The Bible, Reintroduced: How to Read This Ancient, Strange, and Holy Book
Third Wednesday of each month, September 2026 through May 2027
7:00 to 8:00pm on Zoom (meeting ID: 894 5360 1844 | passcode: 638946)
Who wrote the Bible? And when? What does it mean to call it the Word of God? How do we faithfully engage passages that have inspired profound compassion and justice, as well as those that have been used to justify violence and oppression?
Whether you’re opening the Bible for the first time or have been reading it for decades, this course offers a fresh (re)introduction to one of the world’s most influential (and most misunderstood) texts. Together, we’ll explore how the Bible came to be, how Christians have interpreted it across the centuries, and how historical and cultural context can transform the way we read Scripture today. Along the way, we’ll confront common misconceptions, become familiar with major themes, and develop practical tools for reading with greater confidence and curiosity.
Rather than seeking easy answers, we’ll learn to embrace the complexity of the Bible in all its weirdness and all its wonder.
Our readings will be centered on A Most Peculiar Book: The Inherent Strangeness of the Bible, by Kristin Swenson, Ph.D. Additional articles, videos, and other resources will be suggested throughout the year. No prior knowledge is necessary. People at every level of biblical familiarity, and every perspective on the Bible, are warmly welcome.
Stay Connected
Join the mailing list to have updates and readings sent straight to your inbox. Email Rev. Brendan Nee (bnee@stannholytrinity.org) with any questions.
Meet the Author: Kristin Swenson, Ph.D.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2026, 7:00–8:00pm, on Zoom
Click here to join the Zoom meeting (meeting ID: 894 5360 1844 | passcode: 638946)
We are thrilled to kick off this course in conversation with biblical studies scholar Kristin Swenson, Ph.D. She is the author of A Most Peculiar Book: The Inherent Strangeness of the Bible, which will guide our (re)introduction to Scripture.
Join us Wednesday, September 16, 7:00–8:00pm on Zoom for a presentation from Kristin, followed by Q&A. She will share about the possibilities that open up when we embrace the Bible’s weirdness as curious and compassionate people of faith.
KRISTIN SWENSON, PH.D.
Kristin Swenson, Ph.D., is the author of several books reflecting her academic specialty in biblical studies. These include A Most Peculiar Book: The Inherent Strangeness of the Bible, Bible Babel: Making Sense of the Most Talked About Book of All Time, and Living through Pain: Psalms and the Search for Wholeness. Her four-volume saga of historical fiction, including Howl of the Golden Jackal, brings to life the world of ancient Babylon and Persia. Passionate about the natural world and the intersection of ecology and spirit, Kristin wrote God of Earth: Discovering a Radically Ecological Christianity and has developed multi-media installations and a formal practice to address eco-grief. She co-hosts The Writer’s Story podcast and (occasionally) maintains the Pretty Good Kitchen website, anchored in sustainability and joy. Kristin lives and works in Charlottesville, Virginia. Learn more on her wesbite, kristinswenson.com.
Reading Schedule
Our readings will be centered on A Most Peculiar Book: The Inherent Strangeness of the Bible, by Kristin Swenson, Ph.D. Throughout the reading schedule, it is abbreviated as “AMPB.”
It can be purchased for about $30 anywhere books are sold; or, reach out to Rev. Brendan Nee (bnee@stannholytrinity.org) to request a free copy. Additional readings will be added below as we near the start of the 2026–27 program year.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2026
- AMPB, Introduction: “An Arranged Marriage” (pp. xiii–xviii) — Read an excerpt of the introduction on The Bart Ehrman Blog
- [PDF] Rowan Williams, “Bible,” in Being Christian: Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, Prayer (Cambridge: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014)
OCTOBER 21, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 1: “A Problematic Book” and Chapter 2: “But in the Original …” (pp. 3–36)
NOVEMBER 18, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 3: “God” (pp. 39–59)
DECEMBER 16, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 5: “Good People Behaving Badly” (pp. 82–102)
JANUARY 20, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 6: “Impossibilities, Normalized” (pp. 105–19)
FEBRUARY 17, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 7: “Misconceptions, Misapprehensions” (pp. 120–45)
- [Web] David Paulsen, “Churches consider alternate Good Friday liturgies, Bible translations over concerns of anti-Jewish interpretations,” on Episcopal News Service (April 12, 2022)
MARCH 17, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 9: “Arguments behind Closed Doors” (pp. 165–85)
APRIL 21, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 10: “Biblical (Im)morality” (pp. 186–207)
MAY 19, 2026
- AMPB, Chapter 12: “Ten Commandments for Reading the Bible” (pp. 218–232)