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What the Bible Really Teaches... is a non-fiction book by Keith Ward which makes a rational analysis of the Bible. Ward states that Bible is a book made of several ancient texts, written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek and that the language is not always meant to be taken literally. He suggests that Fundamentalists should follow what the Bible says about itself and thus develop a richer understanding of scripture.

In Ch 1. Fundamentalism and the Bible Ward says that although he is a born-again Christian he believes that fundamentalists have "a very selective, restrictive, and exclusive view of what the Bible teaches"^[1]. He points out that the Bible never anywhere says it is to be taken literally at all times or that it is inerrant in every detail, and that 2 Timothy 3:13 ("all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness") does not assert that scripture is "written or spoken by God", and that minor inconsistencies in the Bible^[2] demonstrate that God does not intend that the Bible is taken literally in every detail. He fully endorses the position of the Second Vatican Council that "the books of Scripture, firmly, faithfully and without error, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided in the sacred scriptures"^[3] explaining that this means that "The Bible is not inerrant in detail, but God has ensured that no substantial errors, which mislead about the nature of salvation, are to be found in scripture"

In Ch 2. Interpreting the Bible he says that "The fact that I think my fundamentalist friends are wrong does not at all mean a break in fellowship with them." He proposes six principles of biblical interpretation: Contextualisation, Consistency, Comprehensiveness, Sublation^[4], Spiritual Interpretation and Christ-centredness.

The other chapters are about Interpreting the Biblical Teaching about specific topics:

• In Ch. 3. The Coming of Christ in Glory he argues that since the end of the world did not come as soon as suggested it is necessary to interpret at least some of the Bible's statements about this (and, he suggests, other matters) in a non-literal way^[5]
• Ch. 4. Salvation
• Ch. 5. Evil and Divine Love
• Ch. 6. Sin and Grace
• Ch. 7. The Sacrifice of Jesus
• Ch. 8. Resurrection
• Ch. 9. Judgement, Heaven and Hell
• Ch. 10. The Moral Law

In his Conclusion he suggests that "Fundamentalist Christians have many vitally important things right" but he criticises what he sees as their mistakes, and hopes that "When evangelicals recover thier own heritage, and read the Bible carefully, fundamentalism will fade away." (pp 179-182)

1. ^ p 1-2
2. ^ he cites John 20.1 vs Matthew 28.1-2 and the fact that Jesus in Mark 2.26 disagrees with 1 Samuel 21.1-6 about who was high priest
3. ^ p6 - from Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation ch. 3 para 11.
4. ^ By which he means "to negate and yet to fulfil at the same time" eg Psalm 139.21-22 is sublated by Matthew 5.43 (p23)
5. ^ p32-33. He cites eg 1 Thessalonians 4.15

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