Make a list of the subjects that cause people to bristle when told they’re doing it all wrong. Sex, politics and religion have to be the top three, right? I suppose parenting is up there, though not ...

Randy Rosenthal has a master’s in theological studies from Harvard University, where he teaches writing. We usually think of scripture as a written text, part of a closed canon, as sacrosanct, as ...

Why is Christian Science in our name? Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and we’ve always been transparent about that. The church publishes the ...

A History of the Bible: The Story of the World’s Most Influential Book, by John Barton. Viking. 640 pages. $35. The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts, by Karen Armstrong. Knopf. 624 ...