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What is the Bible? Audiobook Summary

Rob Bell, the beloved author of Love Wins and What We Talk About When We Talk About God, goes deep into the Bible to show how it is more revelatory, revolutionary, and relevant than we ever imagined–and offers a cogent argument for why we need to look at it in a fresh, new way.

In Love Wins, Rob Bell confronted the troubling questions that many people of faith were afraid to ask about heaven, hell, fate, and faith. Using the same inspired, inquisitive approach, he now turns to our most sacred book, the Bible. What Is the Bible? provides insights and answers that make clear why the Bible is so revered and what makes it truly inspiring and essential to our lives.

Rob takes us deep into actual passages to reveal the humanity behind the Scriptures. You cannot get to the holy without going through the human, Rob tells us. When considering a passage, we shouldn’t ask “Why did God say . . .?” To get to the heart of the Bible’s meaning, we should be asking: “What’s the story that’s unfolding here and why did people find it important to tell it? What was it that moved them to record these words? What was happening in the world at that time? What does this 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, Rob goes beyond the one-dimensional question of “is it true?” to reveal the Bible’s authentic transformative power.

Rob addresses the concerns of all those who see the Bible as God’s Word but are troubled by the ethical dilemmas, errors, and inconsistencies in Scripture. With What Is the Bible?, he recaptures the Good Book’s magic and reaffirms its power and inspiration to shape and inspire our lives today.

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What is the Bible? Audiobook Narrator

Rob Bell is the narrator of What is the Bible? audiobook that was written by Rob Bell

Rob Bell is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and spiritual teacher. His books include Love Wins, How to Be Here, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, Velvet Elvis, The Zimzum of Love, Sex God, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and Drops Like Stars. He hosts the weekly podcast The Robcast, which was named by iTunes as one of the best of 2015. He was profiled in The New Yorker and in TIME Magazine as one of 2011’s hundred most influential people. He and his wife, Kristen, have three children and live in Los Angeles.

About the Author(s) of What is the Bible?

Rob Bell is the author of What is the Bible?

What is the Bible? Full Details

Narrator Rob Bell
Length 6 hours 23 minutes
Author Rob Bell
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date May 16, 2017
ISBN 9780062671721

Subjects

The publisher of the What is the Bible? is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Christian Life, Religion, Spiritual Growth

Additional info

The publisher of the What is the Bible? is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062671721.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Annette

May 18, 2017

This book is dangerous. You should read it

R.W.

July 13, 2017

If you love Brian McLaren and Peter Enns on how to read the Bible, you'll probably appreciate this book. And if you have no idea who either of these guys are but still want to find out why people still read this strange and wild library called the Bible, you might love this book.To my ear, Rob Bell is a preacher, a poet, and a scholar, drawing from a wide range of disciplines without ever making me feel like I'm reading a textbook. The style and format are poetic, moving, and almost breezy at times. In short chapters of 4-5 pages, he tackles the sorts of questions we should be asking about the ancient settings of the texts, why their message has endured, and how incorporating this progressive and ancient story into our lives can change the way we think.I grew up in circles that were ready to kick Bell out of Evangelicalism when he started publishing, especially his book Love Wins. Though I wish he'd been a tad clearer about his (apparent) affirmation of the bodily Resurrection of Jesus, for the life of me I couldn't find anything heretical (anything that disagrees with the Apostles and Nicene Creeds), anything that contradicts the Gospel.Though it is often implicit, Bell makes no bones about pointing his readers to Jesus the Christ as the way to determine the character of God. And that tendency alone, expressed repeatedly and beautifully, is worth the read.A recent struggle of mine has been how to speak of Jesus in a pluralistic religious world, and Rob's reading of several passages of Scripture is very helpful to me on that journey. I once heard him preach a sermon in which he said he wanted to teach "historic, orthodox Christian faith." Though some people might be forgiven for thinking that a friend of Oprah can't possibly be doing that, I really think he is. Beautifully. I really hope that because of this book, hurting people might find that the Book is Good after all--and how much more the fully human, fully God Messiah written about in its pages.

Kelsey

July 28, 2017

I read this book not because I identify as being Christian, but because I am so curious about why so many people flock to the bible and read it so religiously. I was raised Christian, and have a basic understanding of the bible and the major stories contained within it, and now identify as agnostic. But I still do not understand the commitment so many people have to the Bible. So, I picked this book up to try and gain some clarity around that. Holy shit. This book has totally revolutionized the way I see the Bible. No, I'm not going to jump back on board the Christian train any time soon. No, I'm not suddenly a believer, at least not in an organized religion sense (I'll believe in the way I want to believe thank you very much). But I have so much more respect for the Bible as a library of stories than I ever have. And I understand so much more about why and how it can still be relevant to us today. And I possibly have more anger and frustration than ever for people who mis-use the Bible for their own gain, or even just ignorantly misunderstand it, because now more than ever I actually get how it IS relevant. And how the parts that aren't relevant are totally forgivable because.... IT WAS WRITTEN BY HUMANS and IT WAS COMPILED BY HUMANS. Which, is obvious. But, suddenly so much more clear to me after reading this book. A couple quotes, because I like quotes, and even if you don't read the book, you will have these:"Other times people want to know the right answer to a passage in the Bible. As if there is a right and wrong reading of each verse in the Bible. There are, of course, lots of ways to miss the point and truly read it wrongly. But to say that there's a right way may unnecessarily limit your reading of the Bible.There are lot's of right ways to read it. In fact, right isn't even the best way to think about the Bible. How about dancing? You dance with it.And to dance, you have to hear its music. And then you move in response to it."Gold. Also, here's own more good one about the story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale. Just FYI, the Bible never actually says whale. It was a fish. Fish does not equal whale. It was Dory in Finding Nemo who got swallowed by a whale. Get it right people. "It's possible to affirm the literal fact of a man being swallowed by a fish, making that the crux of the story in such a way that you defend that, believe that, argue about that - and in spending your energies on the defend-the-fish part miss the point of the story, the point about allowing God's redeeming love to flow through us with such power and grace that we are able to love and bless even our worst enemies. Arguing about how it literally happened can be an easy way to avoid facing the people in your life you need to forgive."AMEN.I think, if you have ever wondered at all a little bit little bitty bit about the Bible, you should read this book. I would say, it may have been a bit of a challenging read without at least a basic understanding of some key Bible stories, but I honestly think it would be accessible even for a total Bible beginner. AND it made me laugh, multiple times. Which, usually books about the Bible don't. (Not that I've read many, let's be real, but I'm assuming). So. Preach, Rob Bell. Preach.

Adam

June 20, 2017

As much as I hate to say it, there isn’t much middle ground when it comes to Rob Bell. And really none of that comes from Rob himself or at least the ideas he puts forth have always striven to continue what he has called God’s always expanding ‘inclusivity in the exclusivity’ (I might also add is a very Barthian way of thinking for you fellow theology nerds). Though early on in my exposure to Rob I was resistant to this thought, as the years have passed I discovered a deep and ever growing need for this, God’s most scandalous action, grace.I say all of this, to acknowledge that most who read this book or engage it have probably already made up their mind on how they will receive it. And when I say most, I include myself, regardless of which side or perspective you find yourself in we come to the book being open or closed to what it holds. But then there is there is this small slice who will pick up this book who don’t know Rob, who don’t know the controversy that was Love Wins, who have a longing for connection with something larger than themselves, or who have been hurt by the structures and systems that have become the ‘church’. This latter group, I would argue, is who Rob has always deeply desired to connect with and bring a needed fresh and good word to. Of course, I believe he also hopes to challenge the machine that has become American Christianity and he hopes to keep journeying alongside those who have resonated with his message but I believe that this is only secondary to that smaller 'slice'.With all this in mind, as a pastor and preacher that has drawn attention for his provocative engagement of the Bible throughout the years, Rob set out to answer many of the questions he has been asked throughout the years from individuals and groups concerning it. These questions helped form this book and ultimately gave it, it’s title. Below are a few my thoughts on What is the Bible? that I hope are helpful if you are considering reading it (and if you decide to read the book, I would love to hear your thoughts as well).The Writing:To receive Rob’s writing well, you have to be familiar with his speech and cadence. If you are not, the formatting of the text alone will drive you up the wall. But if you have heard him speak, for only 10 minutes on an old Nooma or part of an interview, all of a sudden his books have the ability to become very conversational and dare I say intimate.Through this conversational approach, Rob willingly engages topics, subjects, and struggles that many are often afraid to address – especially leaders within the Church. Rob doesn’t run from the complexity found in the text but invites readers to breathe a sigh of relief that whatever question or doubt that might come to mind won’t and can’t scare off God, and reminds readers that God actually welcomes them.The Content:First, a familiar critique of Rob is that he asks a lot of questions but doesn't offer many answers. I might suggest that this critique can’t really be applied to this book as each chapter dives into answering either a stated question or there is an implied thought or question Rob addresses as he champions the complexity of the text, of humanity, and of God. Rob even goes as far early on in the book, as if to address this very thing, by saying “Great Question. Now, an answer.” (73) before diving into a topic.Second, one of the main criticisms of Rob is often that individuals and groups will often say that he doesn’t take the Bible seriously, or seriously enough. For one, I must say if anyone can dedicate writing 300+ pages on the Bible alone, I think their argument might be a bit off.The big three topics I see that individuals will have more questions or resistance with are on the Bible’s authority, inspiration, and inerrancy. Each of these topics can be discussed separately but are intimately linked to one another. Because they are so linked, these three topics ( taking an illustration from Rob’s first book Velvet Elvis) are often viewed as major sections or foundational blocks that make up a ‘wall’ that is the Christian faith. For some removing, challenging, or tweaking any of these blocks causes the whole wall of faith to fall apart and in turn, at the very worst, make the Christian faith useless. While for others, finally being given permission to think deeply on these matters and yes, even to question them is such a freeing opportunity.For those who find themselves in more of the former camp, I believe it would be helpful if you read first NT Wright’s “How Can the Bible Be Authoritative”. In this short 25 page article, Wright puts forth a similar argument to Bell by arguing that the Bible is not the ‘Word of God’ but rather is the word of God because The Word of God (Jesus) has chosen to work in and through the pages, poems, and people found within. Often, especially in Protestant streams of thought, we have conflated Scripture and preaching to a place of authority that only God can dwell and this is where Bell and Wright invite readers to rethink this approach.This is a major shift in thinking for many, which cause the other two topics to have to be addressed and thankfully Rob takes the time to go there.Third, nothing Rob is saying is new (I think I could say this for everyone one of Rob's books). What we see with Rob is simply one of Christianity’s best communicators acting as a springboard for individuals to dive deep in the stream of thought and discussions many thoughtful people have been having since it all began. This would be where I would have my biggest criticism of the book, in that I would love for it to be footnoted or for a footnoted version to become available. This would allow individuals, like myself, who want to explore more on some of things Rob touches on, to be able to engage the source material he is references throughout.My Takeaway:In short, I believe this to be Rob Bell’s best work to date.Like so much of what he does, Rob has the ability to start conversations with individuals and groups that have often felt disregarded or have left behind the Church for whatever reason. His writing invites everyone, regardless of religious stripe (or no stripe at all) into conversation and challenges those like myself, to find a fresh way to articulate the complexities of the Divine and life without simply glossing over or minimizing it. I do not say this lightly, but his closing section of the book called ‘A Note on Growing and Changing’ might contain some of the most important words he has ever written – these are words anyone who is or has or will wrestle with their faith and community need to hear again and again.At it’s very best, this book challenged me to fall in love again with the Bible and at it’s worst, humbled me and reminded me that there is so much more to learn and experience of God in the Bible and in the world we live.

David

September 18, 2017

This was an amazing and eye opening book, particularly in regards to the Old Testament and lots of the 'problems' it presents (at least from my personal perspective). It saddens me that from what I can tell, the target audience of this book, and those who would reap the most benefit from reading it are likely either uninterested, or vehemently opposed to reading such a book. One such audience is atheists or non-believers, (of which I belonged to for quite some time) who think they know all they need or want to know about the Bible, thank you very much. They will see this book as an unwanted invitation to challenge their notion that God is a vicious, bloodthirsty entity, who delights in enslavement, killing, sacrifice, and capriciousness.The other audience, people who regularly attend church, say their prayers, and vote 'correctly,' will not want to read this book because A) Rob Bell is a heretic, and whose worm-tongue cannot be trusted lest he lead them astray, B) They've already gotten everything in the Bible figured out and are content in their certitude, or C) Take issue with the Bible being anything other than the inerrant, word-for-word, end-all-be-all guide to living on earth and that's the end of the story, everyone else be damned (literally).Both these cases are a shame, because this is a wonderful book on understanding what the Bible is 'all about,' and what not to get hung up on/bogged down with.

Marty

February 02, 2018

It's going to be hard to review this book, but I'll give it my best try. I'll review it around a few themes that rose to the top for me throughout the read.POWERFUL MYSTERY: Rob did a great job of communicating the empowered mystery of this ancient library of texts. The power of the Text is that it is the record of real people in real places at real times. Hearing those stories and what they are communicating is full of incredible mystery.HUMILITY: There is so much depth and complexity to these ancient eastern stories. Rob would send time (somehow concisely) pulling apart a passage and showing how many layers were in the language, the context, and the movement of a passage of Scripture. Because of how much is going on, one has to approach the Text with a sense of humility and wonder.RESPECT: There is a very, very high regard for Scripture and what it is capable of. He works hard to remove the conversation away from unhelpful categories (like inerrancy) and towards it's unbelievable ability to change the reader and understand who God is and what He's doing in the world. There seemed to be a hundred times that Rob said, "anyone who thinks this is just primitive nonsense simply hasn't read and truly wrestled with the literature of the Bible."About 15 years ago, Rob helped me articulate the faith that I was trying to pursue in my own personal journey. After years of his teaching (and him leading me to the teaching of others), my own body of work was shaped deeply by what I learned through people like Rob. For anyone familiar with my ministry (www.BEMAdiscipleship.com), I would say that this is like "the heart and soul of BEMA in a book."

Dave

January 23, 2018

If you have everything figured out don't read this. If you are capable of admitting the possibility and validity of different perspectives you may gain some new insights. Love the sources at the end.

Julianna

October 08, 2017

Reviewed for THC ReviewsI’ve been eager to try a Rob Bell book for quite a while, so when his newest one, What Is the Bible? was chosen as our latest church book club read, I dove right in. I can easily say that I was not disappointed. I may have mentioned in some of my previous reviews of Christian books that I’ve been on a spiritual journey for the last sixteen years, and throughout that time, my thinking has evolved beyond the general beliefs of the traditional evangelical church in which I was raised. I no longer think that a literal interpretation of the Bible is the only way to read it. Not to mention, as one of our other book club members pointed out, whose interpretation is truly literal? Depending on who you talk to, what church denomination they come from, and what translation of the Bible they’re reading, a single verse could have multiple interpretations. That’s why I’ve come to believe that it’s not just up to ministers and other authority figures in the church to interpret Biblical meaning. We each have to look at it on an individual basis and figure out for ourselves what it means to us.In What Is the Bible?, that’s largely what Rob Bell encourages us to do. Our pastor who leads our books club, as a parallel, told us how the children’s ministry of our church works with regards to teaching the little ones. She explained that rather than telling them a story and what the takeaway message is from that story, the lessons are designed to get the kids asking questions. So why shouldn’t we, as adults, do the same? Yes, I know some faith leaders of a more authoritarian mindset feel that questioning God’s Word is subversive, but as Rob Bell points out, many stories in the Bible are subversive. Personally, I feel that when we ask questions, we show that we’re open and seeking answers, and it’s in those teachable moments that we can grow spiritually. Can asking questions lead us away from our faith as some believe? Possibly, but I think that it can also strengthen faith if we let it. After all, faith is all about believing in a power greater than ourselves, and as long as you have that foundation, then learning more about where the Bible comes from and what it has to say shouldn’t cause that faith to waver even if you find something that seems to disprove what you previously knew.Rob Bell has a fresh and interesting way of looking at the Bible. While I was reading the main chapters, the heavens opened up, light shone down, and angels sang.;-) Yeah, I know I’m being pretty hyperbolic there, but that is how I felt through most of the first three sections of the book. I learned so much and saw both old favorite Bible stories and passages with which I was less familiar illuminated in a whole different light. Occasionally I might feel just a tad uncomfortable, and I realized it was because my old way of thinking was being challenged. Yet at the same time, everything Rev. Bell said somehow made perfect sense in a way it never had before. For the first time in years, I felt excited about the Bible, because I was seeing something new that was worth exploring. I know in recent years Rob Bell has become a controversial figure in the Christian church, but I also know that he has a lot of followers, many of whom are like myself. We’ve seen contradictions in our reading of the Bible, or can’t reconcile it with our knowledge of known history, science, or other facts, or we simply struggle with some of the things it seems to be saying, which is one of the dangers associated with trying to adhere to a literal interpretation. Critical thinkers like myself eventually hit the proverbial wall where things just don’t make sense anymore. What I appreciate about Rev. Bell is that he seems to understand all these doubts. I love his use of “turning the gem” as a metaphor for needing to look at the Bible from many different angles to see all of its facets. In using this imagery he also illuminates the idea that the Bible is the living Word of God that is still speaking to us and revealing things to us centuries or even millennia after it was first recorded. Part of my issue has been that I didn’t know the right questions to ask to find some of the answers I’m seeking, but What Is the Bible? gave me some great questions with which to begin. Although where to find the answers, since I’m not a biblical scholar, is perhaps a little murkier, there is also a recommended reading list at the end of the book, at which I’m planning to take a closer look. At the very least, this book has given me a jumping off point on where to start, and after reading this book, I’m definitely leaning toward becoming a Rob Bell fan. At the very least, I’m very much looking forward to checking out his other books, and if they’re half as illuminating at this one was, I’m sure I’ll enjoy them as well.

Lynne

April 26, 2018

In spite of the fact that I have been sitting in pews since I was old enough to do so, Rob Bell still managed to bring to life many of the bible stories I've read time and time again, bringing out things that I'd never even considered.He even cleared up some mysteries. I'd always wondered what the heck Abraham was doing cutting those animals in half and then God sending a flaming torch between them. Um ... weird! Not if you were born at that time, apparently.Also, I'd never expected to be able to view Leviticus as a radical book. Whenever I'd read it, I'd always viewed it with more than a little horror and simply been thankful that we're not expected to do that anymore. But to believe that it was revolutionary for its time? Never! It's amazing what a bit of perspective and context will do. Highly recommended.

Alanna

December 10, 2020

The best Rob Bell I’ve ever read. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to read the Bible as I read my English anthologies; read the poems as poems, the letters as letters, the stories as stories. Poems are truer than true. Things can be True without being literal. Thank you Rob for giving me the u

Isabelle reads a book a day because she has no friends

December 10, 2021

I was really enjoying this as a solid 4-star read but the line “some Christians are full of shit” really sent it over the edge. This is a great read for anyone hoping to understand the Bible, make sense of its wild and violent stories, or really for anyone who ever reads the Bible.

Cristine Braddy

December 27, 2017

Thought provoking. Although at times Rob Bell and I would come up with different conclusions, I have to say if there is one author I’ve read this year that I would love to have coffee with, this would be the guy. I’m intrigued by the way he sees and communicates about the world.

Noah

February 17, 2019

There is a ton of great stuff in this book--the chapters on Jonah and how Jesus (may have) read the Old Testament jump out--and Rob Bell does a wonderful job considering context that's relevant to the passage he's writing about, yet not pulling from all over the place and playing a wild game of connect the dots. Some parts sort of give off a whiff of self-importance, but on the whole, it doesn't diminish the truth of what Bell writes about. It provides great perspective, and the extent to which you enjoy this really depends on how you want to read it. The vast majority of issues I've heard regarding this book stem from who authors it, which is really unfortunate. Learning from someone will never 100% constitute agreeing with someone, and much of the content of WITB is too good to let the name on the cover be what stops people from reading this.

Caleb

May 13, 2017

Quick read worth reading. Style can be difficult at times, but thought provoking and refreshing.

Ben

June 21, 2018

The thoughts and ideas Bell talks about in this book were not entirely new to me, though it helped ground me and guide me further on a journey I have been on for the past 2 years (really my whole life). While obviously this is not a end all answer to questions you may have about the bible and what it is supposed to be, it's a great look into understanding that it is a book written by humans dealing with certain things at certain times in history. It's a story about the human experience, and how to live and love and learning who God is and what he is like. It's relevant today because we still experience the same things, we still ask the same questions, and we still struggle with doubt, hate, racism, tribalism, injustice, violence, etc. It's especially useful to see how as an American living in the most powerful empire of our time it's hard to actually understand how to read the bible without missing what people who wrote it, who lived within their culture and their understanding of the world, were trying to say.I know it's a rather controversial subject, (to put it lightly 😏) but I highly recommend to at least hear it out. It's definitely a shift in thinking and worldview that will come with resistance in your own head, and rightfully so.

Tristan

April 12, 2020

This was absolutely brilliant! I can’t put it any other way. For a few of us, Bell doesn’t say much that we’ve not stumbled upon before through other writers and thinkers before him, things we’ve gleaned as we’ve wrestled with the text like those before us. But the way Bell puts this across is just so accessible, neat, clear and fluid and enticing—just as you’d expect from him. Every sentence just draws you deeper into the text and whets the appetite to dig even deeper. It’s enjoyable, provoking and helpful.That’s not to say I didn’t learn anything from this, or ponder some of this; I did. But regardless of where you at, I’d highly recommend this to anyone. I would love for people to grasp hold of the age-old kernels of wisdom that have been distilled here. And if you’re someone who’s grappling with the Bible, maybe someone who’s just about to throw it down, or someone who thinks they’ve got it sussed already, then pick this up; it will help immensely.—Tristan Sherwin, author of *Living the Dream?: The Problem with Escapist, Exhibitionist, Empire-Building Christianity*

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