Foreword / by Sarah Bessey
Introduction: how the Bible beat me up
Part 1: We all have lenses. You're reading it wrong
Some lenses are better than others
Part 2: Lenses that inflict harm. The literalism lens: "the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it"
The Apocalypse lens: "It's all gonna burn anyway"
The moralism lens: "Well, that's not Biblical"
The hierarchy lens: "Submit to authority as you submit to God"
Part 3: Lenses that promote healing. The Jesus lens: "the scriptures point to me"
The context lens: "the one who seeks will find"
The flourishing lens: "I have come that they may have life abundantly"
The fruitfulness lens: "By their fruit your will recognize them"
Conclusion: a restored reading.