Literarily by Kristie Anyabwile | Review

 Literarily: How Understanding Bible Genres Transforms Bible Study - Kindle edition by Anyabwile, Kristie. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

I am sure most of us tend to view the Bible as one big work. However, the Bible is really a collection of many pieces of writing, and each piece should be examined individually and in different ways. We must study and explore the Bible according to the literary style presented in a particular book, chapter, or passage. In this way, we will gain better understanding of the text. 

There are eight main literary genres in Scripture: law, Old Testament narrative, prophetic/apocalyptic, poetry/wisdom, gospels and acts, and epistles. Throughout the book, Anyabwile teaches the reader how to examine each of these genres. There are also different types of writing: stories, poetry, and speeches. Again, these must all be examined differently. In addition to literary genre, the reader must also understand cultural and historical contexts. Finally, the author also describes how to examine Jesus' different teachings: narratives, parables, dialogue, and sermons. For all of these, Anyabwile gives examples so you can learn and practice this on your own.

I think this could be helpful to use as you read your Bible. Though I am very familiar with these ideas having an English degree, I really haven't applied it to the Bible. However, I didn't find the book to be super eye opening or super helpful personally, though you may find the opposite.

Overall, I gave this 3/5 stars. 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

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