Is It Really the Good Book?: Restoring Your Faith in the Bible by Questioning Your Assumptions About It

Ever surprised by the Bible? This book is for you.

Why should I allow an ancient book to tell me how to live in the 21st century?

Why is the God of the Old Testament so vengeful?

Is the Bible really a good book?

Biola professor John Marriott and ministry veteran Shawn Wicks have met a lot of people who are troubled by the Bible. Whether it is apparent contradictions in Scripture or the violence depicted in the Old Testament, Scripture presents itself as an obstacle to faith. Many former Christians consistently report that the number one reason they no longer identify as Christians is the Bible itself. Raised in the church but having only a Sunday School level of familiarity with the Bible, former Christians were shocked when they picked it up and read it for themselves. Distressed at the inconsistency of the Bible with modern science, troubled by its “errors”, embarrassed at the mythical-sounding nature of many Bible stories, outraged at the strange and even barbaric laws it contains, and ashamed that much of what it teaches is at odds with their modern moral sensibilities, former Christians could no longer accept the Bible as a wise guide for life, let alone as the Word of God.

The authors of Is It Really the Good Book? face these questions head-on in a quest to understand and appreciate the Bible better. What they discovered is assumptions matter when it comes to the Bible, and too many of us approach Scriptures with doubts and assumptions that we have picked up in our culture. Is It Really the Good Book? identifies and responds to the most common misunderstandings of what the Bible is, along with the inaccurate and harmful assumptions that distort what it teaches.

Whether you’re a new Christian or a longtime believer, in this apologetics book you will:

• see Scriptures through new eyes
• explore 8 common false assumptions concerning God’s Word that can lead to a faith crisis or deconstruction
• analyze why the Bible does not fit the modern genres for science textbooks, historical accounts, or social justice policy manuals
• rediscover the beauty and coherence of the Bible as you challenge your assumptions

John Marriott is a faculty affiliate of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University's Institute for Quantitative Social Science. A former pastor, he holds a PhD from the Cook School of Intercultural Studies.

Shawn Wicks, M. Div., has served as a pastor for over 35 years. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, he also serves as the Vice President of The Southern California Bible Conference which owns and operates Verdugo Pines Bible Camp.