THE BIBLE IN HISTORY: How the Texts Have Changed the Times

Kling, associate professor in religious studies at the University of Miami, studies the symbiotic relationship between scripture and society. In particular, he considers eight selections from the Bible—sometimes a single verse, other times a selection of verses, and then again entire chapters or books—and shows how each changed the direction of the Christian church. In doing so, he illustrates the vibrancy of the text, the controversies that have been inspired by famous biblical passages and the church's integration of scripture into its life. Starting with St. Anthony and the roots of the monastic movement and continuing up to contemporary thoughts on the ordination of women, Kling explores how a single person, or a group of people, can attach new meaning and added importance to scripture, providing the impetus for radical change in the church and in the wider society. He sees the abolitionist and peace movements as expressions of a biblical approach that extends time-bound stories (the exodus, for example) into always applicable lessons. This book is nimbly written for the general reader. Although it treats complex issues and draws upon scholarly sources, the text itself is eminently accessible, with further thoughts consigned to nearly 50 pages of endnotes. (Aug.)