Bible Study: Exploring the Bible: The Dickinson Series

Three Courses.  Six Weeks Each.  Lively Discussion.  Small Groups.

And you don't need to know a thing to start.

What Is the Bible?  
This first course gives you a broad overview of the entire Bible, including chapters on how to select a Bible suitable for your needs, how the Bible is organized, how the collection of books that comprise the Bible were chosen, different ways that people approach the text, and what archaeology has to tell us about the text and its stories. 

Introducing the Old Testament
The second course helps you better understand the Old Testament in the context of the world in which it was written.  Learn about the march of empires across biblical lands, how ancient peoples thought about their world, and how the stories of the Bible distinguished the God of Israel from the gods of Israel's neighbors. 

Introducing the New Testament
The third course shows you Jesus in three distinct ways: A man like other men, a Jewish rabbi, and the Christ of Christian faith. Then it's on to the cantankerous Paul, the other New Testament authors, and the wild and baffling book called Revelation. 

Each course has a student book and a leader's guide that can be purchased separately.  All books are available in regular and large print and all the student books are available on Kindle and as audiobooks.

Find the three-book series on Amazon here.

Find the Leader Guides on Amazon here.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is it?

A series of three courses on the Bible designed for small groups.  Each course is presented in six, 90-minute sessions with a Student Text and a separate, easy-to-use Leader's Guide.  Courses are designed to be offered to small groups in local communities and facilitated by local leaders.

What if I'm not a Christian?

Exploring the Bible: The Dickinson Series is being used successfully in groups and university classes with Christian, Muslim, Jewish, agnostic, and atheist participants.  It is being used in Roman Catholic parishes and many Protestant denominations, frequently together.  While written by a Christian minister and containing information that explains some of the facets of Christian faith, Exploring the Bible is an educational resource.  If you are adhere to another faith or no faith at all, your perspective is welcomed by this material.  And if you get into it and find something offensive, we want to hear about it.

Who wrote it?

Both the student texts and leader's guides are written by the Rev. Anne Robertson and published by the Massachusetts Bible Society.  The series is named for its benefactor, Dr. Charles C. Dickinson, III.

What is the theological perspective?

In the creation of this series there are several obvious biases. 

• The Bible is a book that can and should be read by individuals both inside and outside the church.
• Understanding of the Bible is enhanced and deepened in conversation with others.
• The tools of scholarship are not incompatible with a faithful reading of Scripture.
• Diversity of opinion is both a welcome and a necessary part of any education.

Beyond those points we have tried to give an unbiased theological perspective, describing differences of opinion and scholarship in neutral terms.  This allows for the material to be used in ecumenical, interfaith, and secular groups.

Although named for and written by Christians, Exploring the Bible: The Dickinson Series is designed to be an educational tool, not an evangelistic tool.  The Massachusetts Bible Society affirms that the making of Christian disciples is the job of the local church.  These materials are designed either to fit into the overall disciple-making effort of a local church or into a secular environment where people of other faiths or of no faith can gain a deeper understanding of the nature and content of the Bible.

Do I need a group?

The material is designed for use in a small group, and participating in such a group will give you the most benefit.  In a group you will be able to exchange ideas and perspectives and examine biblical stories in more depth through the exercises in the Leader's Guides.  

However, if you would like to explore the material without a group, the Student Text for each course is accessible and fun reading.  You will learn from the text and if you also get the Leader's Guide you can explore the class exercises on your own.