Fortress Press

"In this new edition, Anderson's readable and perceptive study book provides one of the most accessible brief presentations of what the Bible is about that one will find anywhere."
— Patrick D. Miller, Princeton Theological Seminary

"Clear, accessible, reliable, up to date, and to the point. In a time of enormous biblical illiteracy, there is an acute need for guidance. In much church practice, moreover, there is a tendency to use isolated texts here and there, and so there is need for an overview that shows the whole picture of scripture in a coherent way. This brief articulation of 'the drama' meets those needs admirably."
— Walter Brueggemann, McPheeters Professor of Old Testament Emeritus, at Columbia Theological Seminary

"Anderson's presentation of the Bible's dramatic movement from creation to consummation continues to be pertinent and timely. This carefully revised fourth edition contains updated bibliographies and study questions that enhance its appeal for adult Bible studies and college courses. Of greatest value, though, remains Anderson's own passionate engagement with Scripture and its drama. He claims that 'one should be a poet to understand the Bible,' and he writes with a compelling poetic grace...."
— Ben C. Ollenburger, Professor of Biblical Theology, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary

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		Preface;   Adobe Acrobat Document

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Preface to the Fourth Edition
Introducing the Bible Study

1. Prologue: In the Beginning
2. A Way into the Future
3. The Discipline of Disaster
4. The New Exodus
5. The People of the Torah
6. Victory through Defeat
7. The Church in the World
8. Epilogue: In the End

Suggestions for Bible Study Leaders
Reading the Bible in the Twenty-First Century
Notes
About the Author