New Bible Is a Matter of Time

Take, for example, the Book of Jeremiah, which was written by an undetermined number of authors over an unknown period. Some narratives are repeated, and any semblance of chronology devolves into a jumble of dates and places.

The Bible's order is significant for other reasons. Some scholars worry that changing the order would affect its meaning and diminish the value of non-narrative elements, such as the Book of Psalms.

"Part of the problem, and to me one of the flaws, is the assumption that this Bible is working with -- that [narrative] is the primary genre of literature in the Bible. That just isn't true," said the Rev. Bruce Birch, who teaches at Wesley Theological Seminary in the District.

Graham, who called the idea of a chronological Bible "radical," offered a helpful suggestion for potential buyers.

"It's like you would attach a pack of cigarettes with a warning label from the surgeon general," Graham said.

"Well, this Bible should have a warning from the theologian general or something: 'This Bible may be harmful to your spiritual health.' "

All is not lost for the book's publishers, however. While the Ivory Tower cries heresy, the book's target demographic seems more receptive to the idea. The Rev. Brad Riley, a pastor at Wichita First Church of the Nazarene in Kansas, said a chronological Bible would probably be most useful for newcomers to the faith.

"The Bible can be intimidating for people . . . and the chronology can help people put the timeline together in their minds," Riley said.

The Rev. Tommy Bratton Jr., who leads group Bible study at First Baptist Church in Asheville, N.C., agreed.

"We try to put our Bible studies now in context of when things occur," Bratton said. "It would give people, I think, a greater sense of how things were laid out in that way."