1. What Is the Bible? A Book?

2. A collection of writings (but not in Elvish)

3. A diverse collection of writings: NarrativeLegislationProphecyApocalypticPoetry Wisdom sayings ParablesLetters

4. A diverse collection of community-forming writings for Jews and/or Christians They were read in public worship assemblies. They were cited when disputes in belief and conduct arose. Jewish leaders recorded their disputes, and some outcomes, in the Talmud, but often left them unresolved. Christian leaders (especially after they became legal) ended their disputes by defining official doctrines (e.g., the Nicene Creed in 325) and ostracizing the minority parties as “heretics” (people who pick and choose what to believe).

5. A “closed” collection of diverse, community- forming writings for Jews and/or Christians (i.e., a “canon”—Greek for “rule” or “measure”) Not this: (different spelling)

6. A disputed canon The Jewish Bible contains 39 books. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons follow the popular Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures (the Septuagint), with around 46 books, some of which are held to be “deutero-canonical” (secondarily canonical—Protestants call this the Apocrypha). There are slight differences between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox OT canons. The Protestant Old Testament canon follows the Jewish Bible: 39 books. No universal council ever decided the precise extent of the New Testament canon (except the Council of Trent in 1546, which Protestants and Eastern Orthodox do not recognize). Martin Luther (who started the Protestant Reformation/Revolt) argued in 1536 that Hebrews, James, Jude and Revelation were less than canonical; his argument was largely ignored.

7. A sacred collection Jews and Christians have traditionally regarded these writings, not only as authoritative, but as somehow practically alive with the Spirit of God. Their primary use was to be read and interpreted in assemblies gathered for worship. They were also read privately for insight and guidance, and to “encounter” God, by those privileged enough, and literate enough, to have access to them (books were as expensive as cars are today, and literacy was not widespread).

8. What Is the Bible? The Bible is a closed but disputed collection of diverse community-formingsacredwritings for Jews and/or Christians