The Bible Made Easy: A Book-By-Book Introduction

By Timothy Schehr

Book Overview

The purpose of this book is to introduce you to the amazing literature of the Bible. --From the Introduction

The Bible can be intimidating. This is as true for seasoned biblical scholars as it is for first-time readers. Schehr's insightful approach recognizes that the Bible is not one monolithic text, but a complete library--seventy-three volumes of poetry, stories, history, imagination and revelation. He offers a quick introduction to each of these books that highlights the main characters, the great themes, the central questions and the spiritual lessons.

With questions for reflection, helpful sidebars and a timeline of biblical events, this volume is an indispensable roadmap (with a few handy shortcuts) for those setting upon the journey through our most important book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0867165987
• ISBN13: 9780867165982
• Release Date: December 2006
• Publisher: Franciscan Media
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

The Bible Made Easy

This book takes each book of the Bible and gives a background on the setting in which it was written. The author puts all the information in very understandable words. It does give one an understanding of the times when the writing takes place. It is necessary for those who know nothing about the history of the writings of the books of the Bible. It is more of a reference book than an "easy read." It is a good book for understanding sections of the bible and explaining them to others. Good for RCIA groups. Donna Murphy

Outstanding Resource

Fr. Schehr opens this outstanding resource with an explanation of the origins of the Bible, the differences between the Catholic Bible and others, and the connection between teachings of the Bible and the Church. He also provides a helpful framework in the form of five "major markers" representing times of freedom or deliverance for God's people. The material on each book of the Bible follows a clear format, as shown in the following example taken from the Psalms section. In the introduction we learn that St. Ambrose called the Psalter "a gymnasium of the soul" to indicate its wealth of inspiration to strengthen our faith lives. Schehr expands on that topic briefly, then discusses different types of psalms and describes the layout of the Psalter, adding a chart to summarize. He suggests effective approaches for reading the Psalter. The section closes with a list of spiritual lessons from the Psalms: (1) praying the Psalms gives us strength for the spiritual journey, (2) any human emotion can be the starting point for reaching out to God, and (3) the whole range of life is an occasion to offer praise to God. In addition, the treatment of Psalms and all other books includes "On the Clock," an invaluable tool for keeping track. A prominent clock icon is accompanied by keywords and approximate dates for the events in the book and other historical occasions. In Psalms, this quick aid tells us that David lived around 1000 BC, and the Jewish people were returned from exile around 500 BC.

Fantastic Insights and Easy, Easy, Easy!!!

It would be hard to make introducing the characters, plots and themes any easier. This is the best single book I have found in a short, concise and easily readable volume. Fr. Schehr's book could easily be used by any Protestant student just as Catholics often use work of Protestant scholars. This book is appropriate for beginners and long time readers ready to much more seriously explore salvation history. This is another good book for those who believe as does Pope Benedict XVI that there is a knowable truth: Jesus.