Given the fever-pitched controversies about evolution, Adam and Eve, and scientific evidence for the Flood, the average person might feel intimidated by the book of Genesis. But behind the heady debates is a terrific story—one that anyone can understand, and one that has gripped people for ages.
If you are not a Bible scholar but want to be able to read Genesis and understand its big picture, this brief, witty book is the guide you've been waiting for. Clear summaries and thought-provoking questions provide direction for personal reflection and group discussion.
Peter Enns, a Biblical Studies professor, and Jared Byas, an Old Testament professor, summarize Genesis' key themes and help us see the book as an ancient story, one with continued relevance for human experience today. "Genesis for Normal People" illuminates the characters that fill the book of Genesis, causing us to resonate with their choices and struggles even as we marvel at their distant world. And that's what you'll find here—not scientific proof texts or simple moral tales, but a distant world made available, and a story that is often strange, sometimes dangerous, and always filled with rich possibilities.
Table of Contents:
Chapter One: The Genesis of Genesis
Chapter Two: Genesis from 30,000 Feet
Chapter Three: Genesis 1 — Yahweh Is Better
Chapter Four: Genesis 2-4 — Adam Is Israel
Chapter Five: Genesis 4-5 — Cain Is a Fool
Chapter Six: Genesis 6 — Everyone Is Annihilated
Chapter Seven: Genesis 10-12: Babylon Is Evil
Chapter Eight: Genesis 12-22 — Abraham Is Chosen
Chapter Nine: Genesis 23-25 — Isaac Is the Father of Israel
Chapter Ten: Genesis 25-35 — Jacob Is Israel (Literally)
Chapter Eleven: Genesis 36-50 — Israel Is Saved
Conclusion: Now What?
Guide for Group Discussions
If you are not a Bible scholar but want to be able to read Genesis and understand its big picture, this brief, witty book is the guide you've been waiting for. Clear summaries and thought-provoking questions provide direction for personal reflection and group discussion.
Peter Enns, a Biblical Studies professor, and Jared Byas, an Old Testament professor, summarize Genesis' key themes and help us see the book as an ancient story, one with continued relevance for human experience today. "Genesis for Normal People" illuminates the characters that fill the book of Genesis, causing us to resonate with their choices and struggles even as we marvel at their distant world. And that's what you'll find here—not scientific proof texts or simple moral tales, but a distant world made available, and a story that is often strange, sometimes dangerous, and always filled with rich possibilities.
Table of Contents:
Chapter One: The Genesis of Genesis
Chapter Two: Genesis from 30,000 Feet
Chapter Three: Genesis 1 — Yahweh Is Better
Chapter Four: Genesis 2-4 — Adam Is Israel
Chapter Five: Genesis 4-5 — Cain Is a Fool
Chapter Six: Genesis 6 — Everyone Is Annihilated
Chapter Seven: Genesis 10-12: Babylon Is Evil
Chapter Eight: Genesis 12-22 — Abraham Is Chosen
Chapter Nine: Genesis 23-25 — Isaac Is the Father of Israel
Chapter Ten: Genesis 25-35 — Jacob Is Israel (Literally)
Chapter Eleven: Genesis 36-50 — Israel Is Saved
Conclusion: Now What?
Guide for Group Discussions
