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Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today
Denominations from evangelical to mainline continue to experience deep divisions over universal social issues. The underlying debate isn’t about a particular social issue, but instead it is about how we understand the nature of scripture and how we should interpret it. The world’s bestselling, most-read, and most-loved book is also one of the most confusing. In Making Sense of the Bible, Adam Hamilton, one of the country’s leading pastors and Christian authors, addresses the hot-button issues that plague the church and cultural debate, and answers many of the questions frequently asked by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Did God really command Moses to put gay people to death? Did Jesus really teach that everyone who is not a Christian will be assigned to hell? Why would Paul command women to “keep silent in the church?” Were Adam and Eve real people? Is the book of Revelation really about the end times? Who decided which books made it into the scriptures and why? Is the Bible ever wrong? In approachable and inviting language, Hamilton addresses these often misunderstood biblical themes leading readers to a deeper appreciation of the Bible so that we might hear God speak through it and find its words to be life-changing and life-giving.
Did God really command Moses to put gay people to death? Did Jesus really teach that everyone who is not a Christian will be assigned to hell? Why would Paul command women to “keep silent in the church?” Were Adam and Eve real people? Is the book of Revelation really about the end times? Who decided which books made it into the scriptures and why? Is the Bible ever wrong? In approachable and inviting language, Hamilton addresses these often misunderstood biblical themes leading readers to a deeper appreciation of the Bible so that we might hear God speak through it and find its words to be life-changing and life-giving.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
524 people are currently reading
1218 people want to read
About the author
Adam Hamilton
292 books285 followersRev. Adam Hamilton is the founding pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. He grew up in the Kansas City area. He earned a B.A. degree in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection has grown from four people in 1990 to more than 16,000 adult members with an average weekly worship attendance of more than 8,600 in 2011. The church was listed as the most influential mainline church in America in a 2005 survey of American pastors.
Adam has been married 30 years to LaVon. They have two grown daughters.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection has grown from four people in 1990 to more than 16,000 adult members with an average weekly worship attendance of more than 8,600 in 2011. The church was listed as the most influential mainline church in America in a 2005 survey of American pastors.
Adam has been married 30 years to LaVon. They have two grown daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
February 13, 2017
So this book really really surprised me. See, I've spent the last 5 years or so living in the closet, religiously speaking. Because, though I have a fondness for Jesus, think he said and did some really cool things, and might even go so far as to say that I think he was, like, divine. Still, I refuse to go to church or call myself a Christian.
The problem is, that calling yourself a Christian, right now and America, brings to mind the Religious Right, The Duggars, the Tea Party, and jerks like Pat Robertson.
Did I mention that I live in the Bible Belt?
Calling yourself a Christian here says very specific things about your politic and "moral" leanings. Most of which don't apply to me.
When I do occasionally establish a dialogue with someone, I get a lot of "But the Bible says....", "But according to the Word of God...", yadda yadda yadda.
And though inwardly I want to scream "Believe me Mr. Born-again-Christian, I spent 10 years in an extremely religious fundamentalist cult, where I am was forced to eschew all forms of secular entertainment, I guarantee, I read the Bible hundreds of times more than you!" Instead I just smile and nod my head and say "mmmm-hmmmm". Because I know that it is pointless to try and argue with someone who believes that they have it on the ultimate authority that something is a certain way. So they usually end up believing that I think the bible is just useless pointless trash.
This book captured pretty accurately how I feel. How you can believe the Bible sacred, without believing it "inerrant and infallible", that you can believe that God can speak to us from the pages, without believing that God spoke every word therein, and that you can believe that not everything in it's pages reflects God's timeless will for humanity, but often the writers understanding of God based on their life, time and culture.
The problem is, that calling yourself a Christian, right now and America, brings to mind the Religious Right, The Duggars, the Tea Party, and jerks like Pat Robertson.
Did I mention that I live in the Bible Belt?
Calling yourself a Christian here says very specific things about your politic and "moral" leanings. Most of which don't apply to me.
When I do occasionally establish a dialogue with someone, I get a lot of "But the Bible says....", "But according to the Word of God...", yadda yadda yadda.
And though inwardly I want to scream "Believe me Mr. Born-again-Christian, I spent 10 years in an extremely religious fundamentalist cult, where I am was forced to eschew all forms of secular entertainment, I guarantee, I read the Bible hundreds of times more than you!" Instead I just smile and nod my head and say "mmmm-hmmmm". Because I know that it is pointless to try and argue with someone who believes that they have it on the ultimate authority that something is a certain way. So they usually end up believing that I think the bible is just useless pointless trash.
This book captured pretty accurately how I feel. How you can believe the Bible sacred, without believing it "inerrant and infallible", that you can believe that God can speak to us from the pages, without believing that God spoke every word therein, and that you can believe that not everything in it's pages reflects God's timeless will for humanity, but often the writers understanding of God based on their life, time and culture.
April 9, 2014
I just finished reading Pastor Adam Hamilton's latest book, and am so happy he articulated most of my struggles and doubts from my study of the Bible! He explains the history and intent of Scripture in ways that even the unchurched can understand, which is one of the primary missions of his church in Leawood, KS (Church of the Resurrection). The premise: "Instead of assuming that the Bible is the word-for-word inspiration of its authors, or that the Bible is merely a human book, I've suggested that the scriptures were written by human beings who were inspired by God yet wrote in the light of their own experiences, the scientific knowledge they had access to, and the historical circumstances in which they lived. They sought to address the needs of the communities to whom they wrote. They were shaped not only by the Spirit but by their own theological and moral convictions, assumptions and presuppositions." ... p293.
Thank you for this important work, Pastor Adam, and may God bless you as you continue to teach and model His way.
Thank you for this important work, Pastor Adam, and may God bless you as you continue to teach and model His way.
October 20, 2014
Having grown up being taught verbal plenary inspiration and the doctrine of inerrancy, this book was both a refreshing look at Scripture as God's word through human experience and a challenging perspective that leaves much to be considered. The summaries of the Old and New Testaments were great as well as the summaries of the different areas of modern biblical criticism that give any reader an introduction of the long discussions going on within academia. The ideas found in this book would be new to evangelicals but quite obvious to mainline traditions from what I understand. This book provides a different way of understanding Scripture while continuing to see it as very relevant to the faithful Christian walk.
July 23, 2023
if you are someone who went to l*b*rty un*v*rs*ty and you had topics such as inerrancy and infallibility drilled into your skull and you were taught you had to maintain these viewpoints as defining core principles of faith but you’ve had a lot of cognitive dissonance towards that and you were about ready to just throw the whole thing out, this book could be extremely healing for you. (it’s me, I’m someone)
It was really encouraging to hear from other camps who maintain a high view of scripture but are willing to question and unpack troubling passages. This book covers a lot of ground but is done in a super approachable, open way. Without totally trauma dumping on the internet, I needed this book and it came at the perfect time for me. I read it with Brady’s dad which was extra special.
It was really encouraging to hear from other camps who maintain a high view of scripture but are willing to question and unpack troubling passages. This book covers a lot of ground but is done in a super approachable, open way. Without totally trauma dumping on the internet, I needed this book and it came at the perfect time for me. I read it with Brady’s dad which was extra special.
April 22, 2014
Adam Hamilton, the pastor of a large United Methodist church, begins his very readable book with a well-done survey of the Bible, including discussions of authorship, the formation of the Old & New Testament canons, and the nature of Scripture.
He propounds the same thing that Peter Enns does in his book “Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament”: that we should think of the Bible in the same way that Christians think about Jesus, as both God and human; that is, inspired by God, but written by humans. Hamilton suggests that “the scriptures were written by human beings who were inspired by God yet wrote in the light of their own experiences, the scientific knowledge they had access to, and the historical circumstances in which they lived.”
Another principle of biblical interpretation propounded throughout his book is that the Bible should be thought of as consistent with the character of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.
He then uses these principles to discuss covers a number of the Bible’s challenging passages, including the Creation stories in Genesis, whether Adam and Eve were real people, God’s violence in the Old Testament, suffering, divine providence, the eternal fate of non-Christians, and the status of slaves, women, and homosexuals.
Considering the number of topics he covers, his 2-page Bibliography of 22 books is surprisingly paltry.
I recommend this book to Christians and non-Christians seeking to make sense of what the Bible says on a number of topics of current interest.
He propounds the same thing that Peter Enns does in his book “Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament”: that we should think of the Bible in the same way that Christians think about Jesus, as both God and human; that is, inspired by God, but written by humans. Hamilton suggests that “the scriptures were written by human beings who were inspired by God yet wrote in the light of their own experiences, the scientific knowledge they had access to, and the historical circumstances in which they lived.”
Another principle of biblical interpretation propounded throughout his book is that the Bible should be thought of as consistent with the character of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.
He then uses these principles to discuss covers a number of the Bible’s challenging passages, including the Creation stories in Genesis, whether Adam and Eve were real people, God’s violence in the Old Testament, suffering, divine providence, the eternal fate of non-Christians, and the status of slaves, women, and homosexuals.
Considering the number of topics he covers, his 2-page Bibliography of 22 books is surprisingly paltry.
I recommend this book to Christians and non-Christians seeking to make sense of what the Bible says on a number of topics of current interest.
May 14, 2015
I normally do not comment on books I read, but I could not help but comment on this one. The reader needs to be warned that there is a HIDDEN AGENDA in this book.
After a long drawn out discussion about the history of the Bible and the way the Canon of Scripture has been collected over the years, the author seems to think that he is the one that suddenly has it right -- Scripture is not inspired -- at least not inspired the way most accept it. He holds that the writers of the books and letters in the Bible could only write as they could remember. Their only benefit comes from their age, having been nearer to Christ's time.
When he finds a scripture that is not comfortable to him, his easy answer is to explain it away with the fact that men wrote the Bible and men can be wrong.
I agree - men can be wrong, but I believe, and I think the weight of proof over history supports the view, the Bible is inspired of God. Forty authors over 2000 years writing the parts of Scripture -- all seeming to write as if being directed by one editor -- and all having the same purpose! That seems more inspired than anything man has done so far, and surely not an uninspired literary accident!
In "Making Sense of the Bible," the author seems to have been in pursuit of a way to be make the immoral practices of today more acceptable, and become the hero of all who have been outcast because of their life style or beliefs. In reality, the title of this book should have been, "Making the Bible Senseless."
After a long drawn out discussion about the history of the Bible and the way the Canon of Scripture has been collected over the years, the author seems to think that he is the one that suddenly has it right -- Scripture is not inspired -- at least not inspired the way most accept it. He holds that the writers of the books and letters in the Bible could only write as they could remember. Their only benefit comes from their age, having been nearer to Christ's time.
When he finds a scripture that is not comfortable to him, his easy answer is to explain it away with the fact that men wrote the Bible and men can be wrong.
I agree - men can be wrong, but I believe, and I think the weight of proof over history supports the view, the Bible is inspired of God. Forty authors over 2000 years writing the parts of Scripture -- all seeming to write as if being directed by one editor -- and all having the same purpose! That seems more inspired than anything man has done so far, and surely not an uninspired literary accident!
In "Making Sense of the Bible," the author seems to have been in pursuit of a way to be make the immoral practices of today more acceptable, and become the hero of all who have been outcast because of their life style or beliefs. In reality, the title of this book should have been, "Making the Bible Senseless."
September 2, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Hamilton's voice-- calm, reasonable, nothing that felt defensive, preachy, or confrontational-- and it was a good overview on how the Bible came to be and how we can approach it from a modern perspective. I loved his definition of a high view of scripture, so much of the book felt like putting words to what I've been grasping at for awhile.
April 27, 2014
In the course of thirty-two relatively brief, fast-reading chapters divided into two sections, Adam Hamilton takes us on a tour of the Bible, addresses questions of inspiration, authority, and interpretation, and then addresses some of the reigning questions of the day, ranging from bible and science to homosexuality. He begins with pointing out what Scripture is not – a theological text book, owner’s manual, science book, or even a “Magic 8 Ball” that will give answers to our most personal questions. As for what the Bible is – well that’s the question addressed by the rest of the book. Before we get to the modern questions, Hamilton spends time with biblical geography and timeline. It’s just a reminder that the Bible is an ancient book that emerges out of a particular context. From there, he moves to chapters exploring the Old Testament and the New Testament. He offers an overview of both, addresses questions of authorship and canonicity as well. From these basic treatments of the two Testaments he moves on to inspiration and authority, addressing questions of how God might speak through Scripture and whether it is inerrant. The fact that he addresses inerrancy is important because it signals a significant audience – those wondering whether the Bible is in fact somehow an error free text, and what that means. He believes that the Bible is God-breathed (inspired), that God does speak through Scripture (it is the Word of God – but in a way that is secondary to Christ), but rejects claims of inerrancy as undermining Scripture’s voice. He also notes that the way in which inerrancy often gets defined – especially when connected to non-existent original autographs -- it is a concept devoid of meaning. Rather than trying to prove that the Bible is inerrant, he is content to affirm the Anglican and Methodist confession that “Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation” (p. 169). Instead of trying to define inspiration, this statement focuses on its utility for helping lead humanity into reconciliation. In a helpful move, Hamilton reminds us that Scripture is a living witness. The texts are ancient, but with the aid of Tradition, Experience, and Reason, we can hear a word that is relevant for today. So if a high view of Scripture doesn’t rest on inerrancy or even infallibility, what does it rest upon?
With the foundations set, Hamilton is read to “mak[e] sense of the Bible’s challenging passages.” Chapters nineteen through thirty explore topics ranging from science and the Bible’s creation stories to homosexuality in the Bible. He addresses questions that might be on many people’s minds – homosexuality, science, and women, and ones that might be less pressing (the presence or lack thereof of dinosaurs on the Ark. On matters of science, Hamilton doesn’t believe that evolution will diminish the glory of God. We can, he asserts, learn truth from both science and the Bible. If you embrace evolutionary theory then you needn’t worry about a historical Adam and Eve or whether dinosaurs made it onto the Ark, but some might have questions. One area of deep concern is related to the question of divinely authorized or initiated violence, especially within the Hebrew Bible. He notes a number of solutions and in the end recognizes that the lesson of these passages might be the ease with which “we might still be led to invoke God’s name as a justification of violence in our world” (p. 217). For Christians, viewing God through the person and message of Jesus will help us reject such views. He also deals with questions about women (not all Scripture passages offer a modern or just view of women) and tattoos (again context is important).
Why did Hamilton write the book? He wrote it as an encouragement to read it. While the Bible is the story of Israel, the church, and God, it is also our story.” Thus, “when we read with ears and hearts open to hear, God speaks and the scriptures convey to us ‘wonderful words of life’” (p. 309). If this book can help persons, especially Christians, read and engage the Scriptures with a reverent and inquisitive posture, then Hamilton will have achieved much. It would be an excellent study text for churches, Bible study groups, anyone who wishes to hear the voice of God anew. That there is a study guide available from the publisher makes this even more accessible for study groups. Take and read – not only Hamilton’s book, but the Bible as well.
With the foundations set, Hamilton is read to “mak[e] sense of the Bible’s challenging passages.” Chapters nineteen through thirty explore topics ranging from science and the Bible’s creation stories to homosexuality in the Bible. He addresses questions that might be on many people’s minds – homosexuality, science, and women, and ones that might be less pressing (the presence or lack thereof of dinosaurs on the Ark. On matters of science, Hamilton doesn’t believe that evolution will diminish the glory of God. We can, he asserts, learn truth from both science and the Bible. If you embrace evolutionary theory then you needn’t worry about a historical Adam and Eve or whether dinosaurs made it onto the Ark, but some might have questions. One area of deep concern is related to the question of divinely authorized or initiated violence, especially within the Hebrew Bible. He notes a number of solutions and in the end recognizes that the lesson of these passages might be the ease with which “we might still be led to invoke God’s name as a justification of violence in our world” (p. 217). For Christians, viewing God through the person and message of Jesus will help us reject such views. He also deals with questions about women (not all Scripture passages offer a modern or just view of women) and tattoos (again context is important).
Why did Hamilton write the book? He wrote it as an encouragement to read it. While the Bible is the story of Israel, the church, and God, it is also our story.” Thus, “when we read with ears and hearts open to hear, God speaks and the scriptures convey to us ‘wonderful words of life’” (p. 309). If this book can help persons, especially Christians, read and engage the Scriptures with a reverent and inquisitive posture, then Hamilton will have achieved much. It would be an excellent study text for churches, Bible study groups, anyone who wishes to hear the voice of God anew. That there is a study guide available from the publisher makes this even more accessible for study groups. Take and read – not only Hamilton’s book, but the Bible as well.
January 10, 2020
A powerful, conversational, user-friendly read that likely just opened up a whole new world of discovery for me. He's an effective teacher.
July 27, 2016
Evangelicals by definition have a hight regard for the Bible. Often this regard is held in response to a kind of groupthink/formation rather than based on one's actual interaction with the text of Scripture. Many churches/denominations view the Bible to be inerrant (a claim the Bible never makes for itself) in the face of many obvious inconsistencies to say nothing of the points at which science would beg to differ and God shows apparent signs of "behaving badly." Depending on the situation, asking questions about this might get you branded as some kind of traitor to the cause. So a book that purports to "make sense of the Bible" might possibly offer a welcome contribution to thinking Christians. That is, in fact, the case with this book by Adam Hamilton. I have to say that this book grew on me over the course of my reading. Hamilton's view of inspiration seemed at first novel and half-baked but upon further review it might be the more standard fundamentalist/evangelical view of inspiration that is over-baked on the divine side and under-baked on the human side. I'm not sure I'm ready to buy everything the author is selling but he is a great communicator and has a message that needs to be heard.
October 21, 2016
I would go so far as to say this book was life changing for me. Having grown up in a conservative, evangelical church culture I have been afraid to question anything in the Bible. I believe wholeheartedly in Jesus and the redemptive Christian message but I was having an increasingly hard time reconciling some of the teachings in the Bible. This book helped me remember that Jesus is the true "word of God" and how to interpret some of those troubling issues.
I do think you need to be at the right place in your life to appreciate this and be changed by it. I am sure that some people's faith would be shaken by this, or they would consider it heresy. But if you approach it with an open heart, a reverence for God but an acknowledgement of humanity, and if you have been having trouble reconciling certain passages in the Bible that don't seem to line up with Jesus's message, I think you will be changed for the better by this book. My faith has been strengthened incredibly.
I do think you need to be at the right place in your life to appreciate this and be changed by it. I am sure that some people's faith would be shaken by this, or they would consider it heresy. But if you approach it with an open heart, a reverence for God but an acknowledgement of humanity, and if you have been having trouble reconciling certain passages in the Bible that don't seem to line up with Jesus's message, I think you will be changed for the better by this book. My faith has been strengthened incredibly.
October 1, 2015
When we were in Tennessee earlier this month, I picked up this book that my mother-in-law was reading. I bought my own copy on the way out of town. I hadn't heard of Adam Hamilton before, but I was impressed. It turns out he's pastor of the largest United Methodist congregation in the country, and I can understand why. The first half of the book is a succinct exploration of modern biblical interpretation, but Hamilton does it in a wonderfully approachable way. He draws on his experiences as a pastor and uses examples from his own study of scriptures to explain how his approach to the bible has changed with time. Building on the foundation in the first half of the book, he devotes the second half to exploring issues that challenge believers who don't want to check their brains at the doorway to the nave: science and faith, the role of women, homosexuality, the (much misunderstood) Book of Revelation, and even tattoos. Highly recommend.
June 13, 2014
Some of the theology books I've read in the past couple of years have really made me think and have changed me. Some have made me think, but have left me totally unconvinced. And then there is Adam Hamilton's latest on the Bible. I found myself agreeing again and again with this "progressive" UMC pastor as he presented why - and how - he takes the Bible seriously (very), but not literally. This has been my journey for most of adult life. It was nice to have my (still) evolving thoughts on the Bible and what it says about some of today's hot topics validated in such an engaging way. I highly recommend this book!
April 19, 2014
Combines rigor of thinking and faith
I am an engineer, and MBA, trained to think analytically, gather data and weigh and balance different points of view. Sometimes that perspective can feel difficult to reconcile with the Bible and religion in general. This book provides a nice guide to do so, and highlights how early Christians, including the Apostles, did so as well.
I am an engineer, and MBA, trained to think analytically, gather data and weigh and balance different points of view. Sometimes that perspective can feel difficult to reconcile with the Bible and religion in general. This book provides a nice guide to do so, and highlights how early Christians, including the Apostles, did so as well.
September 27, 2017
Hamilton places himself in a bit of a Catch 22 in how he views the Bible, leading him to make more confusion of the Bible than sense. The primary issue is that he calls into question the writers' ability to accurately and faithfully convey the enduring character of God and, yet, simultaneously says that we can, however, trust that they accurately convey the person and mission of Jesus. He says this can be done because the writers of the NT were close to Jesus but then calls into question their ability to translate His teachings into actionable commands in the Epistles. He calls us to weed through our apparently haphazard Scriptures to find what he calls the "timeless will of God." The problem is that his ultimate authority for this "timeless will" ends up being culture, in essence reducing the otherwise immutable God of the Bible into a more manageable, less offensive god who is more like us, who likes the things we like, and is offended by the things that offend us - as opposed to the other way around. Most of his claimed contradictions in the Bible are superficial and easily answered in an introductory apologetics book. It also seems that a basic understanding of covenant theology would clear up his beliefs on why certain things in the Old Testament are no longer binding in the New Testament. Instead, he applies this change to the mere whim of the apostles and then implies that Christians have the same authority to pick and choose what we like. Ultimately, it appears that his answer to some of the more difficult questions raised by the Bible is that we simply can't trust it.
January 3, 2020
Rather than summarize Hamilton's message, I'm including a few key points from his final summary chapter:
"While affirming that the Bible is inspired by God, a key premise of this book is that the Bible's authors were inspired by the Spirit in the same way and to the same degree as many contemporary preachers and prophets and even ordinary Christians have been inspired by the Spirit in every age."
"Instead of assuming that the Bible is the result of God's word-for-word inspiration of its authors, or that the Bible is merely a human book, I've suggested that the scriptures were written by human beings who were inspired by God yet wrote in the light of their own experiences, the scientific knowledge they had access to, and the historical circumstances in which they lived. They sought to address the needs of the communities to whom they wrote. They were shaped not only by the Spirit but by their own theological and moral convictions, assumptions and presuppositions."
"To reiterate the basic premise of this book: You are not dishonoring God by asking questions of scripture that seem inconsistent with modern scientific knowledge or geography or history. And you are not being unfaithful to God if you ask questions of a verse that seems inconsistent with the picture of God seen in the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. You are not judging God by wrestling with the Bible; you are asking questions of human authors of scripture."
"While affirming that the Bible is inspired by God, a key premise of this book is that the Bible's authors were inspired by the Spirit in the same way and to the same degree as many contemporary preachers and prophets and even ordinary Christians have been inspired by the Spirit in every age."
"Instead of assuming that the Bible is the result of God's word-for-word inspiration of its authors, or that the Bible is merely a human book, I've suggested that the scriptures were written by human beings who were inspired by God yet wrote in the light of their own experiences, the scientific knowledge they had access to, and the historical circumstances in which they lived. They sought to address the needs of the communities to whom they wrote. They were shaped not only by the Spirit but by their own theological and moral convictions, assumptions and presuppositions."
"To reiterate the basic premise of this book: You are not dishonoring God by asking questions of scripture that seem inconsistent with modern scientific knowledge or geography or history. And you are not being unfaithful to God if you ask questions of a verse that seems inconsistent with the picture of God seen in the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. You are not judging God by wrestling with the Bible; you are asking questions of human authors of scripture."
January 30, 2020
Hamilton’s approach of filtering all Scripture through Jesus sounds plausible, but as he continues in the book, he makes the point that he believes that the biblical writers only had such inspiration as I might have writing my weekly sermon or a thoughtful card. If we cannot trust that Paul and James were inspired in any meaningful sense, why should we believe Matthew and Luke faithfully recorded the sayings of Jesus?
While the book was a challenging read and I appreciate the different perspective, I thought much of the reasoning sounded more like trusting your conscience/social consensus than developing a faith from the Scriptures. If so much of the Bible is the result of human fault and bias, who determines what is timeless and what was specific? If, as Hamilton claims, some of the Bible’s content was never approved by God but was the result of human interpolation, how can we ever know which “bucket” to place these problematic things in? Filter it through Jesus? Yes, but how can we know that the teachings of Jesus are accurately recorded?
And so the circular argument continues.
While the book was a challenging read and I appreciate the different perspective, I thought much of the reasoning sounded more like trusting your conscience/social consensus than developing a faith from the Scriptures. If so much of the Bible is the result of human fault and bias, who determines what is timeless and what was specific? If, as Hamilton claims, some of the Bible’s content was never approved by God but was the result of human interpolation, how can we ever know which “bucket” to place these problematic things in? Filter it through Jesus? Yes, but how can we know that the teachings of Jesus are accurately recorded?
And so the circular argument continues.
Read
February 19, 2016I wished I had read this book a long time ago. The main thing I learned was not to take the Bible literally. Humans, inspired by God, wrote the book. It's a compilation of letters, poetry and history, written for that time period over 2,000 years ago. Parts are still applicable to my life now but others are not. Slavery, subjugation of women, condemnation of homosexuals are part of the past. I live by the two greatest commandments of Jesus (1) love God with all your heart, soul and MIND and (2) love your neighbor as yourself.
August 23, 2016
I loved this book and will definitely be reading more of Hamilton's stuff. For the past several years I've had a hard time reconciling what I believe about the world and Christ's character with some passages and stories in the bible. I've never been sure how to answer someone when they've asked how I can believe in science but still read Genesis, or how I can support gay marriage but still believe in the bible. Hamilton, in my view, offers great answers to all that and more. This book was inspiring, affirming, and a pleasure to read.
June 26, 2014
Excellent! Can't recommend this book enough. I listed to the audiobook and would recommend that so you can take notes while you listen. If you love the Bible and want to understand how the Bible relates to our lives today, this is a must-read. Parts are controversial and will make literalists squirm, but Adam's opinions are substantiated and hold water where others sidestep.
August 27, 2014
Book Review of Adam Hamilton's Making Sense of the Bible
. . . but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes! —Matthew 18
It is written with an agenda. Before I knew what the agenda was, Hamilton makes it clear that there’s something he wants included or excluded from the tent of Scripture. What seemed grounded in a factual, objective consideration of Scripture (Title: Making Sense of the Bible. Innocent enough), felt like a series of carefully selected cases to bring the reader to the point where portions of Scripture could be discarded. Like a fat man trying to squeeze into armor, Hamilton’s pushing, squeezing, prying, cutting and bending may get the man in, but what he’s in is no longer armor and it’ll never take a blow.
Questionable claims are treated like settled territory. Whether it’s claiming that the prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus was actually just stuff happening at that time (do we know that God brought a child into the world through a virgin in King Ahaz’s time [pg. 58]) or that Galatians “is not simply ‘the word of God [pg. 81],’” Hamilton presumes details and conclusions that are not supported by his work or any other available resources.
It diminishes the importance of the Bible. This is done in a number of ways, but I’ll give you three. First, using Paul’s assertion that all Scripture is God-breathed, Hamilton lays out a case that Paul didn’t regard any of the New Testament writings as Scripture (because they weren’t, yet). Hamilton uses this timing issue to disqualify New Testament writings as God-breathed. Well, isn’t it possible that Paul was talking about all Scripture as a category, having been proven and tested through the ages? If you were building a movement based on humility, could you have written something and called it Scripture right away? But then, once it came to be viewed by the church as Scripture, wouldn’t the previous comment apply? For instance, if I say all gold medal Olympians are champions of their sport, wouldn’t that include Olympians for years to come? Later, Hamilton suggests that when New Testament speakers (Jesus included) mention the “word of God,” they’re not talking about Scripture, but “. . . a message about God that is heard—either spoken or preached.” [pg. 148] He cites a number of passages “proving” this position, but completely disregards that a number of these passages are actually quotations of Old Testament Scripture or picks one out of the many sermons Peter gives where Old Testament Scripture is not quoted. In fact, Peter was the first Apostle to quote Scripture. Finally (in contrast to what Hamilton previously said Paul would never have dreamed to do), Hamilton elevates other Christian writings stating, “What makes the Bible more authoritative than contemporary inspirational writings is not a different degree of the Spirit’s inspiration but the proximity of the biblical writers to the events that they were recording and . . .” [pg. 294] This goes on to list other criteria, but is indicative of Hamilton’s supposition that only the proximity of the writer to the time of Jesus separates the Bible from another modern Christian book [additional quote on pg. 173]. Scripture, as approved by the body of the church, tested for usefulness and the presence of the Spirit, was (in my opinion) special revelation given, at the right time, to the writers of these books as a way to make Himself known to mankind.
The buckets analogy is offensive. Essentially, Hamilton implies that we live in a time where we can accurately put Scripture in the dock and judge whether it reflects our understanding of who God is. Into the first bucket, we place all Scripture “that reflect the timeless will of God for human beings.” [pg. 273] In the second bucket, we are invited to place all Scripture “that reflect God’s will in a particular time but not for all time.” In the third bucket (which Hamilton concedes is small and yet is given most of 135 pages of ink and includes things like the Creation Story, Adam+Eve, Noah’s Ark, most any violence in the Old Testament, Suffering, [parts of] God’s Judgment, anything offensive to women, tattoos & the seemingly biggest reason for the entire book—homosexuality), we are invited to put “passages that reflect the culture and historical circumstances which they were written but never reflected God’s timeless will.” [both pg. 274] Setting aside the third bucket, for the moment, taking an opportunity to share the Gospel Story—a conversation about Jesus on the Cross and His coming, out of love, to fulfill the Law—and reducing it to a bucket doesn’t feel true. The entire structure, while deftly drawn and subtle, invites each of us to pick and choose parts of the Bible to construct a God of our own choosing because, after all, Hamilton flatly states that these hard parts of Scripture “. . . tell us more about [Moses, Joshua, David] and the times were living in than about the God in whose name they claimed authority to do those things.” [pg. 214]
. . . but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes! —Matthew 18
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 5
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; —2 Timothy 3
Full disclosure: I’m the least of these to be writing this. When I look at what Adam Hamilton has built and the list of names of giants that have endorsed and recommended this book, I’m sure that these men have each forgotten more than I know about Scripture—which makes this book even more disconcerting.
I also understand how difficult it is to assemble, put down and then stand behind written word. I don’t write bad reviews, but there’s something deceptive about this book that requires a response. Here’s a few of my issues:
It is written with an agenda. Before I knew what the agenda was, Hamilton makes it clear that there’s something he wants included or excluded from the tent of Scripture. What seemed grounded in a factual, objective consideration of Scripture (Title: Making Sense of the Bible. Innocent enough), felt like a series of carefully selected cases to bring the reader to the point where portions of Scripture could be discarded. Like a fat man trying to squeeze into armor, Hamilton’s pushing, squeezing, prying, cutting and bending may get the man in, but what he’s in is no longer armor and it’ll never take a blow.
Questionable claims are treated like settled territory. Whether it’s claiming that the prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus was actually just stuff happening at that time (do we know that God brought a child into the world through a virgin in King Ahaz’s time [pg. 58]) or that Galatians “is not simply ‘the word of God [pg. 81],’” Hamilton presumes details and conclusions that are not supported by his work or any other available resources.
It diminishes the importance of the Bible. This is done in a number of ways, but I’ll give you three. First, using Paul’s assertion that all Scripture is God-breathed, Hamilton lays out a case that Paul didn’t regard any of the New Testament writings as Scripture (because they weren’t, yet). Hamilton uses this timing issue to disqualify New Testament writings as God-breathed. Well, isn’t it possible that Paul was talking about all Scripture as a category, having been proven and tested through the ages? If you were building a movement based on humility, could you have written something and called it Scripture right away? But then, once it came to be viewed by the church as Scripture, wouldn’t the previous comment apply? For instance, if I say all gold medal Olympians are champions of their sport, wouldn’t that include Olympians for years to come? Later, Hamilton suggests that when New Testament speakers (Jesus included) mention the “word of God,” they’re not talking about Scripture, but “. . . a message about God that is heard—either spoken or preached.” [pg. 148] He cites a number of passages “proving” this position, but completely disregards that a number of these passages are actually quotations of Old Testament Scripture or picks one out of the many sermons Peter gives where Old Testament Scripture is not quoted. In fact, Peter was the first Apostle to quote Scripture. Finally (in contrast to what Hamilton previously said Paul would never have dreamed to do), Hamilton elevates other Christian writings stating, “What makes the Bible more authoritative than contemporary inspirational writings is not a different degree of the Spirit’s inspiration but the proximity of the biblical writers to the events that they were recording and . . .” [pg. 294] This goes on to list other criteria, but is indicative of Hamilton’s supposition that only the proximity of the writer to the time of Jesus separates the Bible from another modern Christian book [additional quote on pg. 173]. Scripture, as approved by the body of the church, tested for usefulness and the presence of the Spirit, was (in my opinion) special revelation given, at the right time, to the writers of these books as a way to make Himself known to mankind.
The buckets analogy is offensive. Essentially, Hamilton implies that we live in a time where we can accurately put Scripture in the dock and judge whether it reflects our understanding of who God is. Into the first bucket, we place all Scripture “that reflect the timeless will of God for human beings.” [pg. 273] In the second bucket, we are invited to place all Scripture “that reflect God’s will in a particular time but not for all time.” In the third bucket (which Hamilton concedes is small and yet is given most of 135 pages of ink and includes things like the Creation Story, Adam+Eve, Noah’s Ark, most any violence in the Old Testament, Suffering, [parts of] God’s Judgment, anything offensive to women, tattoos & the seemingly biggest reason for the entire book—homosexuality), we are invited to put “passages that reflect the culture and historical circumstances which they were written but never reflected God’s timeless will.” [both pg. 274] Setting aside the third bucket, for the moment, taking an opportunity to share the Gospel Story—a conversation about Jesus on the Cross and His coming, out of love, to fulfill the Law—and reducing it to a bucket doesn’t feel true. The entire structure, while deftly drawn and subtle, invites each of us to pick and choose parts of the Bible to construct a God of our own choosing because, after all, Hamilton flatly states that these hard parts of Scripture “. . . tell us more about [Moses, Joshua, David] and the times were living in than about the God in whose name they claimed authority to do those things.” [pg. 214]
Hamilton’s essential premise in the book is that the Bible should be viewed through the lens of Jesus’ command to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself” [which he states repeatedly] but also the lens of our urban, enlightened, 21st century scientific framework [which he doesn’t state so clearly].
Honestly, the book is well written and carefully pulls the reader down a path to its inevitable conclusion—homosexuality in Scripture was just prohibiting homosexual rape, a strange conclusion if you haven't walked the path that Hamilton paves. It’s calculated with examples like contrasting Jesus’ love of prostitutes and sinners with Leviticus 21:9 that says, “When the daughter of a priest profanes herself through prostitution, she profanes her father; she shall be burned to death.” [pg. 176]
If you’re trying to prove a point, that is a very dramatic contrast, but another way to look at this Scripture is that this side of the Holy Spirit, without 400 years of slavery behind us, with not one example of a daughter of a priest ever having been immolated for prostitution in Scripture, is it more likely that Moses hated prostitutes, or that God, in His wisdom knew that for that people, in that time, a harsh punishment would save thousands of girls and allow them to grow happy thriving families in Israel?
The difference between my conclusion and Hamilton’s is that I’m not saying that my view is correct. I have no idea why God would give Israel a Law like that, but one day, when I’m fully known, I will also know. We can look to Scripture and try to bend it around the shape of our own god, or we can look to God and seek an answer as to how is this true. What is missing in my view of You, God, that is keeping me from understanding this? What clue of You did You leave me thousands of years ago that I’m supposed to find today. As for me and my house, we're choosing our great Love.
One last image. Imagine you’re at a party with your wife and you’re talking about a topic on which she’s written and published. She’s gone out on a limb to express her view on it, but it may not be core to who she is. Suddenly, a stranger comes up and begins refuting every single thing your wife is saying. He goes on and on and on picking apart her work explaining how this can’t possibly be true and how she’s not the type that would do and say that. Your wife is standing there silent and expressionless when the stranger turns to you and says, “You’ve been quite. Who do you think is right?”
Standing there at that party you have no access to the materials needed to check his or her facts. You just can’t know then. So how do you answer? Do you choose the one you love, or do you side with a stranger? Maybe you know and like the guy. Do you pick him over your love in something that’s clearly unknowable?
Later that night, when you’re home, when you’ve checked some books, the internet and some notes, when you 100% have that answer—what are you going to wish that you’d said?
Either Scripture is true or it’s not. When I see God, am I going to want to say:
Oh, you mean it’s all true? Even that part about . . . ? What about . . . ? ‘Cause I told some people they didn’t have to worry about that one. Soorrry?!?, or
You mean it wasn’t true? I’m sorry. I believed it all. I believed it was all about You. Tell me more. . .
The science and perspective that Hamilton shares in Making Sense of the Bible is but a single frame in a very long movie. When we know, we will know. But until then, I find no better foundation for life, business, my family or my faith than the truth of Scripture.
A NOTE TO ADAM HAMILTON:
Adam, If you’re like me, you read these reviews. When someone likes my book, I feel encouraged. When someone picks at it, I get discouraged. I’m sorry about that. I’m very sorry if this hurts you. I have a perspective on this that may be unique. Pastors are like the generals—calling in formations, alerting us to opportunities and refreshing us for battle in the world. The laity (me) is the ground troops. We’re carrying the cross into real estate contracts, construction sites, sales calls and campuses every day. I’ve worked hard to build a foundation in my life on Scripture and knowing God. I practice the disciplines you discuss in your book. I know the pain and vulnerability that comes with putting down something you believe, but this book hurt me. This book, from a preacher of my denomination, felt like artillery had been sent down on my own position. Every class I’d taught, every conversation I’d had about the Gospel, everything I’d written felt diminished by your call to discard and categorize Scripture. My faith isn’t shaken, but my trust is. And yet, still, I love you.
September 4, 2023
I am so thankful to be a part of a church that made the bold decision to go through this book together. Adam Hamilton puts in words so many ideas I feel God has been nudging me toward for years. He unpacks what we (individually and as a Church) have made scripture that scripture never claimed to be. In reading this, I feel heartbroken for all of the people I know who have been pushed away from Christianity because of the Bible and what we have made it. But I am also hopeful that more people will be drawn to engage with the Bible in a truer and more meaningful way. Please read it. Agree with it or not, God is not afraid of our questions. Wrestle with this book but then go wrestle with the Bible and with God.
August 17, 2022
My wife and I attended Pastor Hamilton's church here in Kansas City briefly about 20 years ago when our two kids were pre-teens. We were looking for a church that would suit their needs best in terms of an active youth program. We loved Adam's message, but we selected another church (and before long our kids re-selected yet another church for themselves!) with a smaller youth program. We've since left AND returned to KC, and have often attended a branch of his church closer to our home. I almost always come away from Adam's messages moved and inspired by the Word. He is a gifted and unsensational speaker. If I was asked to use one word to describe Adam in his professional life, I would choose "wise".
I bought Making Sense of the Bible at Church of the Resurrection's main campus bookstore. Adam has written over 20 books, and I suspect this is one of the most read. There are two primary topics: the authorship of the Bible and Adam's personal theology as it applies to a number of controversial passages in it. While the latter themes are always interesting, I've listened to Adam so long that I pretty much already know his theology, so I actually learned more in the first section regarding who wrote different sections of the Bible.
In terms of his take on controversial Bible topics, he tackles creation, the flood, God's violence in the Old Testament, suffering and divine providence, Jesus's miracles, salvation, women in pastoral roles, homosexuality and the strange book of Revelation. I'll use his views on what the Bible says about homosexuality as an example. Obviously this is a huge issue in the Methodist church now, one that is literally tearing the church in two. The book was written 8 years ago, and he was already anticipating the schism that would likely occur. To summarize a 15-page chapter, Adam believes that, first of all, we are to use all parts of our being when we read and understand the Bible. It was written by people that God used to deliver his Word, but was not dictated word-for-word, and requires thought, interpretation AND the example of Jesus Christ's ministry focusing on love rather than law as the final word. He sees the passages that are often used to support condemnation of homosexuality as misinterpreted. Each of these passages refer to acts, and do not reference relationships. What is being forbidden are acts in the context of domination or self-gratification. Nowhere does the Bible comment on long-term loving homosexual relationships.
If you have been turned off by organized religion, seemingly irreconcilable conflicts between science and the Bible, violence and wars in the name of Gods, self-righteous Christians, and the like, I encourage you to come and listen to Adam Hamilton.
I bought Making Sense of the Bible at Church of the Resurrection's main campus bookstore. Adam has written over 20 books, and I suspect this is one of the most read. There are two primary topics: the authorship of the Bible and Adam's personal theology as it applies to a number of controversial passages in it. While the latter themes are always interesting, I've listened to Adam so long that I pretty much already know his theology, so I actually learned more in the first section regarding who wrote different sections of the Bible.
In terms of his take on controversial Bible topics, he tackles creation, the flood, God's violence in the Old Testament, suffering and divine providence, Jesus's miracles, salvation, women in pastoral roles, homosexuality and the strange book of Revelation. I'll use his views on what the Bible says about homosexuality as an example. Obviously this is a huge issue in the Methodist church now, one that is literally tearing the church in two. The book was written 8 years ago, and he was already anticipating the schism that would likely occur. To summarize a 15-page chapter, Adam believes that, first of all, we are to use all parts of our being when we read and understand the Bible. It was written by people that God used to deliver his Word, but was not dictated word-for-word, and requires thought, interpretation AND the example of Jesus Christ's ministry focusing on love rather than law as the final word. He sees the passages that are often used to support condemnation of homosexuality as misinterpreted. Each of these passages refer to acts, and do not reference relationships. What is being forbidden are acts in the context of domination or self-gratification. Nowhere does the Bible comment on long-term loving homosexual relationships.
If you have been turned off by organized religion, seemingly irreconcilable conflicts between science and the Bible, violence and wars in the name of Gods, self-righteous Christians, and the like, I encourage you to come and listen to Adam Hamilton.
December 8, 2017
I gave this book 3 stars. While this book is a good attempt at a basic introduction to the Bible, Hamilton makes several over simplistic generalizations to age old debates. For instance, he uses “inerrant” and “infallible” interchangeably and as a result does not fairly represent the moderate view point he says he is representing.
March 17, 2022
This was a great read. I think the ideas in here are vital to fully understanding Christianity and the Bible, as well as offer insight as to how to address challenges to your faith. Sure, I don't agree with all the solutions offered in the book, but the main thing was it allowed to understand that it's okay to question the Bible and wrestle with how it relates to the modern world.
April 26, 2018
This book helped me consider the Bible with an expanded perspective & to appreciate the foundational truths as well as the inadvisability of getting caught up in details such as specific customs of the times. It was both reasonable & inspirational.
August 9, 2024
Genuinely one of the most helpful books I’ve read on questions while reading the Bible. I’ve been making my way through the Old Testament the last few months and it has generated a lot of questions. Adam Hamilton is a knowledgeable and empathetic guide and has produced an approachable resource for all readers.
March 5, 2020
This is my second time reading this book. As it was the first time, powerful and thought-provoking.
January 26, 2021
There are some bold claims in this book and not nearly enough pages to make compelling arguments for them. I wouldn’t recommend anyone read this book to develop good theology.
February 6, 2023
This is mostly a book about what not to do when reading the Bible. There are some good basic facts about the forming and history of the Bible, but often I would get done with a chapter and be left unconvinced. Especially the chapters near the end regarding controversial social issues. Adam never gets to a METHOD for how to decide which of the buckets we should consider a scripture to be put into. The chapter on homosexuality was disappointingly shallow. Richard Hays still has the best work on that and Hamilton’s chapter is unhelpful in moving the conversation forward.
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