hocus pocus come from? &break;&break;In a different age, most people knew the source of these and hundreds of other names, phrases, and images. The Bible was common knowledge, and everyday language was saturated with references to the Bible. Today, some meanings are lost, some impact is diminished by the lack of knowledge people have about the historical aspects of the Bible. &break;&break;This book is a comprehensive compilation of the most important phrases, people and places mentioned in the Bible. Author J. Stephen Lang has written a book that contains not only concise explanations of important terms, but how that person or thing has been presented culturally–common phrases in art, literature, and song. You'll get a guided tour of biblical history, but also a renewed appreciation for all the cultural significance the Bible has lent to modern society. &break;&break;Lang explains, "Understanding the Bible can help you appreciate movies, literature, art, and music more. You can understand Christmas (and composer George Frideric Handel) better if you know just what the word Messiah means. You can appreciate a movie like Raiders of the Lost Ark better if you know a little more about the real ark in the Bible.... You can even understand the mindset of Saddam Hussein if you know a little about the ancient Babylonian empire (something Saddam hoped to re-create)."

What do people know about the Bible, and how much do they know? The media often discusses the worrying 'decline' in biblical literacy, but what does this really mean, and how can we measure this assumed 'decline'? How can we go about teaching 'biblical literacy', and about teaching teachers how to teach it? Rethinking Biblical Literacy explores the question of biblical literacy, examining the Bible's use, influence and impact in advertising, street art, poetry, popular erotic literature, Irish and UK secondary education, stand-up comedy and The Simpsons TV series to display the different types of literacy and knowledge of the Bible. Katie B. Edwards brings together several specialists in the cultural use, impact and influence of the Bible to examine the contested nature of biblical literacy and to explore the variety of ways of 'knowing' about the Bible. The picture created is one of a broad range and at times surprising depth of knowledge about what remains arguably the most influential collection of texts ever to be published.

A guide for teaching youth to become knowledgeable and comfortable using the Bible, know and understand the biblical story of salvation, and understand how to interpret Bible books and passages in their proper contexts.

The Bible is a collection of many different books. Although it was written by forty authors over a 1500-year period, it is a complete narrative and unified story. Do you desire to study the Bible but not sure how to do so? Do you struggle with the interpretation of God’s Word?