Is the Bible True? How Modern Debates & Discoveries Affirm the Essence of the Scriptures

by Jeffery L. Sheler

This book isn't a partisan account declaring the bible's absolute historical accuracy. It's a fair-minded exploration of the bible's historical truth. Author Sheler is a US News & World Report religion correspondent who relies on interviews, library research & onsite reports from Israel & Egypt. Instead of claiming to offer startling breakthrus, he gives an evenhanded treatment of this controversial text. In a clear, conversational style, he walks readers thru key moments in the Hebrew & Xian canons, exploring the grounds for the historical truth behind such figures as Abraham, Moses & David, & behind such scriptural accounts as the flood & Exodus. He retells the story of the discovery of the Qumran scrolls & explores their significance for understanding 1st-century Judaism & early Xianity. He also discusses the work of the controversial Jesus Seminar. His own conclusions, while not evangelical, aren't deconstructive: "After all of the scholarly scrutiny, the bible emerges affirmed but not unscathed, a credible but complex chronicle of humanity's encounter with god."--Doug Thorpe (edited)
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Bible & History
Centuries of Conflict: The Battle for the Bible
Canon & Content: The Bible as Sacred Scripture
Author & Authority: Who Wrote the Bible?
History & "His Story": Is There a Difference?
The Bible & Archeology
The Stones Cry Out: A Discovery at Dan
Bibles & Spades: The Birth of Biblical Archeology
The Patriarchs: In Search of Israel's Origins
The Exodus: Out of Egypt
The Conquest: Settling the Promised Land
Israel's Monarchy: The United & Divided Kingdoms
A New Era: The Days of Jesus
Into the Future: The Promise of Biblical Archeology
The Bible & the Dead Sea Scrolls
Secrets from the Desert: The Discovery at Qumran
Scrolls, Scholars & Scandals: Fifty Years of Scroll Research
Scriptures Fixed & Fluid: The Scrolls & the Old Testament
Rediscovering Xianity's Roots: The Scrolls & the New Testament
The Bible & the Historical Jesus
In Search of Jesus: The Historical Quest
The Quest & Its Origins: From the Old Quest to the 3rd Quest
Jesus & His Seekers: Scholars of the Quest
Nativity & Nuance: The Birth of Jesus
Message & Miracle: Jesus the Man
Death & Resurrection: The Last Days of Jesus
The Bible Code & Prophecy
The Amazing Bible Code: Secret Messages from God?
Cracking the Code: How It Works--& Doesn't
The Bible & Belief
Is the Bible True? Conclusion
Notes

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Theology, History, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short answer to the book's deliberately provocative title is yes, the Bible is true, at least insofar as it is a reliable source that can be favorably viewed with regards to its truth claims when taken fairly and justly [1]. This is not to say that the book does not have anything to criticize about contemporary trends in religious thinking. On the contrary, the author does have some critical comments, particularly of trends that are gimmicky or anti-intellectual, comments that will be appreciated by a large proportion of the book's readers. The author, a long-time USA Today author on the religion beat, was able to write this book with the permission of his employer, and it pays off considerably. The work itself combines serious reportage with a refreshing honesty and a willingness to take scholarly matters seriously while remaining accessible in its style. This is an easy book to like on several levels, including its style as well as its content and perspective. As someone who reads a lot of apologetic works [2], it is striking to see that the author comments somewhat negatively on apologetics as a genre, perhaps finding such works unconvincing to the skeptics and perhaps even the open-minded.

In terms of its contents, this book has a lot to offer in it modest 250 page length. The author begins with four chapters on the Bible and history, commenting on the battle over scripture, the content and canonicity of scripture, questions of authorship and authority, as well as whether the Bible can be considered as history. Then the author spends eight chapters commenting on the relationship between the Bible and archaeology and pointing out how findings like the Tel Dan stone have demonstrated the historical legitimacy of scripture, while pointing out that it is often far more complicated than a narrow reading would suggest, a thoughtful approach that takes the Bible seriously enough to examine it in light of its context as a Near Eastern work with given historical conventions, and looking at aspects of archaeology relating to the patriarchs, the Exodus and conquest, the monarchy, as well as the days of Jesus, commenting a bit on the origins and future of biblical archaeology as well. Four chapters follow on the relationship between the Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls that demonstrate the Jewish origin of much of the language of the New Testament and the fertility and complexity of Second Temple Judaism. Six chapters follow on the relationship between the Bible and the historical Jesus, looking at the various unsuccessful quests for a historical Jesus apart from the Gospel accounts and the biases and presuppositions of the Jesus Seminar crowd, while pointing to the nuance of the nativity, miracle stories, and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The book closes with two chapters that are critical about the phenomenon of Bible codes and a chapter that affirms the respectful attitude of the author towards the Bible, leaving a book that contains a great deal of intellectual heft as well as sincere belief.

And that combination appears to be the raison d'etre for the book's existence, in order to present a view of the Bible that is both respectful and reverential on the one side as well as intellectually serious and robust on the other side, without engaging in fads or irrational exuberance. This is a book that appears to be, far more successful than most attempts, aimed at providing a happy marriage between faith and reason, between the confidence of readers that they are people of sufficiently serious intellect and also genuine biblical faith. Let this be a lesson to other authors, in that it is possible to write seriously about the Bible in such a way that bolsters faith and does not pit the head and the heart, or the spiritual and the intellectual, against each other. For both the specific content as well as the approach of the author, this book is a worthy one to read, and will likely find an appreciative audience long after some of its findings and discussions have to be updated with even newer ones that help demonstrate the reliability of the biblical account of history.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[2] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I graduated from seminary in '78 and haven't had a bible course since the mid-90's, I picked this up as a refresher and as a way to see what a journalist specializing in the field sees as currently going on. For this, the reading was worthwhile.

Although there are no egregious errors in Sheler's book, there is quite a bit left out just as one might expect from someone writing journalistically and letting whole arguments and the evidences behind them be covered by brief quotations from interested parties. Similarly, there is too much balance, too much allowing supposed liberals equal voice with supposed conservatives--so much that one wonders if the author's career has led to the sacrifice of critical capacities. For instance, where does the author stand on the issue of miracles, about the many radical biblical contradictions of everything his colleagues covering U.S. New & World Report's science section maintain? An additional criticism is that nary a bow is made to beliefs other than Judaic or Christian. Surely, the fact that only a minority of the world's population subscribes to either deserves some consideration as do their scholars' opinions about "our" bible. There is balance, of a sort, but the author operates in a small playground. Finally, what about mysticism, about claims for a perennial tradition spanning cultures, for the experiential claims made by the texts?

Much can be added to a listing of what's missing from Sheler's book, but it is, after all, less than 300 pages long and it was written for a western audience as is, presumably, his employer, U.S. News.

What I found beyond in the book beyond any reasonable expectation was a whole section, part five of six, about the supposed "bible code." The claims about such are, of course, patently ridiculous, but such is the credulity of suffering humanity that the claims are broadcast widely and an antidote to that is well-taken.

There is no index, but friends from Loyola University may be interested in knowing that Tom Sheehan is mentioned twice and quoted once in reference to the Jesus Seminar.

[Belinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried and tried, but could not finish this book.. I love the subject matter and appreciate the detailed research/investigation however the author during and at the end of each of the chapters said in effect "...but we really don't know what is true". I didn't really expect the answers to be handed out on a silver platter, and found it too annoying to continue.

Perhaps I should have stuck it out, but life is too short.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheler lays out all of the archeological evidence, but leaves the final conclusion to the reader. A very fine book, highly recommended.

[Nick Woodall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book supporting the Good Book.