Part of the problem with the Bible is that since it is written in an ancient format, people have trouble reading and understanding it. So I always love reading books that make the Bible come to life.
One such book is God’s Story by Mark Roncace. This book presents the biblical narrative from the time of Abraham to the time of the Exile in a story format which is both engaging and insightful. As I read it, I found myself seeing new things about the text which I had never seen before, and nodding with agreement at how Mark brought out some of the cultural and historical background details which are so important to properly understanding the biblical story.
One of the most interesting features of the book is that Mark doesn’t shy away from the violence in the biblical account. As I have been writing a lot about the violence in Scripture these past several years, I am always shocked to interact with Christians who seem completely oblivious to all the violence in the Bible. This book by Mark Roncace does not emphasize or focus in on the violence, but doesn’t try to hide it either, and simply by reading the Bible as a narrative, one is able to see the common occurrence of violence in a way that a “familiar” reading of Scripture tends to hide.
If you are looking for a retelling of the Biblical story in a way that helps you see the Bible as a story, try reading God’s Story by Mark Roncace.
