Reading the Bible as Literature: A Journey

Reviewed by Kisha Tracy, Professor, Fitchburg State University on 6/2/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

There is a balanced amount of information presented as well as examples of how to read/interpret the text. There is no way to present the entirety of the Bible, and the author has selected sections to analyze, providing students with introductions to this kind of work. They emphasize well-known figures and stories as well as different genres of writing (appreciate especially emphasizing its orality, particularly in the section on Psalms). The different types of sources – from videos to artifacts – are useful for the modern learner.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Everything is well cited and come from reputable sources. It provides an example of students of the type of work they should themselves be looking to as well as an example of how to cite images, etc.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

It will stay relevant for a long time! Much of the information presented is a jumping off point, which will remain useful and helpful as a classroom text that the instructor can then use to get into other topics as needed/wanted. In essence, this textbook provides the introduction that can be used in addition to an edition of the Bible.

Clarity rating: 5

I appreciate the important concepts in bold, giving students markers to help them read. Also, the quotations in boxes are also very helpful. It is also clear about being a “literary reading” of the Bible, including discussions about the value of archaeology, etc. This is very accessible for undergraduates (or younger), which is not always the case with texts on this topic.

Consistency rating: 5

It is very consistent in its formatting of videos and other sources. It would be easy for a student user to recognize what is being presented and where. Users would quickly become familiar with context and background information and then analysis.

Modularity rating: 5

The sections are each an appropriate length for undergraduate reading. They contain a wide variety of sources, particularly videos, which have their own short introductions/contextualization, ranging from Crash Course to the British Library. It is easy to select parts that would be useful without assigning the entire text, which makes it easy to adapt.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I appreciate the timeline at the beginning and Part 1.1 “The Places of the Bible: Where does this all happen?” Students often need chronological and geographical context early in order to understand when and where the Bible is set and written. The whole book is organized logically with key concepts in useful places. It is broken up nicely with video sources, images of artifacts, artwork, etc., across many time periods and subjects. The Gospels in particular are presented in a useful way.

Interface rating: 5

Pressbooks is a consistent, solid interface. It is easy to navigate. Everything works!

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Everything is solid. No striking errors!

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Part 1.3 “Writing from one perspective?” is a useful way to begin a study of the Bible, allowing students to become aware of the different perspectives – whether that is as writers, characters, victors vs. losers, etc. It is a perfect set up here to add some sections concerning “Replacing binary history” in terms of gender (masculine, feminine, and queer) and conflicting beliefs. Part 2.7 “Genesis: Abrahamic Origins” works well to introduce students to the interconnectedness of the Abrahamic religions. Different voices are present (such as Eli Wiesel), however it would be desirable to supplement these with more variation. I appreciate the sensitivity to the point of a Bible as “Literature” course and the consistent reminders of the approach as opposed to a religion or philosophy course. There are good connections made, for instance, to modern America and to the Holocaust, that set up for other connections in the classroom, but could be more variety.

Comments

This text solves a huge issue in the Bible as Literature classroom of having accessible introductory material that does not require a lot of picking and choosing (and is open and free, so not requiring the assigning of an expensive text in addition to the Bible itself). The author focuses on key elements, background, context, and issues without overwhelming the student. I would like to see more, perhaps a chapter, on the apocrypha. I will be able not only to use this in Bible as Literature, but also sections will be helpful in World Literature and Global Middle Ages.

Reviewed by Jason Parks, Associate Professor of English, Anderson University on 1/25/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is an excellent primer for studying the Bible as literature. You will want to have a copy of the Oxford Annotated Bible or another scholarly edition of the Bible to get the most out of this text. It does not cover every single book, passage, etc, since that would be impossible for one textbook. However, it will serve as an excellent digital complement to your instructional materials, whether you teach the Bible as Literature or any other literature course. This multimodal text is scholarly and thoroughly documented, yet accessible and very easy to navigate.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The author provides accurate and detailed citations and live links to their sources throughout the book, so you can tell that everything is sourced from reliable scholarship. The maps, timelines, and paintings, and passages are all clearly cited and well-sourced.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This is a textbook that could be used for many years to come, especially the Online version. It is so well-organized that readers can quickly and easily navigate, search, and read through them without any confusion. The material focuses on key terms, structure, and key ideas that are fundamental to understanding the historical context and genres of the Bible, so there's not really any risk of the information becoming outdated. The value in this edition is that it doesn't try to be trendy or political. It just focuses on being informative.

Clarity rating: 5

This could easily be understood by high school students and undergraduates. All the passages are clearly written, key words are highlighted, and there is clearly an awareness of what students wouldn't know regarding key words, etymologies, etc. When relevant, there are references to various commentaries and differing views on interpretations, but it's always broken down and put into understandable terms with direct quotations right in the text, so you don't have to constantly flip back and forth between your Bible and the textbook.

Consistency rating: 5

Absolutely! Some sections are more in-depth than others, since there is just so much to pick from, so you may want to review every section to see if it goes in depth on the areas you want to emphasize in your course. For example, if you are looking to teach Psalms, you can find a variety of multimedia, commentary, and direct passages all clearly organized and easy to navigate. Then, if you go to the section on John, you'll find a similar organization, breakdown, and collection of media. I do see some value in moving from Genesis to Revelation, but the book is organized in a way that you could move around however you see fit.

Modularity rating: 5

This is probably the #1 strength of this book. I loved the layout, design, and options for reading! You can link to any sections or passage you'd like.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This is presented very straightforward. No gimmicks. It just moves you right through the Bible with just enough detail to keep you engaged without getting lost.

Interface rating: 5

Every link, drop-down menu, and video worked well, The images were clear and well-chosen, easily recognizable images. The interactive maps and timelines were especially helpful!

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This is a very high quality text in terms of grammatical clarity. No errors or issues at all!

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

No issues. It would be equally useful at a Religious and/or Christian college or public high school as it would be at a secular institution of higher ed. I appreciated how intentional the author seemed to be about integrating videos from scholars outside of the US and especially with women. I didn't see a lot of linked videos of non-white scholars, though I could have missed a few. So perhaps adding a few more videos where African American, Asian, Hispanic/Latino scholars are providing commentaries or lectures would enhance the appeal. I could also see how this may be due to which materials were freely available to link, since the author uses a lot of open-source material throughout. However, the author also makes it clear that this is a supplement, so I would imagine that teachers could supplement in a way that would reflect their own commitment to inclusion.

Comments

I found this book to be very well-organized, easy to navigate, and at an appropriate level for someone encountering the Bible as an anthology of literary works for the first time. This text is straightforward, very easy to read, and you will never get bored. There are so many images, videos, interactive links, etc, that students will genuinely enjoy it. Your students will be surprised at how quickly they can get through the chapters and yet how much they learn in the process. I took my first Introduction to the Bible course at a small Christian college twenty years ago and I had to have atlases, commentaries, the Oxford Annotated Bible, and numerous additional supplements. This online book covers everything you'd expect from a traditional Bible as Literature course from 20 years ago but with a seamless integration of multimedia and sensitivity to key interpretive questions about genres and historical contexts. While my primary teaching duties center around Literary Studies (American and British Literature), I intend to use this book as a supplement when I'm teaching Milton, Shakespeare, and various American Writers who use Biblical references, allusions, and engage with the Bible in various ways.