How to Read the Bible

'A fiercely intelligent theologian and historian' - The Independent'Miranda gives us the confidence to sit and taste the Bible's profound and life-changing goodness.' - Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of YorkAs a vicar, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes is used to being asked to recommend a book on how and why to read the Bible. Filling the gap between popular Bible reading notes and more academic books, How to Read the Bible is the book she'd give to anyone wanting to explore the Bible as part of their faith. Its three main sections delve into the rich heritage of how Christians have read the Bible down the ages: Part 1 - ways that scripture itself uses other parts of scripture, or models and demonstrates different ways of reading Part 2 - historical methods of biblical interpretation Part 3 - the insights and methods of modern theological hermeneuticsEncouraging readers to try out a variety of tried and tested ways of Bible reading How Read the Bible is a refreshingly hands-on approach to understanding this ancient library of texts.'Exhilarating and hands-on ... Miranda Threlfall-Holmes provides a fantastic guide' - Fergus Butler-GalliePlease note: this book was previously published under the title How to Eat Bread: 21 Nourishing Ways to Read the Bible in 2021.

'An encouraging book about reading scripture', a novel approach to reading the Bible and deepening faith, The psalmist says that God's word is sweeter than honey. Miranda Threlfall-Holmes writes for us as one who has tasted God's word, found it to be good and nourishing, and now wants us to eat as well. She invites us on a journey of discovery; the delights and challenges of the Bible as food for the journey of life. Lots of books tell us what the Bible is about. Few explain to us how to read it. But drawing on different traditions of reflective biblical reading, Miranda gives us the confidence to sit and taste its profound and life-changing goodness., The Bible is a beautiful, inspired, ancient sacred text. It's full of God's wisdom and nourishment - but frankly it can also be confusing and indigestible without a guide. In How to Eat Bread Miranda guides us to read well, and through reading to live well, as we come to taste the wonderful food that God gives us through scripture. Highly recommended!, To me, the Bible is one of the most beautiful and dangerous texts in the world - beautiful because it points towards unimaginable glories, dangerous because it is so easily used as a weapon to judge, condemn, harm. We need wise companions like Miranda Threlfall-Holmes to help us find the Bible's beauty while refusing to weaponize it. There's really no book like How to Eat Bread - honest about the Bible's challenges, inspired by its wonders, informed about its scholarship and full of practical ideas for reading the Bible as you would eat good bread.

Miranda Threlfall-Holmes is a well-known writer and public speaker, and is currently Team Rector of the St Luke in the City, Liverpool. She is passionate about popularising and explaining complex ideas for a non-specialist audience and has written for publications including the Church Times and the Guardian. She is the author of six previous books: an academic monograph Monks and Markets (OUP, 2005); two textbooks, Being A Chaplain (SPCK, 2011) and The Essential History of Christianity (SPCK, 2012); and the Prayer Experiment series for SPCK.