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100 Tough Questions about God and the Bible
Straightforward answers to questions Christians and skeptics alike ask about God and the BibleLet's be honest--the Bible can be hard to understand. It's full of weird laws, apparent inconsistencies, and tales of a God who often doesn't do what we expect. You may have asked about some of these things and been brushed off or given trite, unconvincing answers.But serious questions deserve thoughtful responses, especially when opinions of Bible experts clash. Stephen M. Miller pulls insight from a wide range of Bible experts to report their answers to the tough questions. He does so with a touch of humor and no preaching, allowing you to draw your own conclusions.Questions · Would a loving God really put a good man like Job through horrible suffering just to test his loyalty?· If God knows everything, why did he test Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his own son?· How could there be just one God, yet three?· Since Jesus told people to turn the other cheek, why aren't more Christians pacifists?
- GenresNonfiction
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2014
8 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Stephen M. Miller
88 books21 followersSTEPHEN M. MILLER was born in Oakland, Maryland on August 3, 1952. He was the first of six children--four boys, two girls--born to Clyde and Virginia Miller. Their sixth child, a boy, lived just a few hours. So Steve grew up in a family of five kids and both parents. At age 12, when his Grandpap died, Granny moved in with Steve's family. She's was Virginia's mom.
Steve's parents grew up two miles apart in coal country near Tunnelton, West Virginia, a deer hunter's long walk south of Morgantown.
After Steve came along, Clyde went looking for a job that didn't involve dragging a pick into a dark hole. He moved the family to Akron, Ohio where he became a tool and die maker, crafting steel parts for machinery.
His tax withholding statement for 1963 shows a salary of $5,990.51. By that time, all five kids were on board, the youngest age three.
Virginia didn't work outside the home until all the kids were in school. Then she took a part-time job as a sales clerk at JC Penney--as much for the clothing discount as for the slight salary.
Steve, at age 15, started working part-time after school at a Sohio service station, pumping gas, changing oil, and fixing flat tires. (Sohio stood for Standard Oil of Ohio.) It was a job he kept into his college years, until the owner died. The salary, which started at 75 cents an hour, paid for his first car. An extreme vehicle. Extremely used. Ford Galaxy, dingy green. The first time he drove it, he didn't know how to work the manual choke. A kid on a bicycle passed him.
NEWS JOURNALISM AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
In college, Steve knocked out his general courses at the nearby University of Akron. Then he transferred to Kent State University, where he got a bachelor's degree in news journalism. For those wondering where he was in 1970 when the Ohio National Guard came to Kent State to quell the Vietnam War protests and ended up killing four students in the parking lot outside the School of Journalism, Steve was a senior in high school.
His mother enrolled at Kent State the same year he did. She got a degree in elementary education, launching her career as a public school teacher. Don't ask Steve who finished college with a higher grade-point average.
Steve commuted to college; he couldn't afford to live on campus. He drove the 45 minutes each day to Kent, Ohio. After the owner of the Sohio service station died, Steve found a full-time summer job working in a factory. He ran heated molds that pressed uncured rubber into auto parts. Then he dug out the parts with a brass pick. He sweat through his clothes in the first 10 minutes, and through his boots by 30. At shift's end, his crust of body salt sculpted him into Lot's wife's brother.
WORKING AT THE NEWSPAPER
When Steve landed a summer internship his senior year, working as a news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune in central Ohio, life was looking up. He lived in a rented trailer and listened to his mouse traps snapping at night. Which wasn't as tough as listening to the girl next door match her oscillating voice to a record player with an rpm that couldn't decide which r to pm. But Steve was out of the rubber factory. And into an air-conditioned office.
After graduation, he took a job as a news reporter with the Alliance Review. He worked there a year and a half, covering general news and editing the religion section and the business section. Small paper. Pleasant town.
It was during those months that he decided the Christian publishing world needed a little help from writers and editors who had taken journalism 101.
further info...
http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/auth...
Steve's parents grew up two miles apart in coal country near Tunnelton, West Virginia, a deer hunter's long walk south of Morgantown.
After Steve came along, Clyde went looking for a job that didn't involve dragging a pick into a dark hole. He moved the family to Akron, Ohio where he became a tool and die maker, crafting steel parts for machinery.
His tax withholding statement for 1963 shows a salary of $5,990.51. By that time, all five kids were on board, the youngest age three.
Virginia didn't work outside the home until all the kids were in school. Then she took a part-time job as a sales clerk at JC Penney--as much for the clothing discount as for the slight salary.
Steve, at age 15, started working part-time after school at a Sohio service station, pumping gas, changing oil, and fixing flat tires. (Sohio stood for Standard Oil of Ohio.) It was a job he kept into his college years, until the owner died. The salary, which started at 75 cents an hour, paid for his first car. An extreme vehicle. Extremely used. Ford Galaxy, dingy green. The first time he drove it, he didn't know how to work the manual choke. A kid on a bicycle passed him.
NEWS JOURNALISM AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
In college, Steve knocked out his general courses at the nearby University of Akron. Then he transferred to Kent State University, where he got a bachelor's degree in news journalism. For those wondering where he was in 1970 when the Ohio National Guard came to Kent State to quell the Vietnam War protests and ended up killing four students in the parking lot outside the School of Journalism, Steve was a senior in high school.
His mother enrolled at Kent State the same year he did. She got a degree in elementary education, launching her career as a public school teacher. Don't ask Steve who finished college with a higher grade-point average.
Steve commuted to college; he couldn't afford to live on campus. He drove the 45 minutes each day to Kent, Ohio. After the owner of the Sohio service station died, Steve found a full-time summer job working in a factory. He ran heated molds that pressed uncured rubber into auto parts. Then he dug out the parts with a brass pick. He sweat through his clothes in the first 10 minutes, and through his boots by 30. At shift's end, his crust of body salt sculpted him into Lot's wife's brother.
WORKING AT THE NEWSPAPER
When Steve landed a summer internship his senior year, working as a news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune in central Ohio, life was looking up. He lived in a rented trailer and listened to his mouse traps snapping at night. Which wasn't as tough as listening to the girl next door match her oscillating voice to a record player with an rpm that couldn't decide which r to pm. But Steve was out of the rubber factory. And into an air-conditioned office.
After graduation, he took a job as a news reporter with the Alliance Review. He worked there a year and a half, covering general news and editing the religion section and the business section. Small paper. Pleasant town.
It was during those months that he decided the Christian publishing world needed a little help from writers and editors who had taken journalism 101.
further info...
http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/auth...
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 6, 2014
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Synopsis: A bestselling author tackles 100 tough questions both Christians and nonbelievers ask, reporting popular viewpoints among biblical scholars and inviting you to draw your own conclusions.
Though some of the questions and responses are a bit cheesy, the “100 Tough Questions” Stephen Millers answers in his book are thought provoking for believers and non believers alike. Did I think they were “tough”? -Indeed some of the questions were! I had to pull out my bible quite a few times to reference the question in question. Just when you think you know a bit of scripture, God humbles you and shows you there is even more to learn about Him and His word.
As a Christian myself, the Bible is indispensable in my Christian walk, but I understand that there are skeptics out there who aren’t committed to Christianity- they need to ask questions like these. This book would be great for logical and critical thinkers as the responses Miller has brought to the table are well researched, well thought out, and truly came across as unbiased to me. I like how he formulated his answers from different biblical scholars, christians, pastors, scripture, accounted history and even science to bring all that is available to answer the questions in this book. Even tough Miller directs his readers to Christ the questions aren’t always gospel centered as the main focal point to his responses.
Would I recommend? I think this is a pretty well versed and researched book asking hard questions that some really feel the need to be asked during their walk or before they commit fully to Christ- an that is okay! If you have questions, this book is a great place to start looking for answers.
Synopsis: A bestselling author tackles 100 tough questions both Christians and nonbelievers ask, reporting popular viewpoints among biblical scholars and inviting you to draw your own conclusions.
Though some of the questions and responses are a bit cheesy, the “100 Tough Questions” Stephen Millers answers in his book are thought provoking for believers and non believers alike. Did I think they were “tough”? -Indeed some of the questions were! I had to pull out my bible quite a few times to reference the question in question. Just when you think you know a bit of scripture, God humbles you and shows you there is even more to learn about Him and His word.
As a Christian myself, the Bible is indispensable in my Christian walk, but I understand that there are skeptics out there who aren’t committed to Christianity- they need to ask questions like these. This book would be great for logical and critical thinkers as the responses Miller has brought to the table are well researched, well thought out, and truly came across as unbiased to me. I like how he formulated his answers from different biblical scholars, christians, pastors, scripture, accounted history and even science to bring all that is available to answer the questions in this book. Even tough Miller directs his readers to Christ the questions aren’t always gospel centered as the main focal point to his responses.
Would I recommend? I think this is a pretty well versed and researched book asking hard questions that some really feel the need to be asked during their walk or before they commit fully to Christ- an that is okay! If you have questions, this book is a great place to start looking for answers.
March 16, 2014
Title: 100 Tough Questions about God and the Bible
Author: Stephen M. Miller
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Date: April 8, 2014
Pages: 235
[In accordance with certain rules created by the FCC, I am required to inform you that I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review.]
It took me less time to read this book than it did to figure out how to move it from Adobe Digital Editions on my laptop over to my Nook. And, frankly, it was more of a chore to do the latter than it was to do the former. I read this book in a roughly 3 hours and that is mostly because I was also using a new tool to make notes in the e-book (.pdf) version of the book I had received.
I want to be fair, and I will, but frankly...this is a strange book. I'm not sure if that is because it is still being edited (at the bottom of my e-book [.pdf] are the words 'unpublished manuscript'] which may indicate I merely received a rough draft and not a finished copy) or other reasons for which I will not bother to speculate. Here are a few of my complaints about this book.
First, it is absolutely scatterbrained. Simply put: there is a randomness to the ordering of the questions the author has decided to 'report' on and it simply makes no sense to do so in the way he did it. The reader is bounced back and forth between the Old and New Testament on nearly every other page. In my opinion, the book would have better served its readers if the author had merely started at the beginning of the Bible--Genesis--and wrapped it up at the end of the Bible--the Revelation. Or he had offered some grouping of the questions. Maybe a little background on who or why the questions were asked (as he notes they were collected from Christians and not Christians).
There was no balance to the book. Some questions received many pages of writing, others scarcely a paragraph or two. The pace was frantic and hurried.
Second, there were times in the book when the humor was a bit sophomoric. On page 90, for example, there is a bit of humor about a Jewish person. I'm not even Jewish and I found the humor offensive and racist. On page 48 there is a reference to 'Jewish male plumbing' which is also a bit immature. Perhaps it is in the author's personality to make such jokes, but I found them a little out of place in a book such as this.
Third, some of the questions are a bit banal. I wonder what the criteria was for choosing which questions were going to be addressed and which were not. Did the author and editors set up a room with whiteboards and dry erase markers and sketch out a thousand questions and whittle them down to a mere 100? Or was the author given carte-blanche approval to address what he wanted? Or did he address more than 100 questions and an editor whittled it down to an acceptable 100? I'm not sure how it was done, but some of the one-hundred 'tough' questions addressed were simply banal and do not require journalistic efforts to answer.
Take, for example, question 39: Psalm 44:23 says, 'Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Does God catch Zzz's?" I find it hard to believe that this is a tougher question than, say, 'How can Jesus make claims to be the only way to God"? Seriously, I could think of a hundred other questions that would be far better suited to ask and answer than many of the ones asked and answered in this book. Furthermore, it seems a bit odd to me the pick-and-choose method that seems to be employed in selecting which Old Testament laws were going to be picked apart in the book. In other words, I'm not sure there was a method to the madness except perhaps: we will choose parts of the Bible that are certain to 'punch a button.'
Fourth, no references. There are plenty of references in the book to bible 'scholars,' 'experts,' 'historians,' and 'commentators,' but none of their names actually show up in the book or in an index or in end notes (I think there was one or two times). I get that this is a popular level book intended to sell to a very immature audience, but failing to include, at minimum, a 'for further reading' or 'for deeper digging' page of references seems, to me, somewhat anathema. I cannot excuse this failure in a book that will most certainly be used by some as a reference point in debates.
I'm not sure what books he read in preparation for writing this book, but I'm not sure he has read enough. Continual use of phrases such as 'most scholars...' and 'most experts agree...' are too volatile to be taken seriously without reference points. We learn in early logic classes--seriously, we teach children in elementary school who take standardized tests to avoid multiple-choice answers that use words like 'most' and 'all,' and 'many'--that very few things are 'all' or 'most' and that it is best to shy away from them unless our proof is irrefutable. That said, I wish he would have at least included a few of the works he consulted and researched before writing these things because the scholars and experts I have read frequently disagree with the ones he seems to have consulted.
We can laugh about such things if we choose--and it might well be true that the author was trying to diffuse some of the more petulant attacks the Bible must endure from 'scholars' and 'experts' by showing that the two sides doesn't necessarily mean something is incorrect or a bald-faced lie. This could be the very reason why he began the book with the question, "What on earth do Christians mean when they say the Bible is 'inspired by God?'" (15; and probably the longest chapter in the book.) Maybe by addressing this question first, the author helps us understand his own point of view--a point of view we are rarely privy to, except the time when he points out that he and his daughter are, in fact, Good Samaritans (question 85).
It could be that the author is as orthodox as the Calvin or Wesley--whatever that means. He does claim to belong to a church with a well known preacher. He claims to be a Christian and yet the books comes off as a storyline from the X-Files, and when it's all said and done you are either Mulder or Scully, a mere christian who takes things on faith or an 'expert' who must have more proof to validate the Bible's stories.
There were some moments when I found the book to be highly enlightening. For example, making the connection between some young men being consumed by bears and passages in Leviticus 26 was very interesting and helpful (164). Another valid point came when he discussed issues surrounding being a citizen of God's kingdom and obsessing about our own (85). There were a couple of others too that I found insightful and for that I appreciated the book immensely.
There were also times when I was frustrated. For example, making a point about Jesus' resurrection and concluding with wondering 'if a spiritual body leaves footprints' is another cringe worthy moment in the book. I'm not sure if it is humor or if it is just terrible theology. And, finally, there was the obligatory (negative) reference to George W. Bush which many christian authors seem to sneak into their books nowadays (37). It's probably time to let it go.
I judge a book's value based upon whether or not I will read it again in the future. I have read The Count of Monte Cristo at least 15 times. I don't envision this book becoming a regular reference tool in my library. I'm sure the author is a nice guy with a super sense of humor, but this book just didn't work for me. He wrote in the introduction that he wants 'truth;' not cliches, not safety, not one-sided sermons. Yet reading this book left me thinking that he hasn't taken any side at all (which he admits to in the introduction). He is, indeed, Switzerland. Too bad.
He left me more frustrated than hungry.
Or maybe I just took him and the book too seriously.
2.5/5
Author: Stephen M. Miller
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Date: April 8, 2014
Pages: 235
[In accordance with certain rules created by the FCC, I am required to inform you that I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review.]
It took me less time to read this book than it did to figure out how to move it from Adobe Digital Editions on my laptop over to my Nook. And, frankly, it was more of a chore to do the latter than it was to do the former. I read this book in a roughly 3 hours and that is mostly because I was also using a new tool to make notes in the e-book (.pdf) version of the book I had received.
I want to be fair, and I will, but frankly...this is a strange book. I'm not sure if that is because it is still being edited (at the bottom of my e-book [.pdf] are the words 'unpublished manuscript'] which may indicate I merely received a rough draft and not a finished copy) or other reasons for which I will not bother to speculate. Here are a few of my complaints about this book.
First, it is absolutely scatterbrained. Simply put: there is a randomness to the ordering of the questions the author has decided to 'report' on and it simply makes no sense to do so in the way he did it. The reader is bounced back and forth between the Old and New Testament on nearly every other page. In my opinion, the book would have better served its readers if the author had merely started at the beginning of the Bible--Genesis--and wrapped it up at the end of the Bible--the Revelation. Or he had offered some grouping of the questions. Maybe a little background on who or why the questions were asked (as he notes they were collected from Christians and not Christians).
There was no balance to the book. Some questions received many pages of writing, others scarcely a paragraph or two. The pace was frantic and hurried.
Second, there were times in the book when the humor was a bit sophomoric. On page 90, for example, there is a bit of humor about a Jewish person. I'm not even Jewish and I found the humor offensive and racist. On page 48 there is a reference to 'Jewish male plumbing' which is also a bit immature. Perhaps it is in the author's personality to make such jokes, but I found them a little out of place in a book such as this.
Third, some of the questions are a bit banal. I wonder what the criteria was for choosing which questions were going to be addressed and which were not. Did the author and editors set up a room with whiteboards and dry erase markers and sketch out a thousand questions and whittle them down to a mere 100? Or was the author given carte-blanche approval to address what he wanted? Or did he address more than 100 questions and an editor whittled it down to an acceptable 100? I'm not sure how it was done, but some of the one-hundred 'tough' questions addressed were simply banal and do not require journalistic efforts to answer.
Take, for example, question 39: Psalm 44:23 says, 'Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Does God catch Zzz's?" I find it hard to believe that this is a tougher question than, say, 'How can Jesus make claims to be the only way to God"? Seriously, I could think of a hundred other questions that would be far better suited to ask and answer than many of the ones asked and answered in this book. Furthermore, it seems a bit odd to me the pick-and-choose method that seems to be employed in selecting which Old Testament laws were going to be picked apart in the book. In other words, I'm not sure there was a method to the madness except perhaps: we will choose parts of the Bible that are certain to 'punch a button.'
Fourth, no references. There are plenty of references in the book to bible 'scholars,' 'experts,' 'historians,' and 'commentators,' but none of their names actually show up in the book or in an index or in end notes (I think there was one or two times). I get that this is a popular level book intended to sell to a very immature audience, but failing to include, at minimum, a 'for further reading' or 'for deeper digging' page of references seems, to me, somewhat anathema. I cannot excuse this failure in a book that will most certainly be used by some as a reference point in debates.
I'm not sure what books he read in preparation for writing this book, but I'm not sure he has read enough. Continual use of phrases such as 'most scholars...' and 'most experts agree...' are too volatile to be taken seriously without reference points. We learn in early logic classes--seriously, we teach children in elementary school who take standardized tests to avoid multiple-choice answers that use words like 'most' and 'all,' and 'many'--that very few things are 'all' or 'most' and that it is best to shy away from them unless our proof is irrefutable. That said, I wish he would have at least included a few of the works he consulted and researched before writing these things because the scholars and experts I have read frequently disagree with the ones he seems to have consulted.
We can laugh about such things if we choose--and it might well be true that the author was trying to diffuse some of the more petulant attacks the Bible must endure from 'scholars' and 'experts' by showing that the two sides doesn't necessarily mean something is incorrect or a bald-faced lie. This could be the very reason why he began the book with the question, "What on earth do Christians mean when they say the Bible is 'inspired by God?'" (15; and probably the longest chapter in the book.) Maybe by addressing this question first, the author helps us understand his own point of view--a point of view we are rarely privy to, except the time when he points out that he and his daughter are, in fact, Good Samaritans (question 85).
It could be that the author is as orthodox as the Calvin or Wesley--whatever that means. He does claim to belong to a church with a well known preacher. He claims to be a Christian and yet the books comes off as a storyline from the X-Files, and when it's all said and done you are either Mulder or Scully, a mere christian who takes things on faith or an 'expert' who must have more proof to validate the Bible's stories.
There were some moments when I found the book to be highly enlightening. For example, making the connection between some young men being consumed by bears and passages in Leviticus 26 was very interesting and helpful (164). Another valid point came when he discussed issues surrounding being a citizen of God's kingdom and obsessing about our own (85). There were a couple of others too that I found insightful and for that I appreciated the book immensely.
There were also times when I was frustrated. For example, making a point about Jesus' resurrection and concluding with wondering 'if a spiritual body leaves footprints' is another cringe worthy moment in the book. I'm not sure if it is humor or if it is just terrible theology. And, finally, there was the obligatory (negative) reference to George W. Bush which many christian authors seem to sneak into their books nowadays (37). It's probably time to let it go.
I judge a book's value based upon whether or not I will read it again in the future. I have read The Count of Monte Cristo at least 15 times. I don't envision this book becoming a regular reference tool in my library. I'm sure the author is a nice guy with a super sense of humor, but this book just didn't work for me. He wrote in the introduction that he wants 'truth;' not cliches, not safety, not one-sided sermons. Yet reading this book left me thinking that he hasn't taken any side at all (which he admits to in the introduction). He is, indeed, Switzerland. Too bad.
He left me more frustrated than hungry.
Or maybe I just took him and the book too seriously.
2.5/5
November 26, 2021
Stephen Miller presents a lot of the main points of contention within Christianity. I like the format of the book, but it falls short in addressing the questions. The answers given are very shallow and go into just enough depth for you to want more. Maybe that was the intention, but I did not find the book a super enjoyable read.
October 14, 2015
100 Tough Questions About God and the Bible by Stephen M. Miller (Bethany House Books 2014)
Stephen Miller has gone into new territory with his 100 Tough Questions About God and the Bible. This is a presentation for newbies and those curious about God and the Bible. I am giving this book five stars, not because I agree with all the answers and counterpoints but because of his attempt to reach many with answers to questions that are usually not answered at Church. My recommendation to the reader is to get a good commentary Bible (like the NIV or ESV) and dig further into these questions and you will discover that even the gifted Stephen M. Miller can't scratch the surface of some of these "Troll" questions which I have nicknamed "100 Panic Attacks About God and the Bible!"
Miller will tackle some controversial subjects like Creationism and the young earth theory -- he does a pretty good job -- I have never heard a young earth proponent explain where the asteroid impacts came from if the earth is only 10,000 years old. That's one answer I would like to know! Miller seems to have a lot of questions about "Satan" and the different views and progression of the doctrine, personally with the New Testament teaching on the subject, Satan is a real spirit being and I have no answer why God created such an angel that became the spirit Satan. Miller's explanation about Job and his trials are wonderful, but what about Zechariah Chapter 3, which was written after the Persian period which talks about the priest being accused by Satan and the Angel of the Lord rebuking him?
Other hot button issues include: Inspiration of the Scripture and how reliable is the Bible, the role of women in the Church and Paul, and Homosexuality and current views. If you are looking for detailed answers or long essays on these subjects -- get out a good commentary on the Bible -- there are at least 80 opinions what "Baptism for the Dead" is and the answer is not in Salt Lake City or in this little volume! The recipients of the letter to the Corinthians knew what Paul meant!
I hope Stephen Miller will still write books with his famous art work and charts which makes his reference books so enjoyable. I know the heart of Stephen Miller -- he wants us to think and ask questions -- thank you for stretching our minds! So my friends, have a nice glass of lemonade or Earl Grey tea and take a journey with Stephen!
May 15, 2014
100 Tough Questions about
God and the Bible
by Stephen M. Miller
Everyone has questions about God and the Bible, even people who are skeptical. There are places where we just can't get a grasp of what the writer is trying to get across.
After all if we pray in faith why do the people we are praying for healing not get well? First off what kind of healing is being referenced? Is it physical? Spiritual? This is just one of the questions addressed in this book.
Just as these are tough questions not all answers are easy. Healing might be part of God's plan or it might have to be part of the life-after-death.
And what about Jonah? How could someone possibly live 3 days in the belly of a fish? Stephen Miller offers the arguments that are both for and against Jonah's fish tale.
And then what about Paul and the conflicting advice he gives in his letters? First off we don't know the questions that have been asked of Paul nor do we fully grasp the various cultures to whom he is ministering.
Stephen also addresses the issue of abortion and its volatile nature. He places the issue in its historical setting during the time of the Bible and the various thoughts concerning it at that time.
The various prophecies concerning Jesus and the "End Times" of Revelation are shown and touched on.
Though the questions are not necessarily answered in black-and-white one comes away with a better understanding of what is being questioned and wondered about. And more importantly one is given the means to figure out how to answer these questions by looking at the Bible, the scriptural context, the culture of the day, and even one's own personal beliefs. We can more fully appreciate God's gift of allowing us the freedom to choose, even if this choice is what drove us from Eden and the Garden.
This is a well-written book and it is sure to start many conversations as one presents these questions to those around us or as we offer up answers to the questions of others. This is a book that will make you stop and think and even ask more questions. It would be an interesting book for group study and debate.
I was provided a copy of this book by Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.
God and the Bible
by Stephen M. Miller
Everyone has questions about God and the Bible, even people who are skeptical. There are places where we just can't get a grasp of what the writer is trying to get across.
After all if we pray in faith why do the people we are praying for healing not get well? First off what kind of healing is being referenced? Is it physical? Spiritual? This is just one of the questions addressed in this book.
Just as these are tough questions not all answers are easy. Healing might be part of God's plan or it might have to be part of the life-after-death.
And what about Jonah? How could someone possibly live 3 days in the belly of a fish? Stephen Miller offers the arguments that are both for and against Jonah's fish tale.
And then what about Paul and the conflicting advice he gives in his letters? First off we don't know the questions that have been asked of Paul nor do we fully grasp the various cultures to whom he is ministering.
Stephen also addresses the issue of abortion and its volatile nature. He places the issue in its historical setting during the time of the Bible and the various thoughts concerning it at that time.
The various prophecies concerning Jesus and the "End Times" of Revelation are shown and touched on.
Though the questions are not necessarily answered in black-and-white one comes away with a better understanding of what is being questioned and wondered about. And more importantly one is given the means to figure out how to answer these questions by looking at the Bible, the scriptural context, the culture of the day, and even one's own personal beliefs. We can more fully appreciate God's gift of allowing us the freedom to choose, even if this choice is what drove us from Eden and the Garden.
This is a well-written book and it is sure to start many conversations as one presents these questions to those around us or as we offer up answers to the questions of others. This is a book that will make you stop and think and even ask more questions. It would be an interesting book for group study and debate.
I was provided a copy of this book by Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.
August 10, 2014
The author says “Not being a preacher, I’m not inclined to preach at you. So please don’t expect me to tell you what to think. I did graduate from seminary, but before that I was a news journalist-- a newspaperman…Think of me as Switzerland. Neutral. I’m a journalist covering the Bible beat. I’ve tried to round up the best answers I can find and report them to you for your consideration. I think you’ll be surprised at some of the answers I found...”
The author covers questions like "Given what we know today from science, why do so many Christians say the universe was created in six days, a few thousand years ago?", "Jesus said we shouldn't judge one another, so why do Christians do it so much?", and "If God knows everything, why did he test Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his own son?"
I saw another reviewer complain that at times this book was more agnostic than Christian, and that’s exactly why I loved it! The author really did do a great job at being unbiased and presenting information of varying perspectives, then allowing you to come to your own conclusions.
Overall I liked the relaxed manner in which the information was shared, but there were times when it felt he was trying a little too hard to sound unbiased and all cool with it. Sort of like a teen’s dad trying to act cool, and coming off sort of dorky instead.
My final word: I liked this book so well, I bought a copy even after I'd read a free copy obtained through Netgalley. A great book for the open-minded who don't want to be told what to think, but to simply have the information to reach their own conclusions.
July 8, 2014
Let's be honest--the Bible can be hard to understand. It's full of weird laws, apparent inconsistencies, and tales of a God who often doesn't do what we expect. You may have asked about some of these things and been brushed off or given trite, unconvincing answers.
But serious questions deserve thoughtful responses, especially when opinions of Bible experts clash. Stephen M. Miller pulls insight from a wide range of Bible experts to report their answers to the tough questions. He does so with a touch of humor and no preaching, allowing you to draw your own conclusions.
The author has brought up 100 tough questions that people ask and think about the Bible. He begins by clarifying how the Bible, the whole Bible is inspired by God. 2 Tim 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21.
The author then gives us a very good history lesson of the Bible and why it is the inspired word of God. I believe that the author has done a brilliant job of going through each of the 100 questions, and countering them.
The author takes questions and incidents in the Bible like 1 Cor 14:34-35,37 and explains what Paul means by women being silent in the church, and whether or not they should be able to preach.
If anyone should have any questions about the Bible, I feel that this would be an excellent book to read.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
But serious questions deserve thoughtful responses, especially when opinions of Bible experts clash. Stephen M. Miller pulls insight from a wide range of Bible experts to report their answers to the tough questions. He does so with a touch of humor and no preaching, allowing you to draw your own conclusions.
The author has brought up 100 tough questions that people ask and think about the Bible. He begins by clarifying how the Bible, the whole Bible is inspired by God. 2 Tim 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21.
The author then gives us a very good history lesson of the Bible and why it is the inspired word of God. I believe that the author has done a brilliant job of going through each of the 100 questions, and countering them.
The author takes questions and incidents in the Bible like 1 Cor 14:34-35,37 and explains what Paul means by women being silent in the church, and whether or not they should be able to preach.
If anyone should have any questions about the Bible, I feel that this would be an excellent book to read.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
September 3, 2014
I received this book free to review from Netgalley. I found it to be well-written and easy to read. The author takes on 100 questions about God and the Bible and gives a variety of answers to each question explaining which people or groups back each answer. I like that the author gives a variety of answers and does not insist on any one of them being "correct", rather he just explains a variety of thoughts on each topic. I like this approach and find it refreshing. I imagine people who insist that the viewpoint that they agree with is the only correct one will not like this book, but I enjoyed it very much.
April 28, 2014
100 Tough Questions about God and the Bible is an interesting read. Some of the answers to the questions were told by what scholars say, what historical documents have told and some were just pure speculation. There is some slight humor to make the book flow. I read this book in one day. I did found it to be fascinating. It made me want to go pick up my Bible to learn more to some of the stories that were being questioned, which I believe was the author's intent to get more interested in the Bible.
4 1/2 stars.
4 1/2 stars.
April 9, 2014
Miller writes for the new Christian or someone who has little Bible knowledge. His writing is not intimidating. In fact, it is like he is writing for teens. He adds a bit of humor here and there too. He has done the research and presents all possible answers. He does not tell us what to believe but leaves the decision to us. This is a good book for a brand new Christian or someone who is just beginning to study the Bible.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/R2MN9Z.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for an independent and honest review.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/R2MN9Z.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for an independent and honest review.
April 5, 2014
I think many believers and especially new believers have many questions about the the scriptures and I think this book is an excellent tool to use on there journey of discovery. I don't agree 100% with the things the author said,but I think this is an excellent starting point and can help someone on their journey.
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