Approaching the Bible as Literature

"Thomas Schmidt's book is a welcome entry into a field that I have cultivated for nearly half a century. Two qualities of his book are particularly noteworthy. One is the comprehensiveness with which Schmidt approaches the subject. The other is the practical orientation of the book, which makes it a book of methodology as well as theory."

--Leland Ryken, author of Words of Delight: A Literary Introduction to the Bible



"This is a book that attends to students with a range of interests in the Bible, particularly students from religious backgrounds. Schmidt includes just the right amount of geographic, historical, and cultural information in a workbook format that encourages engagement with the literary tools provided. Schmidt is an enthusiastic and empowering teacher. Sections on biblical poetry, parables, and apocalypse are particularly valuable, while his pointers for considering context, constructing worthwhile questions, and identifying legitimate evidence will benefit any beginning literary analyst."

--Margaret Christian, Penn State; author of Spenserian Allegory and Elizabethan Biblical Exegesis



"Making their way, pen in hand, through this exceptionally helpful, accessible guide, readers will discover that though the biblical writings remain complex, mysterious, and remote in time and culture, they are also richly readable and compelling. Thomas Schmidt provides interpretive tools and introduces literary terms while also assuring those who come from a faith tradition and those who don't that they can enjoy the journey and find in this monumental, much-abused book both the deep pleasure literature affords and an invitation to more substantive reflection on our own lives and times. It serves equally as an exhilarating introduction to or a reinvigorating review."

--Marilyn McEntyre, UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program; author of Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies