Theopolitan Reading

We learn to read because we're taught by people who can read. We learn to read well because good readers model good reading and guide us as mentors. For Christians reading the Bible, Jesus is the Model reader, and we learn to read well by following His example and submitting to the mentors He gives. Reading well is an act of discipleship. Peter J. Leithart shows in Theopolitan Reading that the whole Bible grows from seeds planted in the early chapters of Genesis. The events of Scripture take place in the three-story world created in Genesis 1. Adam is in the background of all the men of the Bible, and Eve in the background of all the women. The Scriptures are a story of Eden lost, regained, and glorified into a heavenly city. All the themes of Genesis come to their climax in Jesus, the Last Adam who delivers His new Eve, the church, so that together they can transform the wild waste of the world into an image of the new Jerusalem. Theopolitan Reading doesn't lay out detailed rules for reading. Rules are of limited use. To be good readers, we need mentors who model good reading. Leithart serves as a mentor and invites readers to imitate him as he imitates Christ Jesus. The Theopolis Fundamentals Series introduces the Biblical Horizons / Theopolis outlook and agenda to a new generation. The early volumes of the series summarize our convictions about biblical interpretation, liturgical theology and practice, and the church's cultural and political mission. The Fundamentals will be followed by a collection of Theopolis Explorations volumes that will examine Scripture, liturgy, and culture in more depth and detail. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Peter J. Leithart is President of the Theopolis Institute (theopolisinstitute.com), a Christian study center and leadership training institute in Birmingham, Alabama.