Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Permission Granted--Take the Bible Into Your Own Hands” as Want to Read:
Permission Granted--Take the Bible Into Your Own Hands
by
Millions of people around the world look to the Bible as a source of encouragement and faith formation, a reminder that God is love and is in control, and a guide to living one's life the way God desires. But this treasured book has also been misused and manipulated by many, placed on a pedestal of untouchability, and protected from questioning and honest engagement. In 'P
...more
Get A Copy
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
March 27th 2015
by Westminster John Knox Press
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Permission Granted--Take the Bible Into Your Own Hands,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Permission Granted--Take the Bible Into Your Own Hands
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Permission Granted--Take the Bible Into Your Own Hands

In the first few pages of this book, Bird does the following:
1) Significantly misstates a quotation attributed to Aristotle. The real quotation goes, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it". Bird's version leaves out "to be able", implying that if you're truly educated you will entertain other thoughts. Whether this is simply negligence or purposeful editing to better support her project, who knows? Neither option inspires confidence. (If you' ...more
1) Significantly misstates a quotation attributed to Aristotle. The real quotation goes, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it". Bird's version leaves out "to be able", implying that if you're truly educated you will entertain other thoughts. Whether this is simply negligence or purposeful editing to better support her project, who knows? Neither option inspires confidence. (If you' ...more

I was sorry to have chosen this book and I would advise anyone not to make the same mistake. Take for example on page 27…In fact, if you pay close attention to Genesis 2-3, you will see that it is actually God who has misled the humans, not the serpent. Hmmmm. Hmmmm seems to be her favorite word and gotcha to pointing out her point. I was pretty much done when she goes on to say that she was glad Eve took the bite. Knowledge is a good thing and for Eve to want that, how could that be wrong.
Ther ...more
Ther ...more

I received an advanced reader copy from Westminster John Knox Press.
Permission Granted- Take the Bible into Your Own Hands by Jennifer Grace Bird is an engaging book I highly recommend. I've been waiting for years for this type of book to be published. As an avid female reader, I've wanted to read a book that directly addressed complicated Biblical issues in an academic manner. In Bird's book, you won't find any humorous stories about everyday life. Instead, prepare yourself for a thought provok ...more
Permission Granted- Take the Bible into Your Own Hands by Jennifer Grace Bird is an engaging book I highly recommend. I've been waiting for years for this type of book to be published. As an avid female reader, I've wanted to read a book that directly addressed complicated Biblical issues in an academic manner. In Bird's book, you won't find any humorous stories about everyday life. Instead, prepare yourself for a thought provok ...more

Title: Permission Granted
Author: Jennifer Grace Bird
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Year: 2015
Pages: 176
"To the Church, then, has been given the charge of proclaiming the Word of God. This revelatory Word is not a concatenation of human opinions and ideas but rather is God's own proclamation, the very means by which he speaks, even into postmodern society."--David Wells, Above All Earthly Pow'rs, 176
If I had been paying attention, I would have seen the endorsement by Rachel Held Evans on t ...more
Author: Jennifer Grace Bird
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Year: 2015
Pages: 176
"To the Church, then, has been given the charge of proclaiming the Word of God. This revelatory Word is not a concatenation of human opinions and ideas but rather is God's own proclamation, the very means by which he speaks, even into postmodern society."--David Wells, Above All Earthly Pow'rs, 176
If I had been paying attention, I would have seen the endorsement by Rachel Held Evans on t ...more

My thanks to NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
Ok, going to try to use the "criticism sandwich" method to review this book. Please note that I just couldn't subject myself to more than 37% of this book, so the below is only for the first 37% and the last bit that I had skimmed to.
Positive-top piece of bread
She seems to be a liberal, which means she isn't anti-homosexual. So when she discusses sex in the Bible, she doesn't ruffle my feather ...more
Ok, going to try to use the "criticism sandwich" method to review this book. Please note that I just couldn't subject myself to more than 37% of this book, so the below is only for the first 37% and the last bit that I had skimmed to.
Positive-top piece of bread
She seems to be a liberal, which means she isn't anti-homosexual. So when she discusses sex in the Bible, she doesn't ruffle my feather ...more

Permission Granted- Take the Bible into Your Own Hands-Jennifer Grace Bird
Each year more and more people leave the church and abandon their religious roots. Too many have reached adulthood still holding onto the interpretations of the Bible handed to them as children. Those childish interpretations seem to leave them coming up short in times of doubt or when seeking answers. This type of book has been long overdue for publication. Bird’s book: Permission Granted-Take the Bible into Your Own Hand ...more
Each year more and more people leave the church and abandon their religious roots. Too many have reached adulthood still holding onto the interpretations of the Bible handed to them as children. Those childish interpretations seem to leave them coming up short in times of doubt or when seeking answers. This type of book has been long overdue for publication. Bird’s book: Permission Granted-Take the Bible into Your Own Hand ...more

I was fortunate to grow up in a home and a church where I felt free to question scripture. I learned early on that just because an idea is in the Bible, it does not mean that it is life-giving, loving, helpful, or even correct. My personal litmus test for reading the Bible will always point me toward Christ and the fullness of life for all people. Thank you for your research and your honesty Jennifer Bird. You will, no doubt, cause a lot of people to squirm!

Thank you to NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press for this free readers edition. In exchange I am providing an honest review.
It took me over a month to read the book once through. Then I decided I couldn't say I had read it until I read it again, that time it took me one day. Yes, just one day. I determined to get through it, having a first read as a basis for the second read.
The first read through I just read the book. The second time I read the book as the author intended - using the Bib ...more
It took me over a month to read the book once through. Then I decided I couldn't say I had read it until I read it again, that time it took me one day. Yes, just one day. I determined to get through it, having a first read as a basis for the second read.
The first read through I just read the book. The second time I read the book as the author intended - using the Bib ...more

Aug 28, 2020
Esther
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
new-testament,
religion
Have you ever felt like you can't seek answers to the many questions you have about the Bible?" I have, but when I ask these questions at church or home, I always get the same answers. "Read the Bible, everything you need to know is right there." I first realized that I could ask these burning questions and seek new insight as I took a Religious Studies class for my undergraduate degree. Since the first day of Introduction to the New Testament, I have asked what had previously been taboo questi
...more

Wow! Incredibly thought-provoking! Part workbook, part study guide, with lots of open-ended questions. What do you think you know about the Bible? This book invites the readers to answer this question by reading and thinking for themselves. Not for everyone, probably, but definitely food for thought for those unafraid of using the brains God gave them.

A text for a Brite Divinity Spring class, "Interpreting the Hebrew Bible" - From the Publisher: Millions of people around the world look to the Bible as a source of encouragement and faith formation, a reminder that God is love and is in control, and a guide to living one's life the way God desires. But this treasured book has also been misused and manipulated by many, placed on a pedestal of untouchability, and protected from questioning and honest engagement. In 'Permission Granted', Jennifer
...more

This is one of those books that you're not sure what to make of it. It covers a topic of interest to me -- as a preacher I am interested in how we read the Bible. The author, Jennifer Bird, reminds us that the Bible is a complicated book that is not itself God nor is it a fount of inerrant information about God. When read with care it can point us to God, but there is much in the Bible, if read literally, can prove harmful. With that I'm in agreement. My concern is that the overarching emphasis
...more

I really wanted to like this. Before I review, I'm going to give a very short idea of where I'm coming from compared to religion. Two years ago I considered myself an atheist. There are way too many things in the world that I cannot explain with just science so I decided atheism was not the way for me. Agnostic is what I've professed for quite some time. Recently, last Sunday to be exact, I was baptized in a Christian church. They call it a First Century church. I've been curious about the bible
...more

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was truly looking forward to this book. I thought, “Wow, a book that gives me the power to make the Bible my own, to be able to question and examine, and think for myself!” When I started it, I was in love with the book.
And then I started delving deeper into the verses that she quoted, especially one that she quoted multiple times, in fact used for one of her sections. Her section says: 1. What scripture does 1Timothy 3:16 refer ...more
I was truly looking forward to this book. I thought, “Wow, a book that gives me the power to make the Bible my own, to be able to question and examine, and think for myself!” When I started it, I was in love with the book.
And then I started delving deeper into the verses that she quoted, especially one that she quoted multiple times, in fact used for one of her sections. Her section says: 1. What scripture does 1Timothy 3:16 refer ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

a preliminary dissection. cuts to the white meat and helps illuminate some of what's really going on.
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
News & Interviews
Readers have a lot to look forward to this year! Just feast your eyes upon all of these debut books to check out and emerging authors to...
96 likes · 33 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »