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The Word of a Humble God: The Origins, Inspiration, and Interpretation of Scripture
“Scripture is a spring of life-giving, life-altering truth, but when we don’t understand how and why it came to us, we end up misusing it.”
How did we get the Bible? And why does it matter? History reveals that Scripture can be used for both life-giving and destructive purposes. Discovering the Bible’s origins makes all the difference for fostering redemptive interpretation of Scripture. Bringing together both historical criticism and theology, this investigation examines ancient scribal culture through the lens of faith. What we find is a divine-human collaboration that points to the character of God and the value of human agency.
In this concise presentation of a breadth of scholarship usually only found across multiple volumes, Karen Keen offers a vital introduction to the material origins of the Bible, theories of inspiration, and the history of biblical interpretation—with reflections on what this all means for us as we read Scripture today. Through the ins and outs of these important topics, and with the aid of thought-provoking questions and learning activities at the end of each chapter, Keen argues that the Bible and its origins reveal a humble God who invites us to imitate that humility—a humility that is itself the most powerful antidote to the misinterpretation and abuse of Scripture.
How did we get the Bible? And why does it matter? History reveals that Scripture can be used for both life-giving and destructive purposes. Discovering the Bible’s origins makes all the difference for fostering redemptive interpretation of Scripture. Bringing together both historical criticism and theology, this investigation examines ancient scribal culture through the lens of faith. What we find is a divine-human collaboration that points to the character of God and the value of human agency.
In this concise presentation of a breadth of scholarship usually only found across multiple volumes, Karen Keen offers a vital introduction to the material origins of the Bible, theories of inspiration, and the history of biblical interpretation—with reflections on what this all means for us as we read Scripture today. Through the ins and outs of these important topics, and with the aid of thought-provoking questions and learning activities at the end of each chapter, Keen argues that the Bible and its origins reveal a humble God who invites us to imitate that humility—a humility that is itself the most powerful antidote to the misinterpretation and abuse of Scripture.
279 pages, Paperback
Published October 6, 2022
24 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Karen R. Keen
5 books22 followersKaren R. Keen is a biblical scholar, author, and spiritual care provider at The Redwood Center for Spiritual Care and Education. She has taught in both academic and church settings. Her passion is making scholarship accessible to a broad audience. She believes that loving God with our whole mind (as well as our heart) is crucial for the Christian life and the common good. Keen earned her Th.M. in biblical studies from Duke University, M.A. in exegetical theology from Western Seminary, and M.S. in education (counseling) from Western Oregon University.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 6, 2022
“The Word of a Humble God” is a beautifully written book. Author Karen Keen is a gifted theologian and talented writer. Once again, she has tackled a complex subject and presented her points clearly. She builds each step of the foundation carefully and completely before moving on.
Every chapter builds toward the premise of the book -- the divine humility and willingness of God invited humans to create the stories in the Scriptures. The Hebrew Bible and New Testament were written in the context of ancient cultures by a variety of authors from nomadic tribal people and city-dwelling educated Jews. The whole of the Bible was a communal effort that has been applied over the centuries and millennia in varying ways. As we approach the Bible for application to our lives today, it is important that we, in likewise humility, understand the construction of the Bible lest we use it for destructive purposes.
When I think back on the thousands of hours I have spent in formal Bible studies over the four decades of my Christian practice, I cannot recall any one of them carefully teaching about the construction of the Bible. We read the words on the page with minimal context using our modern lenses. It has only been in the last decade that I have realized how dangerous the results of such an approach can be.
From the onset of the book, Keen begins to carefully lay her foundation with history and theology. Who were the ancient Jews? When did the early prophets begin to warn them to follow God alone? Who may have authored the various texts and letters that have come to form the Bible?
Keen then looks at the translation history and the early formats of the Bible that were eventually canonized.
There is no one correct way for people or denominations to view the Bible’s inspiration. Even accepting that inspiration has different meanings is an act of humility. Keen describes the various approaches well and suggests, “inspiration is not a property of the text; it’s the activity of the Holy Spirit.” (p. 115) Texts have been variously understood and used since they were canonized by highly regarded church fathers showing the dynamic nature of Scripture.
How many of us have insisted that we have the correct understanding of Scripture? Keen reminds us, “Interpretation involves human beings, and human beings are messy. We have thoughts, emotions, experiences and biases. No matter how objective we seek to be, we bring ourselves to the Bible.” (p. 176) Again, we have the opportunity to partner with a humble God, one who does not control how we read the Bible, while engaging others on challenging topics.
Each of the ten chapters contains Learning Activities to get the reader to go beyond and apply the information to their understanding and assumptions. Further readings on related topics are suggested. The book ends with a four week daily devotional encouraging reflection and challenging readers to approach the Bible with the same humility with which God has inspired it.
This would be a great book for a group to tackle and to practice humility together.
Every chapter builds toward the premise of the book -- the divine humility and willingness of God invited humans to create the stories in the Scriptures. The Hebrew Bible and New Testament were written in the context of ancient cultures by a variety of authors from nomadic tribal people and city-dwelling educated Jews. The whole of the Bible was a communal effort that has been applied over the centuries and millennia in varying ways. As we approach the Bible for application to our lives today, it is important that we, in likewise humility, understand the construction of the Bible lest we use it for destructive purposes.
When I think back on the thousands of hours I have spent in formal Bible studies over the four decades of my Christian practice, I cannot recall any one of them carefully teaching about the construction of the Bible. We read the words on the page with minimal context using our modern lenses. It has only been in the last decade that I have realized how dangerous the results of such an approach can be.
From the onset of the book, Keen begins to carefully lay her foundation with history and theology. Who were the ancient Jews? When did the early prophets begin to warn them to follow God alone? Who may have authored the various texts and letters that have come to form the Bible?
Keen then looks at the translation history and the early formats of the Bible that were eventually canonized.
There is no one correct way for people or denominations to view the Bible’s inspiration. Even accepting that inspiration has different meanings is an act of humility. Keen describes the various approaches well and suggests, “inspiration is not a property of the text; it’s the activity of the Holy Spirit.” (p. 115) Texts have been variously understood and used since they were canonized by highly regarded church fathers showing the dynamic nature of Scripture.
How many of us have insisted that we have the correct understanding of Scripture? Keen reminds us, “Interpretation involves human beings, and human beings are messy. We have thoughts, emotions, experiences and biases. No matter how objective we seek to be, we bring ourselves to the Bible.” (p. 176) Again, we have the opportunity to partner with a humble God, one who does not control how we read the Bible, while engaging others on challenging topics.
Each of the ten chapters contains Learning Activities to get the reader to go beyond and apply the information to their understanding and assumptions. Further readings on related topics are suggested. The book ends with a four week daily devotional encouraging reflection and challenging readers to approach the Bible with the same humility with which God has inspired it.
This would be a great book for a group to tackle and to practice humility together.
April 7, 2024
Textbook. Tracing the history of biblical texts and interpretation, Keen ably argues that "the contextual, communal, dynamic, and varied nature of Scripture reveals a humble God who teaches us humility" as a hermeneutical key.
November 7, 2025
10/10.
Thoughtful, challenging, pragmatic. Keen takes a historical lens to the writing + canonization of the biblr and the implications that holds for theological interpretation. She holds respect and grace for interpretations across time and social place while also laying out her belief that “good theology” is one that holds the bible with respect/authority while also remembering our humanness in collaboration w the divine. The book has slow start but is worth the wait for the later revelations she is setting up.
Thoughtful, challenging, pragmatic. Keen takes a historical lens to the writing + canonization of the biblr and the implications that holds for theological interpretation. She holds respect and grace for interpretations across time and social place while also laying out her belief that “good theology” is one that holds the bible with respect/authority while also remembering our humanness in collaboration w the divine. The book has slow start but is worth the wait for the later revelations she is setting up.
November 21, 2022
Karen Keen’s new book compels us to look at the Bible in a new way. Her writing is thoroughly researched and credited and yet understandable for a lay person such as myself. The footnotes at the end of each chapter allow for the opportunity for one to go deeper in their study. Each chapter is well laid out and builds on the last one, so you are able to better understand an idea and see the trajectory of where she is going. The learning activities at the end of each chapter are engaging and move your reading from the head to the heart. I had more than one aha moment as I read this book. Keen is a biblical scholar who communicates skillfully with her readers.
Keen introduces us to a humble God who collaborated with humans over hundreds of years to create the Bible. “God wanted a Bible that reflects the unfolding of history across generations and cultural shifts.” The Bible has a context. This idea is huge for me as I figure out how the Bible is relevant today.
The second part of the book looks at inspiration of Scripture. A favourite quote from this section is as follows. “Why might God have intended for scripture to be contextual, communal, dynamic and varied?... (it shows that) God is actively involved in time and events.”
The last section of the book is interpretation of Scripture. Keen laid such a strong foundation in the two previous sections (origins and inspiration) that I found the interpretation chapters the most interesting to read. It’s where real life happens. Her teachings on the various approaches to interpretation are well laid out and lead to the crux of her book. That is, God humbly collaborates with humans and He desires that we also learn humility as we interpret Scripture in community.
Learning Humility Together is a fitting title for the final chapter because it circles back to the book’s main premise of God humbly collaborating with human beings so that we as humans can also learn humility. Humility results in showing love and wanting the best for the other person and that really should be our common goal as we seek to apply the Bible in our daily life.
Keen introduces us to a humble God who collaborated with humans over hundreds of years to create the Bible. “God wanted a Bible that reflects the unfolding of history across generations and cultural shifts.” The Bible has a context. This idea is huge for me as I figure out how the Bible is relevant today.
The second part of the book looks at inspiration of Scripture. A favourite quote from this section is as follows. “Why might God have intended for scripture to be contextual, communal, dynamic and varied?... (it shows that) God is actively involved in time and events.”
The last section of the book is interpretation of Scripture. Keen laid such a strong foundation in the two previous sections (origins and inspiration) that I found the interpretation chapters the most interesting to read. It’s where real life happens. Her teachings on the various approaches to interpretation are well laid out and lead to the crux of her book. That is, God humbly collaborates with humans and He desires that we also learn humility as we interpret Scripture in community.
Learning Humility Together is a fitting title for the final chapter because it circles back to the book’s main premise of God humbly collaborating with human beings so that we as humans can also learn humility. Humility results in showing love and wanting the best for the other person and that really should be our common goal as we seek to apply the Bible in our daily life.
October 6, 2022
The Word of a Humble God: The Origins, Inspiration, and Interpretation of Scripture by #KarenKeen. This book was many many things. It was intellectual in a way I am not. It was mostly understandable even if I didn't get the details. It was informative and answered questions I would not have asked. It was comforting in that those answers built my foundation but also my faith. The first third explains how we got the bible... I think I believed 66 men (perhaps a token woman or two) sat in a room and wrote down what God told them to say. But these books ..especially the old testament started out as stories handed down generationally and then written down and copied from generation to generation.... and a little bit like the game phone tag, some parts added and some parts taken out for whatever reason... the point is things changed. At first it was upsetting to think that we acquired this "HOLY BIBLE" quite haphazardly over the centuries... but then it became apparent that our God had a hand in how that occurred. The second third of her book talked about how analysis happened over the centuries.. how things at first appeared black and white but then nuances were deciphered and all the way to the most recent lenses we are using.. that of social location where we try to recognize who was speaking and to whom they were speaking to and what was happening in their world as the words are spoken and then to our own social location as people or a society that does not experience war, hand to hand combat, we don't experience hunger and all those things affect what we read and how we understand it. The last third of this books talks about how we interpret all of this in community... and that in community we not just hear it but in community we do it. Karens retelling of some bible stories that we all know magically became powerful in framing the old stories with their social location.. and ours. This book is a keeper but it also is one I want to reread.. to ponder. https://www.amazon.com/Word.../dp/080...... #karenKeen #Donnau2022
October 23, 2022
In "The Word of a Humble God" Keen explores the origin of the collection of writings that we call the Christian Bible. This is an eye-opening book that—in a very respectful and faithful way—amends incorrect assumptions that many (myself included) have had about the Bible and provides a new framework from which to approach Scripture. I recommend this book for mature Christians who want to learn more about their holy text.
Keen covers the three major topics of (1) where the writings in the Bible come from, (2) how God and humans were involved in these writings, and (3) how Scripture is and has been read throughout time. She thoughtfully lays out the complex development of each of these topics, and through the examples and evidence provided it becomes clear that there not simply ONE Bible and there is not ONE valid way to read the Bible. Rather, humans and God have participated in a rich and varied dialogue for millennia. A statement that she makes multiple times is that the variety that exists in relation to the Bible "is not a problem to be solved" (p. 77); instead it is an illustration of the diverse reality of Christianity.
The content in this book can be challenging because it disagrees with how my faith tradition has treated the Bible as perfect, static, and able to be understood 'correctly'. However, Keen approaches the subject in way that is not critical or in any way inflammatory; she presents information and for the most part allows you to draw your own conclusions, while also making some suggestions about how our faith can actually be increased by this new information.
Two aspects of the book that I really like are a summary at the end of every chapter that recaps the major ideas, and a Learning Activity section that provides exercises to apply the information shared in the chapter. These make the book suitable for a group study as well as an individual read.
Keen covers the three major topics of (1) where the writings in the Bible come from, (2) how God and humans were involved in these writings, and (3) how Scripture is and has been read throughout time. She thoughtfully lays out the complex development of each of these topics, and through the examples and evidence provided it becomes clear that there not simply ONE Bible and there is not ONE valid way to read the Bible. Rather, humans and God have participated in a rich and varied dialogue for millennia. A statement that she makes multiple times is that the variety that exists in relation to the Bible "is not a problem to be solved" (p. 77); instead it is an illustration of the diverse reality of Christianity.
The content in this book can be challenging because it disagrees with how my faith tradition has treated the Bible as perfect, static, and able to be understood 'correctly'. However, Keen approaches the subject in way that is not critical or in any way inflammatory; she presents information and for the most part allows you to draw your own conclusions, while also making some suggestions about how our faith can actually be increased by this new information.
Two aspects of the book that I really like are a summary at the end of every chapter that recaps the major ideas, and a Learning Activity section that provides exercises to apply the information shared in the chapter. These make the book suitable for a group study as well as an individual read.
November 20, 2022
I had the privilege of attending an online course led by Karen R. Keen, in which she presented much of the material that later found its way into this book. Both the class and the book were very enjoyable. If I had to choose a single sentence to sum up the theme of the book, it would be, 'The authority of the Bible isn't quite as simple a matter as you might think'!
Keen combines an obvious love for the scriptures and a deep delight in mining their treasures, with an awareness of the complexity of the story of their origins and the long and varied history of biblical interpretation down through the centuries.
I would suggest this is not the book to put into the hands of the new Christian; it presupposes a knowledge of the text and some familiarity with Christian history and theology. No—the ideal reader for this book would be the Christian who has been brought up with a rather simplistic attitude toward biblical authority and is now searching for something more honest and rigorous. They will find it here.
Full disclosure: as a member of the launch team I was provided with a free preview copy of this book.
Keen combines an obvious love for the scriptures and a deep delight in mining their treasures, with an awareness of the complexity of the story of their origins and the long and varied history of biblical interpretation down through the centuries.
I would suggest this is not the book to put into the hands of the new Christian; it presupposes a knowledge of the text and some familiarity with Christian history and theology. No—the ideal reader for this book would be the Christian who has been brought up with a rather simplistic attitude toward biblical authority and is now searching for something more honest and rigorous. They will find it here.
Full disclosure: as a member of the launch team I was provided with a free preview copy of this book.
October 21, 2022
Though many of us grew up in contexts where the Bible was regarded as a Holy Book or even today claim it as a religious guide for the way we live, most of us actually know very little about this very famous and holy book - the Bible! Karen Keen's newest work takes a look at the material origins, inspiration, and interpretation of this sacred text. The depth of research and knowledge are evident, yet Keen's writing is accessible to a broad audience. She does not shy away from the controversial aspects of debated topics and treats dissenting views with respect. Keen offers a clear path through the doctrinal muck and presents an awe-inspiring perspective on the Bible as "The Word of a Humble God. After reading this book, I have a greater understanding of its historic development and acceptance in the church and am more aware of the treasure we have in this text from a gracious God. I will be assigning this volume for my college and seminary students and recommending it to friends.
December 31, 2022
I am very thankful for this book from Karen Keen. She lays out the many nuances and layers of the making of the Bible, along with its interpretation and application, in a very approachable yet informative way. Karen Keen is careful and generous when looking at the different layers and traditions that come together in the making of the Bible, and just her posture is helpful to learn from. I gleaned so many good things from this book and am able to appreciate the Bible and it’s formation much better.
May 20, 2025
I have a ton of respect for Karen Keen. She writes about hard things in an accessible way. And I think the way that she talks about the Bible is genuinely respectful of theological positions across the aisle. There are some points that I wish she'd expand upon, such as what a hermeneutic of humility actually looks like when it approaches a text or other conflicting interpretations. But I think this is a good start towards that conversation, and I'm thankful for Keen and her ability to jump back and forth between different camps (though primarily Protestant).
October 6, 2022
Karen Keen has quickly become one of my favorite authors and theologians, and this book is the best yet. Karen skillfully explains the origins, inspiration and interpretation of Scripture, something that would usually take multiple volumes to accomplish, in a way that all of us can understand. If you have any interest in the Bible at all, especially if it's been used as a weapon in your life, this is a must-read!
January 31, 2023
Brilliantly researched, accessible, healing, and coherent. This is hands down the best book I've read about Biblical interpretation or the history of the canon. Karen Keen is able to speak healing and good sense into a Church crippled by the weight of its own historical misuse of Scripture and the heavy indictment of widespread deconstruction.
October 14, 2022
Succinct but pretty comprehensive too! I learned a lot here. Very well done. I think it would be a great primer to assign for Seminary hermeneutics classes, or even for advanced church adult education classes.
November 27, 2022
This is an exceptionally accessible and thoughtful book.
January 31, 2023
I think this is one of the best books I've read about how to interpret and read Scripture. It was thoroughly researched, thought provoking, insightful, and healing. Highly recommend.
October 29, 2022
I have grown up in the church and through the years attended different denominations, read the Bible cover to cover to multiple times, and had very little instruction on how the Bible came to be. The Word of a Humble God: The Origins, Inspiration, and Interpretation of Scripture walks you through the process in a way that keeps you fascinated and engaged. Keen has activities at the end of each chapter to help you more fully grasp the concept of the chapter. There is also a 4-week devotion at the end of the book to help you further practice what is learned from the book. Keen addresses how the canon came to be and how there were 3 different prominent manuscript traditions: the Masoretic Text (Hebrew), the Septuagint (Greek translation of Hebrew Bible), and the Samaritan Pentateuch (Samaritans). This was not an easy task. We also learn that there is no world Bible, that different denominations of Christian religion have chosen different canons; and therefore, have different Bibles with different books in them. I found the history all captivating, but the more I read, the more I realized how God humbled himself to be in relationship with humans. He chose humans to put the Word of God into writing; that was a very impactful and new concept to me. It made me realize how important it is for us to interpret Scripture correctly, the best we can, and the book discusses several ways to do this. I also appreciated how Keen did not shy away from addressing how biblical truths, like how God could order killing of children. It provides us a way to “ponder, reason, and discern. In this way texts of violence help us reflect on ways we are complicit in destruction and challenge us to work towards healing.” (page 115) She then stresses how other passages make clear how much God loves children. Not only did I obtain a lot of information on the Bible and how it came to be, but I also learned how to wrestle with scripture with our humble God.
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