As a child, when I thought about the origins of the Bible, I pictured an old, white-robed, balding guy sitting at a long wooden table with scrolls piled up around him. He is surrounded by fluffy clouds and a few helpful cherubs. His look is pensive. His quill pen is hovering above parchment and his white beard is slung over his shoulder so as not to fall into the inkwell. After he pens the last words of the book of Revelation, he flings a leather-bound Bible earthwards.

To be honest, many aspects of that childhood perception have lingered with me into adulthood. That is, until I read Kristin Swenson’s A Most Peculiar Book, which as the subtitle states, is about the inherent strangeness of the Bible.

With an obvious love of and respect for the material, Swenson methodically and meticulously discusses the surprising, contradictory and sometimes inexplicable (by modern standards) parts of the Bible. I have a strong Sunday school/church going background. Many times, while reading the book, I’d think, “Wait up, that’s not in the Bible!” Then, sure enough, when I checked chapter and verse, I read the words in black and white. (Note to reader: chapters and verses are a fairly recent addition to the Bible.)

Even though her topic is dense and complicated, Swenson’s prose is light and whimsical, evidencing her obvious affection for the material. I found myself engaged and entertained on every page. Her presentation of the information is story-based which makes it easier for a lay person to grasp. Swenson’s writing is provocative; some of her conclusions will challenge beliefs some Bible readers have clung to for years.

My favorite quote from the book is this: “To really, genuinely “believe in” the Bible surely begins with saying yes to its invitation for a relationship. Taking it seriously means considering what the Bible is, how it comes to us, and what it contains. It means recognizing its oddities and engaging with them.”

This is a fascinating book, well worth reading.