Russell Pregeant, former lecturer in New Testament at Andover Newton Theological School, is Professor of Religion Emeritus and Chaplain at Curry College. He brings scholarship and a great sense of humor to Reading the Bible for All the Wrong Reasons (Fortress, 2011). On the one hand, it’s for people who want to pursue what the Bible says about such contemporary issues as divorce, evolution, same-sex relations, poverty, the role of women. On the other hand, Pregeant has a passion for addressing what he calls “Bible abuse.” By this he means both using biblical writings for inappropriate purposes as well as using the Bible as a tool of abuse to browbeat those with whom one disagrees.
A fantastic study/discussion book for youth, college-age, and adult groups, the heart of Pregeant’s work goes to helping people understand what the Bible is and is not. Chapter titles map the route: “Neither Fact Book nor Catechism,” “Neither Science nor Anti-Science,” “Neither Crystal Ball Nor Horror Show,” “Neither Rigid Rules Nor Billy Club.” This is an accessible book that tackles quite successfully some difficult concepts about biblical interpretation, varying biblical genres, and so forth. Pregeant unpacks time-honored formulas of exegesis and the ever-present nemeses of eisegesis in lively, evocative examples that will help both pastor and layperson wrestle more faithfully with the heart of the matter. His goal is to point towards the exciting adventure of reading the Scriptures in ways that that liberate, empower, and enliven.
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