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How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
by: Gordon D. Fee, Douglas Stuart

November 01, 2003
This is certainly a good introduction to reading and studying the Bible. It is not the sort of book you would read from cover to cover in one go; but rather a book that you would delve into as and when you need to some guidance on a particular genre of literature.

When this book was originally publish it was quite dry, but the latest edition has been made more readable.

The recommended commentary list in the back of the book is not the best. For better help on choosing commentaries see my other reviews.

In the original book there was a definite bias towards the NIV as the best translation. This has been replaced by the TNIV as the best translation for Bible study. I have no problem about authors having ... Read More:

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NIV Gift Bible

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
from: Zondervan Publishing House

September 01, 2007
This book is nicely leather bound making it nice to hold and durable. The print is reasonable and chapters are easily indexed in the front and it also contains some brief study notes,glossary and overview of life in new testament times. I have found this book an excellent aid to study having just come to faith.

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NIV/the Message Parallel Bible

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
from: Zondervan Publishing House

January 01, 2007
Well worth it if you want the Message but want to compare it to the ever-familiar NIV.

The Message makes for some excellent reading of the Proverbs especially. And now that it is numbered, it is easy to follow on.

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Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths we Never Knew

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by: Bart D. Ehrman

October 27, 2005
The "Lost Christianities" of Bart Ehrman is a very neutral description of the Christian history of the first 3 centuries AD. Ehrman has no axe to grind with competing scholars no dogmatic bias, just the open minded attempt to describe the different streams of Christianities before the orthodox were left as winners.

Part 1 of the book is evaluating the different forgeries of Gospels, epistles, revelations and prophecies which were circulating in the ancient Middle East. Gospels of different authors suppressed from the orthodox winners, sometimes only available as fragmented quotations from opponents of the other camp.

Part 2 is describing the 4 different main directions of early Christianity:
- Ebonite's based on the Jewish ... Read More:

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John for Everyone: Chapters 1-10 Pt. 1 (New Testament Guides for Everyone)

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by: Tom Wright

October 18, 2002
The "Lost Christianities" of Bart Ehrman is a very neutral description of the Christian history of the first 3 centuries AD. Ehrman has no axe to grind with competing scholars no dogmatic bias, just the open minded attempt to describe the different streams of Christianities before the orthodox were left as winners.

Part 1 of the book is evaluating the different forgeries of Gospels, epistles, revelations and prophecies which were circulating in the ancient Middle East. Gospels of different authors suppressed from the orthodox winners, sometimes only available as fragmented quotations from opponents of the other camp.

Part 2 is describing the 4 different main directions of early Christianity:
- Ebonite's based on the Jewish ... Read More:

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Introducing the Old Testament

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
by: John W. Drane

August 18, 2000
This book is a great teaser for those wanting an overview of the Old Testament. John Drane's ability at opening the text, and enetering the world behind the text are excellent.

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John for Everyone Part 2: Chapters 11-21: Chapters 11-21 Pt. 2 (New Testament Guides for Everyone)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
by: Tom Wright

October 18, 2002
all the books in this series are really useful when trying to unravel the meaning of the Gospels/letters. If trying to find ideas for a sermon for a particular reading then look no further - Tom Wright provides several ideas to get you started. An invaluable collection.

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The Children's Bible in 365 Stories

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
by: Mary Batchelor

June 22, 2001
This version of the bible misses out much of the controversial content, providing a mild version that misrepresents God as a gentle patriarch. Essentially a religious alcopop.

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Christmas The Original Story

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
by: Margaret Barker

October 23, 2008
In this book, Margaret Barker analyses the events, language and imagery of the Christmas story as told by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and partially by the Infancy Gospel of James and excerpts from the Qur'an. Her aim is to demonstrate how early Christian readers and hearers would have recognised themes in the stories that pointed them to a `lost' world, whose richly symbolic understanding of the Temple of post-exilic Judaism held the key to making sense of the nativity.

That's the work's theme, in a nutshell. But it's really hard to know what to make of it, as is the case (for me) with others of Barker's books. On the one hand, unquestioned scholarship illuminates some of the symbolism behind the Christmas story in a fresh and potentially exciting way. On ... Read More:

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Introducing the New Testament

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Bible
by: John W. Drane

October 22, 1999
Extremely thorough, updated edition of the author's widely respected introduction to the New Testament. It includes sections on the wider historical and cultural setting; Jesus' life, death and resurrection; the Kingdom of God; the New Testament's literature, and the development of the churches that lie behind it. The book is rounded off with a discussion of approaches to reading the NT. Though fairly conservative in outlook, Drane's great virtue is to at least sketch other perspectives, even if he is sometimes rather too quick to dismiss the more liberal among them. The main themes in each chapter are supplemented by a more in-depth focus on particular aspects or problems, often giving an adept summary of wide-ranging scholarly debate that has run for decades or more. There's ... Read More: