Book of God: The Bible as a Novel

"The Book of God" is a compelling narrative that tells a collection of "Bible" stories like a modern bestseller. But it is gripping because it is not fiction, but ages old truth. Ably using fiction techniques of characterization, Wangerin gives readers a new look at Peter and John through the eyes of Jesus. Many of the chapters focus on biblical characters from the famous, like some of the disciples, to the obscure, such as Ehud and Ahikam. Throughout the book, Wangerin is sensitive to the roll of women in the "Bible," even devoting separate chapters to Rebekah and Deborah.

"The Book of God" will not replace the Bible itself -- it encourages readers to look at the Bible in a fresh and lively new light. Using what might be called literary homiletics, Wangerin organizes his book into eight parts. Beginning with " The Ancestors" and concluding with " The Messiah, " Wangerin tells God's own story with excitement and reverence.