And God Said What?: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Forms for Bible Lovers [Paperback]

Margaret Nutting Ralph (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1986

This revised edition of the best selling And God Said What? introduces readers to the importance of understanding the various literary forms that appear in Scripture: myth, legend, debate, fiction, Gospel, parable, allegory, letter and apocalypse. Each genre is clearly defined, and the importance of understanding genre in order to find meaning is explored in relation to many well-known biblical passages: Samson, Lot's wife, Jonah, puzzling parables, 666, and many more. Written by an experienced teacher who has listened carefully to her students' questions, this book is an invaluable help to those who want to understand the revelation contained in the old and new covenants.

This revised edition contains:

--an additional 100 pages.
--includes Psalms, the infancy narratives and miracle stories.
--continues the author's engaging, accessible style.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Margaret Nutting Ralph is secretary of educational ministries for the Roman Catholic diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, and director of the masters degree programs for Roman Catholics at Lexington Theological Seminary. She is the author of eight books on Scripture and has given workshops on Scripture throughout the U.S. and in Canada. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: Paulist Press (May 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809127806
• ISBN-13: 978-0809127801
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,575,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saving people from mis-information, April 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: And God Said What?: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Forms for Bible Lovers (Paperback)

I have heard several people say that they felt great conflict in their religious lives and that learning about the bible from Dr. Ralph turned them around. Dr. Ralph helped them come to terms with the misinformation or mis-interpretation they've been suffering from. Dr. Ralph's views are not her own. This approach to scripture is not something new. In fact, it is the contextualist approach to scripture that the Catholic Church teaches and has been teaching for years.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And God Said What: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Form, May 30, 2003

By 

Thomas Brandino (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: And God Said What?: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Forms (Paperback)

I have been a discussion leader in Lay Bible Study and discussion groups for 5 years. This book is one of the best I have ever read on helping people come to an understanding of the intent of the author's of Biblical writings. The Author Dr Ralph, has a gift for putting her thoughts down in clear and concice manner. I have recommended it to each member of my classes this spring. I think it is a must have and study for anyone studying the Bible.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Introduction to Biblical Literature, December 2, 2005

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: And God Said What?: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Forms (Paperback)

I first saw Margaret Nutting Ralph's AND GOD SAID WHAT? when I was teaching at a Catholic school in the early 1990's. The catchy title caught my attention, which happens all the time, perhaps too often when I look at all the books I own but will probably never read.. I figured it would be an easy to use reference tool when students asked me questions about the Bible, most of which I was unable to answer, but often asked myself. What I found was something was more than a reference tool. I found a book that explained in easy terms the different types of literature found in the Bible. Ralph discusses many of the literary forms that are part of sacred scripture such as myth, legend, allegory, gospel, letters, parables, and explains them in a way that enhances the understanding of scripture. She is an educator by profession, and her teaching abilities come across in her writing, which is factual but written in an inviting manner. It can easily be used by someone who has little or know knowledge of scripture and wants to come to a better understanding or the more experienced reader who needs something top enliven scripture study.

This book is perfect for a person preparing scripture lessons. Ralph's explanations of the literary forms used in scripture makes it a handy resource. It would also be a good text book for people whoa re studying scripture and would be enjoyable for any Bible Study group or reading group. I know I have used it with Bible study groups and many adult education classes have used the book successfully as a text.

Since the original version has been revised, it shows that I'm not the only one who enjoyed this book and found it useful and it will probably be available of many years to come, introducing people to the wide variety of literature in the Bible and making it a little less confusing and overwhelming.