In Texts, Rocks, and Talk biblical scholar and teacher John Lanci suggests that many have lost the ability to focus on the essentials, to experience Jesus Christ alive and powerful in our midst. He responds by inviting readers on a journey back to the Bible.
Lanci conveys the experience of interpreting the Bible, inviting readers to witness the interpretation of one particular passage from the Hebrew Bible and one from the New Testament from start to finish. Along the way he covers some of the same ground that biblical introductions present, as he explains what interpreters do and why they do it.
Readers will gain a deeper understanding of the need to interpret texts and greater confidence in their ability to enter into the conversation that sacred texts provide. They will also have a greater confidence in the possibility that their Christian community can open itself up to that divine conversation.
Texts, Rocks, and Talk can serve as an introduction to the Bible textbook for college undergraduates, parish discussion groups, or individuals who do not have a lot of theological background but are interested in finding their way into the Bible. The chapters are relatively short and clearly written, with questions for reflection and discussion.
". . . . Highly readable, this text refreshes/entices the learner to learn more about the Bible and the person of Jesus Christ." -- Karen L. Howard
"With hermeneutic skill and pastoral grace John Lanci invites us into the conversation that is the Bible." -- James and Evelyn Whitehead