Better Ways to Read the Bible
Transforming a Weapon of Harm into a Tool of Healing
About
Zach Lambert has seen the Bible used countless times as something far from the "Good Book"--both in his own life and in the experiences of others. He has seen the Bible weaponized to subjugate women, justify racism, bash LGBTQ+ people, cover up abuse, and exclude people who speak out against these injustices.
In this book, Lambert calls readers to a more Christlike interpretation of Scripture. Lambert has created this accessible guide to help readers dismantle four common lenses for reading Scripture that lead to harm--Literalism, Apocalypse, Moralism, and Hierarchy. Instead, he offers four new lenses--Jesus, Context, Flourishing, and Fruitfulness--that promote healing and wholeness for all people. This book helps transform the Bible from a weapon that condemns, oppresses, and excludes into a tool that liberates.
Better Ways to Read the Bible welcomes all Christians to reengage Scripture in life-giving ways.
Contents
Introduction: How the Bible Beat Me Up
Section 1: We All Have Lenses
1. You're Reading It Wrong
2. We All Have Lenses
Section 2: Lenses That Inflict Harm
3. The Literalism Lens: "The Bible Says It, I Believe It, That Settles It"
4. The Apocalypse Lens: "It's All Gonna Burn Anyway"
5. The Moralism Lens: "Well, That's Not Biblical"
6. The Hierarchy Lens: "I'm Just Following God's Created Order"
Section 3: Lenses That Promote Healing
7. The Jesus Lens: "The Scriptures Point to Me"
8. The Context Lens: "The One Who Seeks Will Find"
9. The Flourishing Lens: "I Have Come That They May Have Life Abundantly"
10. The Fruitfulness Lens: "By Their Fruit You Will Recognize Them"
A Restored Reading
The Author
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Matt Gonzalez Zach W. Lambert
Zach W. Lambert is the lead pastor and founder of Restore Austin, a church in Austin, Texas. Under his leadership, Restore has grown from a launch team of five people in 2015 to more than 1,000 members today. He has a Master of Theology from Dallas...
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