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Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion & Morality (from the book jacket cover)
The
popularity of Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and
Morality led him to take another good look at the good book, a further
examination of the Scriptures, designed to interest the average reader in reasonable
analysis of the most influential document in Western civilization. Like his
previous book, More Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality is arranged
alphabetically with totally new entries.
Although the Bible has been referred to, quoted from, and applied
to broad social issues and private problems for centuries, Allen asserts that the degree
of common ignorance as to its content is vast and deep. Noting that adults rarely
read the Bible, Allen is convinced that the millions who do read it are not able to
understand certain passages at all.
Steve Allen's Bible study began during his travels:
he would peruse the Bibles found in any hotel room, marking passages that would strike him
as extraordinary, beautiful--or extremely confusing. Spellbound by the mystery of
it, he became aware that from the very beginning the text leads not just to scholarly
argument, but directly to controversy that has, over the centuries and even today,
fostered unaccountable slaughter and atrocity. And, he notes, it is perhaps of
greater urgency now than ever before that all Americans become conversant with the Bible,
because of those who would use it as weapon to force their views on the rest of
population.
Throughout the book, Allen offers direct quotes from biblical
scholars--Catholic, Protestant and Judaic--in addition to generous references to the views
of various scholarly specialists. His goal--to make people think reasonably about
the Bible--is achieved through clear and readable prose.
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