Sex, Sacrifice, Shame & Smiting: Is the Bible Always Right?

Contemporary Christians often pick and choose among the Bible's moral rulings, taking some as absolutes, but ignoring others they find unacceptable. Are there areas where we can ignore what the Bible says? Is the Bible actually wrong about some things? Are we free to argue that we understand things better than the biblical writers did? Or must we accept what the Bible tells us, no matter how difficult it might be to put into practice?

With this in mind, Kraus explores biblical questions of vengeance, enemies, the death penalty, social marginalization, economics, social justice, sexual behavior, and authority. The book includes a study guide for group discussion.

Praise from Publishers Weekly for Sex, Sacrifice, Shame & Smiting...

"Kraus approaches his subject with the delicacy required when introducing ideas that will be considered at best heterodox and, at worst, heretical. News of schisms within the mainline churches fills the headlines. Many of these bitter disagreements boil down to how one reads and understands scripture. Kraus makes a compelling case for a context- and culture-sensitive reading of the sacred book. When doing so, he insists, one can transcend the literal and appreciate the nuance in the telling of biblical stories. He further claims that a strictly literal reading of the scriptures has contributed to morally excluding segments of our population - gays and lesbians in particular.... Many readers will disagree with Kraus's conclusions, but most will be challenged to re-examine their traditional views." -- Publishers Weekly

DONALD KRAUS is Executive Editor for Bibles at Oxford University Press, where he has been professionally involved with assessing, publishing, describing, and defending different Bible translations for over twenty years. He is the author of Choosing a Bible (2007) and lives in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Sex, Sacrifice, Shame & Smiting: Is the Bible Always Right?
978-1-59627-068-8 * $16.00 * 5.5 x 8.5 * 160 Pages * Paperback
* Seabury Books * Available now

Headquartered in New York City, Church Publishing Incorporated is the official publisher of worship materials for the Episcopal Church and publishes a variety of trade books through its Seabury, Church Publishing, and Morehouse Publishing imprints.