If we are to be honest, no other book can claim to have the amount of influence over history that The Bible has had.  At its core, Western Civilization emerged when the Greco-Roman world merged with the Judeo-Christian morality.  In this blending, solidified during the often misunderstood Medieval Age, the core of our modern world formed.

 

While schools spend a fair amount of time discussing the Greeks and the Romans and the effect that they had on the world that followed, often it overlooks the contributions of Judaism and Christianity.  Western Civilization cannot be understood without studying the rise and spread of Christianity throughout the world, and Christianity cannot be understood without studying its Jewish roots.

 

The King James Bible, a collection of 66 separate books, form the core of the Christian world view.  Most people have a rough understanding of what’s contained in The Bible.  However, unless someone is a practicing Christian, their understanding often ends there.  As a core document in understanding our world, we should care about learning more whether we share the same beliefs or not.

 

The purpose of this website and this podcast is to foster careful and deliberate consideration of the text of The Bible, one chapter at a time.  While it can be argued that different approaches might work better thematically, this approach is simple to understand and guarantees that nothing will be missed along the way.  By giving each chapter its own day for consideration, we can provide the time to really let the text marinate in our thoughts, and hopefully, we will come out with a better understanding of our past and ourselves.

 

The question then arises; how should The Bible be studied?  As is expected, a Christian will read the text in a different way than an atheist would.  Still, it helps to look at the words from as many different viewpoints as possible to truly understand its significance in our culture.  This website looks at each chapter through four different lenses:  textually, spiritually, historically, and culturally.

 

The first approach is the most basic – textually.  What exactly is written in any given chapter?  How are the words arranged?  Because of the age of the document, it will have been translated and translated again.  How has this chain of interpretations affected the meaning of the words used?  Has something been lost, or even erroneously introduced, as a result of this process.  We need to first understand that before we can proceed.

 

The second approach is the most common – spiritually.  How have these words inspired generations of people in their beliefs?  For Christians, what do these words help reveal about God’s purpose for us and for the world?  Throughout history, different verses have been used to explain or justify actions as being done on God’s behalf.  We need to understand what people have meant by different verses.  Even Christians will admit that while they believe the text of The Bible is perfect as intended, it is often beyond human interpretation, and errors in interpretation are not only possible, but guaranteed.

 

The third approach is the most academic – historically.  While many often scoff at using The Bible as a source of history, its age and value as a cultural artifact cannot be disputed.  Even the most agnostic academic should see the value a document such as The Bible has in understanding a people and a time now far removed from our everyday experience.  We need to use these words as a telescope into the past to help recreate that world and that worldview.

 

The fourth approach is the most contentious – culturally.  If you put ten random people in a room and asked them what the relevance of The Bible is in the world today, you would most likely get ten different answers.  Further, some of those ten people would insist that their answer is the correct one and that anyone who does not agree with them is a fool.  This website will not foster shouting matches at each other, but it will explore the different views that everyone has in a polite and considerate fashion.

 

With that basic approach, we will look at each of the 1,189 chapters of The Bible and give this document the study it has surely earned over its lengthy existence.

 

At this point, the question emerges – Why should I be the one doing this?  Part of scrutinizing what someone is saying is understanding who they are, what they know, and where their biases are.  If you are going to be listening to my podcasts and reading my analysis, you deserve some answers to those questions so you can weigh my thoughts accordingly.

 

I am a Christian from the United States of America.  While I am not a pastor or a professionally trained theologian, I have degrees in both history and in engineering.  For the purposes of this website and podcast, I believe that is a good thing.  This is supposed to be about a journey of understanding that we all can undertake.  While you are listening or reading along, I hope you take the opportunity to weigh the words for yourself and come to your own insights and reflections.  While I will be praying for guidance in my understanding, there is nothing wrong with looking at things from a purely academic standpoint as well.

 

While this is a record of my individual and personal journey through these words, I welcome others along as well.  For those so moved, I hope you take the opportunity to join in the conversation and share your thoughts on each chapter as well.  The more voices that join in with an earnest desire to understand the significance of The Bible, the more likely we will arrive closer to the truth.  If you are like me, you realize that it’s the journey that matters most.