The Trinity Guide to the Bible

Full of strange tales, obscure symbols, and archaic language, the Bible can be difficult to understand and interpret without some guidance. In The Trinity Guide to the Bible, Richard Hiers provides readers with information on the historical contexts and literary forms of the various books that will make the Bible more accessible. For each book of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, as well as the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha, Hiers supplies a summary of the book's basic features, highlights significant passages, and provides information about each book's likely historical settings. Rather than emphasizing a modern interpretation f the texts, Hiers focuses primarily on the beliefs and concerns inherent in each of the books of the Bible, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. Background essays, at the end of the book, explore the major events and periods of biblical history, the principal literary and editorial features of biblical writing, and the central themes of biblical religion and faith. This important reference book will be a useful tool for readers encountering the Bible for the firs time, as well as for students and study groups searching for a deeper background and detail about the books of the Bible. Richard H. Hiers is Professor of Religion at the University of Florida, and the author of many books in New Testament studies and biblical scholarship.