What does it mean to be Biblically Literate? Should it be considered a rarity when there are "bumper sticker" Scriptures taken out of context or those who identify as Christians can't name most of the Ten Commandments or the four Gospels?
A Primer on Biblical Literacy by Cory Marsh is an excellent little book dealing with the subject of Biblical literacy (as you probably suspected by the title). I called it a little book - it composes of three chapters, and doesn't reach the triple digits in page length when the appendices start.
The first chapter focuses on the need for Biblical Literacy by reminding us of Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Marshall Applewhite, showing extreme examples on what happens when people don't know the Bible and challenge those who teach something contrary to Scripture. The second chapter defines Biblical Literacy as developing an awareness of God through Scripture and a proficiency in understanding the meaning of the Biblical text. The final and longest chapter is an introduction to hermeneutics (Biblical interpretation).
The appendices includes the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. One of my classes my first semester at Bible College was "Doctrine of Scripture and God," and the professor (Dr. David Nicholas) was off for a week to take part in signing this document. This is the first time I had the privilege of reading it.
I highly recommend this book. I found it an encouragement to get to know the Word of God - and thus, the God of the Word - better.
FYI: Besides the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, the following were subsequently adopted by the Council on Biblical Inerrancy and published - "Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics" (1982), and "Chicago Statement on Biblical Application" (1986).
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