Of course, I know it’s possible to receive formal instruction (i.e. college courses), but I’d like to do some work on my own first, any suggestions on where to start? Books, forums etc….
2007-07-31 05:53:49 · 8 answers · asked by JB5 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Read the book itself. Then maybe try Isaac Asimov's concordances.
2007-07-31 05:58:46 · answer #1 · answered by Brent Y 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Get you a King James Study Bible and start by reading the Book of John in the New Testament. Then to make life more interesting and up-to-date with the world read the Book of Daniel and then the Book of Revelation. You will see Headline News in the Bible that has been there for over 2500 years. It is amazing!
2007-07-31 06:06:36 · answer #2 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I started with a book on the historical accuracy of the bible and a translation and commentary of the complete dead sea scrolls.
Also bought some discovery channel type documentaries for when my mind was too numb to think properly. Lots of archaeological and cultural background.
I started by writing down most of my big questions, still cant answer most of them, but learning is a journey not a destination.
Don't know if that is the best way, just the way I attacked the problem.
2007-07-31 06:08:19 · answer #3 · answered by G's Random Thoughts 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A good textbook is nice, but you might want to become familiar with the material by looking things up for free before you move on to a book. Wikipedia, in particular, is a pretty good source for the Old Testament, with lots of links to similar mythology for comparison purposes.
Once you have a good grasp of the basics and of what you want to study in more depth, you can look up a book on Amazon. Check the reviews (usually viewing the 'lowest scores first' ordering) to make sure the book wasn't written by religious nuts, and you'll be well on your way.
I say to start at Wikipedia because for me, getting a little way into reading about someone like Abraham or Moses always makes me curious to read more about the stories surrounding them, such as how Akkadian legend inspired some stories connected to Abraham or what adventures Moses has in the Talmud. From there, I might be tempted to read more about Egyptian mythology, or Babylonian or Sumerian. These connections are all over the place because Judaism (and thus later Christianity) did not appear in a vacuum; it grew out of the surrounding culture and religious belief/practice. It's impossible to understand the Bible without knowing something about Babylonian, Egyptian, Sumerian, and Akkadian mythology.
2007-07-31 05:59:56 · answer #4 · answered by Minh 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Read some things by Bart Erhman, or Bruce Metzger. They analyze the Bible from a textual perspective, and Bart Erhman puts it in historical context. I suggest "Misquoting Jesus," or "Lost Christianities."
2007-07-31 05:58:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Pick up a Bible and start reading from the first page.
Making sure you clear up any misunderstood words as you go.
There is a full rundown on study technology at this site.
http://www.appliedscholastics.org/
2007-07-31 06:14:58 · answer #6 · answered by michaeljripley 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
If you just want information or knowledge without inspiration from God just read it!
2007-07-31 21:40:50 · answer #7 · answered by deidra c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://stevemchenry.mypodcast.com/index.html
2007-07-31 07:09:28 · answer #8 · answered by renosteven1 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋