Product Review

This new series of books challenges United Methodists to engage in life-transforming practices. Each book explains a theme and underscores major emphases within the United Methodist denomination:

* How should I read and study the Bible?
* How should I pray and engage in my devotional life?
* How can I reach out and share my faith?

Each adult study is divided into four sections with suggestions for group discussion, and can be completed in 4 to 8 sessions. No leader's guide is needed. In the 4 chapters of this book four authors contribute with different emphases to the process of Bible study and interpretation. Catherine Gonzalez's chapter summarizes the roles of the Bible in the periods of the early church, the early and later Middle Ages, and the Protestant Reformation. The chapter by Ben Witherington concentrates on the Bible in early Methodism, focusing on John Wesley, Francis Asbury and Richard Watson. Dr. Tilson's chapter addresses issues of contemporary scriptural study and interpretation, emphasizing the significance of historical context. Gayle Carlton Felton's concluding chapter investigates distinctively United Methodist approaches to and uses of the Bible.