Scripture provides us with many examples of human beings responding to God’s call--some faithfully, and others not. After an introduction, the talks in the first section of the book work through Peter, Jonah, Solomon, Isaiah, and Elijah, who were called by God at different times in their lives and responded in ways that make them examples to follow. The second section deals with Peter, Andrew, and the women disciples of Jesus as examples of those who followed Jesus as their lives and circumstances permitted. When brought together, these two cycles of talks demonstrate how uncertain passages of Scripture can be made clear by reference to other parts of the Bible, and how the circumstances and lives of scriptural figures shed light upon our own lives in the modern world.

The general goal of this approach is not only to help people understand the particular passages of the Bible that are discussed, but also to show how they can approach passages and teachings in Scripture practically, making them easier to apply to their lives today. The final section of the book, entitled “Hearing the Voice of God in Scripture,” offers a basic understanding and appreciation for the special nature of the Bible as a collection of independent works. It also offers concrete suggestions for how people can understand the Bible as an integrated whole. Together, these two different parts of the book support attempts by laypeople to read the Bible intelligently and religiously at the same time.

Paul S. Russell is the Academic Dean at St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College in Berkeley, CA and a priest in the Anglican Province of Christ the King. He is a graduate of Harvard College and holds graduate degrees in Theology from Harvard Divinity School, Oxford University, and The Catholic University of America. He has written articles for scholarly journals published in Asia, Europe, and North America.