Source: What the Bible Says About the Problems of Contemporary Life

John L. McKenzie

Mar 2009 · Wipf and Stock Publishers

About this ebook

While it is true that today's civilization presents all sorts of questions about which the Bible had nothing to say directly, in many instances there are passages which, when properly understood, can lead us toward the right answer for modern Christians. And in many instances the Bible addresses itself explicitly to moral and spiritual concerns that are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. But discerning the true intent of the scriptures is not as simple as many people have tried to make it. There are seeming (and sometimes actual) contradictions to be reconciled, there is the cloud of historical context to be clarified, the inaccuracies of translators, the findings of modern biblical criticism, research and archaeological discoveries to be considered. Expert guidance is indeed required.
Father McKenzie tackles death, marriage, divorce, suffering, sexual morality, life after death, violence, love of neighbor, faith, the institutional church, prejudice and bigotry, prayer and personal holiness, the role of women in the church, priesthood and varieties of ministry, sin and radical evil. Chapters on these subjects are thought provoking, and readers will appreciate their journey through the scriptures with McKenzie as their perfect guide.

About the author

Father John L. McKenzie (1910-1991), an Old Testament biblical scholar who taught at Loyola University of Chicago, University of Chicago, Notre Dame and DePaul University, is considered one of the most influential post-WWII scholars who oriented Catholic thinkers toward modern biblical scholarship. Beyond being a prolific writer of books and articles, he was the first Catholic president of the Society of Biblical Literature, and served as president for the Catholic Biblical Association and for Clergy and Laity Concerned.