Instant New York Times Bestseller

Rob Bell, the beloved author of Love Wins and What We Talk About When We Talk About God, goes deep into the Bible to show how it is more revelatory, revolutionary, and relevant than we ever imagined-and offers a cogent argument for why we need to look at it in a fresh, new way.

In Love Wins, Rob Bell confronted the troubling faith questions that many people were afraid to ask about heaven, hell, fate, and faith. Using the same inspired, inquisitive approach, he now turns to our most sacred book. What Is the Bible? is a guide for spiritual growth that provides insights and answers that make clear why the Bible is so revered and what makes it truly inspiring and essential to our lives.

Rob takes us deep into actual passages to reveal the humanity behind the Scriptures. You cannot get to the holy without going through the human, Rob tells us. When considering a passage, we shouldn't ask "Why did God say . . .?" To get to the heart of the Bible's meaning, we should be asking: "What's the story that's unfolding here and why did people find it important to tell it? What was it that moved them to record these words? What was happening in the world at that time? What does this passage/story/poem/verse/book tell us about how people understood who they were and who God was at that time?" In asking these questions, Rob goes beyond the one-dimensional question of "is it true?" to reveal the Bible's authentic transformative power.

Rob addresses the concerns of all those who see the Bible as God's Word but are troubled by the ethical dilemmas, errors, and inconsistencies in Scripture. With this insightful work of Christian spirituality, What Is the Bible?, he recaptures the Good Book's magic and reaffirms its power and inspiration to shape and inspire our lives today.

In this book, you'll discover a new framework for understanding the Bible:

• A New Way to Read: Instead of asking "Is it true?," learn to ask "Why was this story told?," uncovering the profoundly human heart of the scriptures.
• Historical Context is Key: Discover why understanding the first-century Jewish world of Jesus, ancient politics, and cultural inside jokes can make the Bible come alive in full color.
• Beyond Literalism: Move past the ethical dilemmas and inconsistencies that trouble many readers by exploring the Bible as a library of poems, letters, and stories, not a rigid rulebook.
• The Human and the Divine: Explore Rob Bell's core idea that you cannot get to the holy without going through the human, reclaiming the Bible's power to transform your life today.

I’ve been reading and studying and exploring and rereading and rethinking and giving sermons from the Bible for twenty-five years, and I find it more compelling and mysterious and interesting and dangerous and convicting and helpful and strange and personal and inspiring and divine and enjoyable than ever. 

Some people see the Bible as an outdated book of primitive, barbaric fairy tales that we have moved beyond. And then there are the folks who talk about how important and central and inspired the Bible is but then butcher it with their stilted literalism and stifling interpretations. But you, I want you to read the Bible in a whole new way.

—from What Is the Bible?

In Love Wins, New York Times bestselling author Rob Bell confronted the troubling questions that many people were afraid to ask about heaven, hell, fate, and faith. Using the same inspired, inquisitive approach, he now turns to the most widely read book of all time. What Is the Bible? provides surprising insights and answers about how the Bible actually works as a source of faith and guidance, showcasing a brand-new way of reading this sacred text.

Bell takes us deep into actual passages, revealing not only the humanity behind the scriptures but the revelation that one cannot get to the holy without going through the human. When considering a passage, Bell explains the worst question we can ask of a text (“Why did God . . . ?”) and the best question to ask (“Why did people find this important to write down?”) to get at how scripture can best guide us today. In asking these questions, Bell goes beyond the one-dimensional question of “is it true?” to reveal the Bible’s surprisingly transformative power. What Is the Bible? recaptures this ancient library’s subversive energy and reaffirms its enduring ability to inspire and shape our lives today.

“With pastoral prodding, Rob Bell helps us see that scripture is a masterpiece of penetrating subtleties crafted by ancient authors with a transformative vision for humanity. Bell reminds us that the Bible is neither simple nor mundane, but worthy of our full attention.”