Giving the Bible an honest read

Typically we talk about the Bible as though it were a single book. A single book the Bible is not. We think of the Bible as a holy book. A holy book the Bible is not. The Bible is a collection of writings that were composed by ordinary men over a period of at least 1500 years. Every individual section of the Bible has gone through the hands of editors and redactors. Further, the Bible has gone through many translations. Every new translation is in fact an interpretation. Speaking of original Bible writings is foolish. No original writings are available to us.

There have always been scholars who looked at the Bible material with a critical eye. They had one huge handicap. They taught in Christian colleges and seminaries that had commitments to traditional and orthodox understandings. Their scholarship was often circumscribed. In the past 50 years a dramatic change has taken place in Bible scholarship. First, the number of first rate scholars has significantly increased. Second, Bible scholarship has moved away from churches and church sponsored institutions. Top Bible scholars today are likely to be found teaching and doing their research in state universities completely separated from church or confessional restraints.

To the new elite Bible scholars, the Bible has become an ordinary collection of writings to be studied like any other ancient writings. It is in this context that long-time Harvard theologian Harvey Cox has published his latest book “How to Read the Bible.”

Harvey Cox is one of my favorite scholars. He is my contemporary. I have always found his writings readable and understandable. His church background is the same as mine. He was (and I believe still is) an American Baptist. That is my own brand of Baptist. In reading this most recent book, I found even more reason for kinship. The book tells the story of Cox’s own journey with the Bible.

As a boy and as a young man Cox faithfully attended a Baptist church. As a typical Baptist church, his congregation was oriented to the Bible. The Bible was the final authority. The Bible was to be read and understood at face value. If something was in the Bible, It was true. This was stage one for Harvey Cox, and it matches my experience exactly.

Stage two arrived when Cox arrived in graduate school. He found that every one of the Bible essays had authors, who wrote for particular audiences at particular times and particular places. He found the Bible writings had many editors and redactors and a never ending stream of translators. He found that the Bible reflected scientific understandings of the day that are clearly wrong when compared to modern science. He found that Bible writers disagreed with one another. He found that Bible writers made significant historical errors. Cox found that Bible writers disagreed in their understanding of God and held moral and ethical understandings that were incompatible.

In graduate school, I went through the very same stage two.

Stage three begins when the Bible reader engages the Bible materials and enters into the discussions and arguments that are at the heart of the writings. It is in stage three that Cox finds vital faith. It is here that I too find a vital faith and find an exciting life walk with Jesus, the humble and arrogant teacher from Nazareth.

It is the contention of Harvey Cox that it is in reading the Bible with a full awareness of its array of errors and diverse opinions, that a believer has the best opportunity to embrace a vital faith. It is not enough for serious Christians to read the Bible material. They need to learn how to read this collection of writings that has shaped western civilization. The reader needs to disagree, carry on dialog and argue with the Bible writers.

I warm to the reading of Cox’s book. He has given a special gift to Baptists and other Christians who have embraced the Bible as “their” book. Many Baptists have turned away from critical studies of the Bible and embraced an indefensible “holy book” understanding. Cox is offering a more enlightened and satisfying way of reading and studying the Bible.

Cox’s book is very readable. Reviews have been very positive and significant scholars and commentators have given positive endorsements. I add my voice to those who say “buy and read.” Read the book. Digest the contents. Reread the Bible. The typical reader will read the Bible with new interest and understanding. Renew the skills of discussion and civil argument.

In Cox’s final comments he writes “my hope is that you may come to know both God and yourself a little better.” And I add a hearty Baptist “Amen.”

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palme. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.