How the Bible Actually Works

Peter Enns is the Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, St Davids, Pennsylvania. Enns speaks at schools, churches, and seminars across the country and is a frequent contributor to journals and encyclopedias. He is the author of several books, including The Sin of Certainty, The Bible Tells Me So, Inspiration and Incarnation, and The Evolution of Adam.

“Seldom will you encounter such a fine combination of historical scholarship, interesting reading, and clever humor in one Biblical study. And then filled with faith and hope besides! Peter Enns does it again!” — Fr.Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward
“This book is an oasis of insight in a desert of deconstruction. I learned more from the introduction here than most books. Pete Enns shows us what to do after we give up on the Bible, and how this ancient, ambiguous, and diverse book remains uniquely useful to modern people.” — Mike McHargue, co-founder of The Liturgists and host of Ask Science Mike
“Inviting, accessible, lively, provocative and best of all, highly educational, Peter Enns new book will clear up many misunderstandings you have about the most important book in the world and, in the process, move you closer to the book’s ultimate focus: God.” — James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage and The Jesuit Guide
“Using wisdom as his touchstone informs and enlivens Enns’ exploration. . . . Though his subject matter is serious, his writing is sprightly and cheerfully enlivened by his occasional snark and sarcasm. The book will find a general readership intrigued by the insight and, yes, the wisdom he offers.” — Booklist
“Enns challenges Christians to reconsider the true purpose of the Bible. Far from diminishing the value of the Bible, these variations make readers reflect on their own situations and reconsider connections. Approachable and well-reasoned, Enns’s book will find an audience with Christians seeking a broader understanding of Scripture.” — Publishers Weekly
“A rare combination: sophisticated and accessible, serious and witty, provocative and precise. It’s also an honest book, giving voice to sincere questions and doubts. An important contribution to the conversation about how to faithfully interpret Scripture.” — Peter Wehner, Contributing Opinion Writer, New York Times; senior fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center; former senior White House adviser
“Brilliant, wise, sarcastic, and disarmingly profound. If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated with the bible, wondering not only what it is but what it’s for and how to read it, let alone why bother, then allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite bible teachers.” — Sarah Bessey, author of Out of Sorts and Jesus Feminist
“Enns seeks to place us on the hard, but rewarding, path of wisdom.” — Patheos
“With an entertaining mixture of ‘dad jokes’ and self-deprecation . . . Enns has offered a gift to the church. . . . Readers will find in these pages ideas that are at once challenging and life-giving, and scriptural interpretations that are at once faithful and dynamic—ancient and new.” — Anglican Theological Review