The Form of the Word: Making Sense of Scripture in the Body of Christ (Cultivating Communities Series) - Softcover

Fowl, Stephen E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1934406244 ISBN 13: 9781934406243

Publisher: Englewood Press, 2025

Synopsis

Has reading scripture become stale or lifeless in your church?
Do competing understandings of the Bible cause division in your congregation?

In The Form of the Word: Making Sense of Scripture in the Body of Christ, New Testament scholar Steven E. Fowl offers the expertise of a teacher and the guidance of a pastor to help readers come to a deeper and more expansive understanding of the biblical story.

This clear and accessible book is for:

• Pastors and lay leaders who need a framework for approaching the Bible with their congregations in these polarized times
• Churches and and small groups looking for a deeper and more faithful understanding of God’s salvation as explored in scripture
• Congregations looking to make sense of Scripture and be the body of Christ together.

You’ll come away with a clear and expansive framework for linking together the Bible’s diverse texts around the person of Christ and God’s redemptive work in the world.

Breathe new life into your community’s reading of scripture as you discover the shared language and essential understanding your congregation needs.

Praise for The Form of the Word:

"Too often we read a verse, a passage, or even an entire book of Scripture in isolation. Steve Fowl gives all Christians an important framework for understanding the Bible as a whole. Especially designed for congregations, this perceptive and readable volume from an eminent scholar with a pastoral heart includes appropriate prayers and discussion questions. Highly recommended!" --Michael J. Gorman, Ph.D. (Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical and Theological Studies; St. Mary’s Seminary & University, Baltimore)

"Christians and congregations are always being formed—by culture, by habits, by stories. The Form of the Word helps ensure we’re formed by Scripture. With clarity and pastoral depth, Stephen Fowl invites leaders and communities into the drama of salvation—not as spectators, but as participants shaped by God’s story. This is a timely, practical guide for churches hungry to grow in biblical literacy, theological imagination, and Christlike formation." --Lisa Rodriguez-Watson (National Director, Missio Alliance)

About this title

About the Author

Stephen Fowl is President and Dean of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, engaged in the formation of the next generation of priests for the Episcopal Church. He is an internationally recognized scholar of the New Testament, focusing on the relationships between Scripture and Christian doctrine.

Edition details

• Publisher: Englewood Press
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1934406244
• ISBN 13: 9781934406243
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 139