The Century invited people to comment on their favorite book of the Bible and a book that has helped them appreciate or understand the biblical text. Their replies are linked below.

Unsettled in the beginning, by Debbie Blue: I love Genesis for some of the same reasons the church fathers were wary of it. . . .

Someone else's liberation, by Jane McBride: Reading Exodus together with Isabel Wilkerson reminds me that the biblical story is not told from my point of view. . . .

Canaan at the margins, by Miguel De La Torre: When I read the book of Joshua, it is easy for me to miss God's call for genocide. . . .

God, the implied agent, by Lauren Winner: Linguist Suzanne Kemmer helps me understand the book of Esther better. . . .

Depths of evil and peace, by Clyde Edgerton: Why would Psalms and Cormac McCarthy's novel Blood Meridian pop into my head? . . .

Layers of John, by Robert Jenson: I find that the book which most fascinates me is the Gospel of John. . . .

Lived witness, by Alexia Salvatierra: The Christians whose ministries are documented in the book of Acts did not know that they were the "early church." . . .

Alternative realities, by Kat Banakis: John of Patmos presents readers of Revelation with fantastical visions of what life could be, just as Dickens does to Scrooge. . . .