The Essential Bible

The Essential Bible: Everything You Need to Understand the Old and New Testaments

by Rev. John Trigilio Jr., Ph.D., Th.D. and Rev. Kenneth Brighenti, Pd.D.
Avon, MA: Adams Media

Reviewed by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Have you wanted to learn more about the Bible but aren't sure where to begin? Essential Bible Everything You Need To Understand The Old And New Testaments by Rev. John Trigilio Jr. , Ph.D.,Th.D. and Rev. Kenneth Brighenti, Ph.D. is a wonderful place to start.

The authors begin by discussing what the Bible is and how it came to be, even explaining where the terms "Bible" and "Scripture" come from. They also talk about the role that both oral and written tradition played in forming the holy book and how the books that make up our current Bible were decided upon. Different understandings of divine revelation are explained as are the terms "inspired" and "inerrant." The authors also compare and contrast different versions of the Bible and discuss what you should look for in choosing a Biblical translation.

The second half of "The Essential Bible" goes through the books of the Bible one by one, explaining the background of each book and the major characters and events that come into play. It provides a great overview of the scriptural experience, thereby allowing you to then read an individual book of the Bible with greater knowledge of how that one part fits into the whole.

One of the best features of "The Essential Bible" are the little highlighted facts which are designated as an "Essential E" or an "E Fact." They provide important information in an easy-to-comprehend format. One thing about studying the Bible is that there is always more to learn. Whether you are a beginner in exploring the Bible or have been reading it for years, you will find something new and informative in "The Essential Bible" to enhance your experience of scripture.

Essential Bible Everything You Need To Understand The Old And New Testaments

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur is editor of Spiritual Woman and author of "Letters to Mary from a Young Mother" (iUniverse, 2004). She has a Master of Arts Degree in Applied Theology from Elms College. Visit her blog at http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com



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