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Have you ever seen the Bible used to hurt someone—or has it been used to harm you? Have you sometimes gotten the feeling that people were misapplying verses but been unable to explain how? Do you wish you could better understand what may look like contradictions in the text? If so, you're not alone. But thankfully, better ways to read and understand the Bible are within your grasp. That's because this user-friendly introduction to biblical interpretation teaches how you can interpret Scripture, both for yourself and for those you love.

By AD 100, all the original disciples had died and a new generation of preachers, teachers, and scholars had taken on the responsibility to preach, teach, and interpret the Scriptures. These men have become known as the church fathers. But who were they? When and where did they live? And, most importantly, what did they teach about how to read and understand the Bible?

J. Gresham Machen examines whether the Apostle Paul’s faith arose from borrowed religious ideas or from a genuine encounter with the risen Christ. Engaging with critical scholars and comparing Paul’s letters with the wider New Testament canon and extra-biblical texts, Machen shows that Paul’s faith and teaching were received, not invented. Paul’s theology cannot be explained as a blend of Judaism and paganism but must be understood as rooted in divine revelation.

Fifteen-hundred years ago, St. Benedict established a system of ora et labora prayer and work that monastics still follow today. Central to this prayerful integration of body and spirit is psalmody, or chanting the psalms. On Singing the Psalms, Episcopal priest Cynthia Bourgeault shows how the psalms can awaken rich spiritual and psychological insights accessible to you today, whatever your level of vocal skill or theological understanding.