The Bible stands near the heart of the Christian faith. It has been read, sung, and taught for over 3000 years. Its stories have moved us, its songs shaped us, and its epistles taught us. But what is the Bible? Christians believe that it is the very words of God. But we could go further, is the Bible a novel, dictionary, textbook, historical collection of documents? It is in this sense of the question that we are interested in what the Bible is.

Answering this question, what is the Bible, is essential if we are to understand its function in the life of Christians and their Churches. It is essential if we are to understand how the Bible addresses the crises of contemporary society and how it addresses the human heart across the ages.

In this short book, we will look at this question from several perspectives, looking at how the Bible came to be, what it is, and the implications for how we read the Bible.