""Combining informed biblical scholarship, pastoral sensitivity, and practical application, this volume shows how ancient texts can and indeed should speak to today's readers. Highly recommended."" --Amy-Jill Levine, University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies, and Professor of New Testament Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Graduate Department of Religion, and Department of Jewish Studies ""Straight talk from a pastor-scholar who has spent a lifetime trying to follow Jesus more faithfully and understand the Bible more deeply. Don't be misled by the size of this volume. It deals honestly and sensitively with matters of faith, our understanding of God, the nature of the Bible, the teachings of Jesus, and a variety of issues seldom discussed openly, including judgment, miracles, and sexuality. As the subtitle promises, this is a book for persons of faith who are ready to ask questions and challenge traditional teachings in search of understanding."" --R. Alan Culpepper, Dean and Professor of New Testament Emeritus, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University.