Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews

  The Bible, The Biography A Review Karen Armstrong's book, The Bible: The Biography ( 2007),  is a historical account of how the Bible was formed, interpreted, and used by Jews and Christians over the centuries. Armstrong argues that the Bible is a living document that has been constantly reinterpreted and applied to different contexts and situations by its readers. She traces the development of the Bible from its oral origins to its written form, and from its canonical status to its diverse interpretations.   Armstrong begins by exploring the origins of the Hebrew Bible, which was composed by various authors who had different views of God, creation, and society. She shows how the Israelites did not have a rigid orthodoxy until after the Babylonian exile, when they began to canonize their scriptures and define their beliefs. She also explains how the Torah scholars considered themselves as prophets who could find new meanings in the ancient texts.   Armstrong then exami

  CREATING SURVEYS   Second Edition How to Create & Administer Surveys, Evaluate Workshops & Seminars, Interpret & Present Results Click to Download Free Sample Available on AMAZON GOOGLE e-Books Reviews “This resource provides practitioners and students a systematic, easy-to-read overview of what surveys are and how to use them. Even seasoned researchers could benefit from reviewing this book and keeping it handy for reference, but undergraduate and master’s students should find it particularly useful for grasping basic research constructs and designing simple survey projects. Not only does the book explain important principles, but it also provides many clear, concrete examples and links to additional resources that the reader will find helpful.” —Joe D. Wilmoth, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Human Development and Family Science, Mississippi State University   “Many researchers find themselves in contexts where they have access to groups of people whose values, opin

  Unbelievable                                  Why Neither Ancient Creeds     Nor the Reformation Can Produce a Living Faith Today By   John Shelby Spong Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton ( suttong.com ) Spong provides examples of Unbelievable doctrines of the church and calls for a second reformation. He presents 12 challenging theses as foundational to building a new understanding of the Bible by relying on a more rational appreciation of the metaphorical and meaningful truths of the scriptures rather than the implausible literal interpretations that obscure a meaningful spiritual life. His presentation appears focused on educated adults who have not lost their interest in Christian spirituality but are not satisfied with current presentations of Christianity found in Protestant or Catholic pulpits. He is particularly concerned with the distortion of faith found in those who present simplistic and literal, or near literal, views of creation, biblical violence, and

The Rise and Fall of the Bible:  the Unexpected History     of an Accidental Book By       Timothy Beal   Reviewed By  Geoffrey W. Sutton According to Guinness World Records , The Bible is the best selling book- billions have been sold. But that doesn't mean people read the Bible or understand the various texts.  Timothy Beal attempts to educate his readers about the Bible--what it is and how the collection of documents came into existence as one book. Timothy Beal, is a Professor of Religion at Case Western Reserve University, offers an informative review of the Bible as a cultural icon. The Bible has image recognition and star quality. It remains a best seller, but Bible reading is minimal even among those described as Bible-believing . As an icon, it is part of American civil life and multiple versions reside on American tables and bookshelves. In eight chapters, Beal reviews highlights of recent research and scholarship, which are pertinent to the origins of t