Using the Financial and Business Literature

Sheler has waded into the difficulties and complexities of current biblical scholarship. He has sorted matters out to write an account that is accessible, well informed, and balanced in judgment. -- Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary, author of Theology of the Old Testament Jeffery Sheler, well-known religion journalist for U.S. News & World Report, has written an important book which will not please either the ultra-fundamentalists or the liberals with their hair on fire, for it insists on the one hand that the Bible must be critically assessed and on the other hand that it has considerable historical substance and makes various historical claims that are credible when checked against other historical and archaeological data. Precisely because it takes this middle road, and takes the historical questions very seriously, this book is to be highly commended. In an age where many have thought that historical questions are passe and that the Bible should simply be evaluated as literature, Sheler dares to remind us that even the literary dimensions of the Bible must be viewed in an historical perspective. For those who want to think critically and carefully about the Bible and historical issues, and not merely parrot the dictums of the extremists, this book is a must for you. -- Dr. Ben Witherington, III, Asbury Theological Seminary, author of The Jesus Quest Jeffery Sheler does not want the Bible's profound and enduring message to be obscured by the bewildering assortment of proposed 'codes, ' 'quests, ' and 'findings' that get so much publicity these days. Combining ajournalist's eye for important themes with a clear grasp of recent scholarship--and a solid faith in theBible's primary Author--he is a sensible and trustworthy guide through a territory in which it is very easy to lose our way. -- Richard J. Mouw, president and professor of Christian Philosophy, Fuller Seminary Sheler's book is a well-balanced account of the abundant evidence available today, direct and indirect, that sheds light on the historical claims of the Bible and the faith it commends. Neither fundamentalistic nor radical in its approach, it reports well on controversies (biblical archaeology, the Jesus Seminar, Bible Codes) and shows how even they bear on the essential truth of the Bible. -- Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J., professor emeritus, biblical studies, Catholic University of America Drawing on his own scholarship and years of vigorous and substantive religious journalism, Jeffery Sheler tackles one of the most complex questions of all: the truth of the Bible. Shedding the burden of a reporter's neutrality, Sheler argues strongly that along with its essential theological message, the Bible is historically credible. Informed, fair, and engaging, this book makes stimulating reading for anyone interested in the Bible. -- Donald Senior, professor of New Testament, Catholic Theological Union This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the Bible both as a work of history and a testament of faith. -- Publishers Weekly.. .a complete, concise and reliable overview. A truly scholarly but clearly written text; recommended for public and academic libraries. -- Library Journal.. .the topic itself is endlessly interesting, and the inherent mystery of the subject comes through forcefully. A well-researched, accessible volume and a strong candidate for public-librarycollections. -- Booklist Prepare yourself for an inspiring intellectual feast when you take up this book. -- Putnam Democrat [T]he best I ever read in this genre...a subtle and balanced discourse based on the available evidence. --Bob Becking, University of Utrecht Sheler . . . brings his considerable skills as a journalist to eke out an answer to a question that has divided believers in the Judeo-Christian tradition for much of the past 2,000 years. --Dallas Morning News