The Bible: An Introduction

Pt. I: What is the Bible and how did it come about? -- The Bible : a gradually emerging collection -- From then to now : the transmission of the Bible -- Inspiration : the claim that God speaks in a text -- Pt. II: What is the story of the Hebrew Bible? -- The Pentateuch, part 1 : Genesis -- The Pentateuch, part 2 : Exodus through Deuteronomy -- The Israelites tell their story : interpretations of national disasters -- "Thus says the Lord" : Israel's prophetic tradition -- An alternative worldview : Israel's wisdom literature and Esther -- Israel's response to God : the Psalms and the Song of Solomon -- Between the Testaments : from Alexander the Great to the time of Jesus -- Pt. III: What is the story of the New Testament? -- The Gospels : their composition and nature -- Four views of one Jesus : Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John -- The story continues : the Acts of the Apostles -- The Pauline letters : apostolic advice to early churches -- The disputed Pauline letters : continuing advice in Paul's name -- Hebrews and the general epistles : messages for broader audiences -- Revelation : John's apocalyptic vision -- The Bible today : epilogue.