*How to Read the Bible* by Miranda Threelfall Holmes presents an approach to scripture that some might find helpful, but for those who hold a more traditional view of biblical interpretation, her take might seem misguided. Holmes encourages readers to approach the Bible by considering their own personal context and reflections, which could easily lead to subjective readings of the text. In her view, it seems that one’s own thoughts, questions, and experiences play a central role in understanding scripture. However, as a believer who holds the view that we should rely on the Holy Spirit for true understanding of the Bible, I find this approach concerning. Relying on our own understanding rather than seeking the Spirit's guidance can lead us away from the true message of the Bible.

Additionally, her theology seems a bit offbeat. While she advocates for reading the Bible thoughtfully, the underlying framework she presents doesn't seem to fully honor the authority of Scripture or the importance of divine revelation through the Holy Spirit. Her emphasis on personal experience and context may unintentionally open the door to interpretations that stray from orthodox Christianity, bordering on heresy in some areas.

One of the points Holmes makes that I strongly disagree with is her claim that sometimes the scriptures contradict themselves. I refuse to believe this, as I hold that the Bible is God-breathed, true, and complete. To suggest contradictions within the Bible undermines its divine integrity and the belief that it is fully inspired and without error.

I didn’t finish the book, as the introduction and Chapter 1 raised some flags for me. The way she framed the Bible as something to be interpreted primarily through personal reflection, without clearly pointing to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, made me uncomfortable. For those seeking a deeper, Spirit-led understanding of the Word, this book may not be the best guide.

Thanks to NetGalley and John Murry Press for this read.

Was fine. Didn't really have anything new but some points were expounded on better than I've heard other places.

Though excited by the title and cover this isn’t a book for me. While I appreciate ideas like the chapter on experimental play and hadn’t really considered hands on activities being used outside of children’s ministry there are several areas where the author’s theology doesn’t align with my own and those differences detract from the other content that I might appreciate more. In particular in the section on liberation theology I can’t support the idea that we can shift our view of the traditional Biblical metanarrative such that “the big sin of humanity that Christ’s saving death reverses is not disobedience but greed.” Even more in this chapter it openly says that Liberation theology is more concerned with doing the right thing than holding the right beliefs. Including these kinds of views makes it hard for me to embrace the book as a whole.

Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press | Hodder & Stoughton for an early copy to read and provide an honest review. This book was previously published under the title How to Eat Bread: 21 Nourishing Ways to Read the Bible in 2021 and is being re-released.

I have struggled with this galley as I can only download it as a pdf image created from InDesign. I cannot read it on my Kindle or tablet and so have had to read it on my phone. The text is then too small so I have to magnify each page and move around a lot to be able to see the words so I've ended up more getting the gist than being able to read it effectively.

From what I have gleaned it looks like a helpful book with 21 suggested ways of reading the Bible ranging from ancient to modern and experimental. There appears to be a fair bit of use of 'religious language' and mentions of ancient writers which the reader would be helped by knowing a little about. I tried to search for some of these phrases and words (such as hermeneutics, Augustine, Origen, Ignatius ) to see if they were defined elsewhere in the book but the search is not working well on the pdf I have.

Had a bit of a hard time downloading the file, finally had to change the file to a format I could use. That frustration aside, I found the book to be well thought out, and laid out in a fashion that keeps the reader intrigued enough to keep reading. I often found myself pondering how Threlfall-Holmes interacted Bible verses with other building and parallel verses. It was obvious she is quite intelligent and knows her Bible. Interesting read.

"How to Read the Bible: 21 Ways to Enjoy and Understand Scripture" by Miranda Threlfall-Holmes offers readers an engaging and accessible guide to exploring the Bible in new ways. The book is divided into three sections: "From the Larder," which explores how scripture interacts with other parts of scripture; "Grandma’s Recipe Book," which delves into historical methods of biblical interpretation; and "Molecular Gastronomy," which focuses on modern theological approaches. Through these sections, Threlfall-Holmes invites readers to experiment with different methods of reading the Bible, making the experience both enriching and enjoyable.

Threlfall-Holmes’s approach is hands-on, encouraging readers to try various techniques, much like experimenting with ingredients in a kitchen. This exploration aims to make the Bible more accessible, whether readers are new to scripture or well-versed in its teachings. Praised by figures like Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the book empowers individuals to confidently engage with the Bible’s profound messages, offering both historical insight and modern interpretation methods to enhance understanding.

Miranda is clearly an academic of some note but this is readable. I read it in one session. Now that is me - and this is why...
1. It was laid out like a map that kept on stretching the corner so you wanted to see what was next.
2. She dangled the carrot of experimental before me and I wanted to get to that chapter (near the end)
The carrot dangling made me plough on through the book because I cannot skip to the end/ the good bit/ the bit that I thought was most interesting. Miranda made the whole thing interesting. She spoke of thing s that I knew, had experienced (I am Methodist so lived experience is equal in the Methodist quadrilateral with tradition and reason. Scripture always takes first place..) She spoke of things I was not aware of and of things I am too aware of. For example how scripture has been used to cosh people over the head.
Her simple introduction - Why read the Bible? was quite poetic in its rhetoric and I appreciated it.
Her questions are at human level rather than academic -
For example who hasn't asked in some form or other at some point in their lives - Why not just follow Jesus and try and be a good person?
Read the book - its a good one!