Should We Read the Bible Critically?

by McKenzie Brummond

The academic discipline of biblical studies hinges upon the act of reading the Bible critically. However, it can be difficult for people of faith to reconcile following the canon faithfully with reading it critically. First, perhaps I should clarify that to read critically does not necessarily mean to criticize a text, but to engage with it by asking questions and acknowledging multiple levels of meaning. As such, I argue that it is not only possible to read Scripture both faithfully and critically, but that reading the Bible both faithfully and critically can help devout followers of God to grow in their faith. 

Reading the Bible critically allows us to perceive its full complexity as a living document. For Jewish and Christian communities, the Bible is the revealed word of God. However, its divinely inspired status does not mean that the Bible was simply dropped from the heavens in its current form. The Bible is composed of numerous works by a variety of human authors, and it includes genres ranging from poetry, to proverbs, to narrative, to law (to name a few). Certainly, the process of identifying the canon was guided by the Holy Spirit. But we must acknowledge that even human beings guided by the Spirit are influenced by their own biases, culture, and era. How else can we account for the fact that Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant communities each have different canons? Acknowledging its complexity as we read the Bible allows us to take part in a long tradition of biblical interpretation and connects us to early Christians who played a part in shaping the biblical canon we still use today. Holding Scripture as the holy word of God in tension with its human influences allows us to both honor Scripture’s authority and recognize its potential to be tainted by human agenda. That being said, there is beauty in how diverse voices shine through the biblical text. The Bible’s multiplicity of voices exemplifies for us the communion of saints. Interacting with Scripture through critical reading brings us into closer communion with our ancestors in faith and with God. 

Reading the Bible critically can also help us to grow in our relationship with God. Scripture itself is teeming with examples of faithful servants of God who argue and wrestle with Him. Abraham negotiates with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah; Jacob wrestles with God in the desert; and the Syro-Phoenician woman verbally spars with Jesus so her daughter may be healed. We can find inspiration in biblical figures such as these. In the same way God’s most devout followers have always conversed with God, actively reading and questioning God’s word as conveyed in the Bible helps us to foster an active relationship with God.

 Critical reading of the Bible has the potential to strengthen our faith. The process of learning involves active inquiry on the part of the student. In other words, we learn about our faith by asking questions about it. As a fundamental document for the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Bible is a natural guidepost for our questions. Whether or not we encounter answers to these questions, actively engaging with the word of God demonstrates care for our faith. I like to think of my faith like a muscle—I need to frequently test it and work it out if I want it to grow. If I never think about my faith or ask questions about God and Scripture, I cannot earnestly claim a strong faith in God. Going through the motions of our faith without actively engaging can lead our faith muscles to atrophy.

 The Bible is a fundamental source of revelation for both Judaism and Christianity. Because it is a source of divine revelation, it can be all too easy for us to believe that the Bible is above questioning. However, sometimes an attitude of prayerful questioning is precisely the best tool to help our faith to grow. As Rachel Held Evans writes, “I am indebted to those who have gone before me, those saints of holy curiosity whose lives of faithful questioning taught me not to fear my doubts, but to embrace and learn from them” (Inspired, p. xix). Lord, let us endeavor to lead lives of faithful questioning, that we may grow in faith, wisdom, and relationship with You. 

References and Further Reading

• “Excerpt: ‘How to Read the Bible’” by Marc Zvi Brettler on “Fresh Air,” NPR (January 30, 2006)

• Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans (2018)

• “The Paradigm” podcast series from Bible Project (2021)

• “The Woman Who Won an Argument With Jesus” blog post by Gary Taylor on Missio Alliance (July 31, 2014)

• Women and the Authority of Scripture: A Narrative Approach by Sarah Heaner Lancaster, Trinity Press International (2002)

McKenzie Brummond earned her Master of Religion degree from Yale University and holds a Bachelor degree of Liberal Arts from Notre Dame. Interested in music and theological principles, McKenzie spends her time contemplating the intersection of musical worship and theological study.