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Book Discussion: What is the Bible? by Rob Bell

  • Pearl Church Office 721 Northwest 9th Avenue Portland, OR, 97209 United States (map)

A common experience for people who are in the process of reconstructing their Christian faith is to know what to do with the Bible. If you find yourself thinking, what exactly is the Bible? Or, how am I supposed to read the Bible? Or, I don’t think I can read the Bible anymore. Then, we want to encourage you to read and discuss Rob Bell’s, What is the Bible? This book encourages an appreciation for the humanity behind the Scriptures. As Bell explains, "You cannot get to the holy without going through the human.” With this in mind, rather than asking "Why did God say . . .?” Bell encourages us to ponder, "What’s the story that’s unfolding here and why did people find it important to tell ? And, what was happening in the world at that time? And finally, what does a particular passage/story/poem/verse/book tell us about how people understood who they were and who God was at that time?" In asking these questions, Bell goes beyond the one-dimensional question of “Is it true?" to encourage a dynamic relationship with the Bible’s ability to inspire our lives for good.

Earlier Event: December 3
Advent Retreat
Later Event: December 9
Soup Cookoff