The Bible is at the heart of Christian life and witness. Yet the application of the Bible to the practice of Christian faith, spiritual growth, pastoral discussion, and even preaching, is often too naïve and simplistic.

The Bible in Pastoral Practice recovers a critical awareness of the ways in which the Bible is -- and might better be -- employed in pastoral practice, whether such practice entails visiting those in the hospital, teaching a church education class, or campaigning against world debt. Experts address a fascinating array of topics, from pastoral practice before the Bible to Ignatian spirituality, arranged according to three broad areas of concern: how the Bible has been used by pastors of the past; how contemporary methods of biblical scholarship can be applied to pastoral practice; and how the Bible applies to the Christian life today in such areas as ethics, preaching, and the arts.