In this authoritative book, renowned U. S. News & World Report religion writer Jeffery L. Sheler sifts through the claims and counterclaims of contemporary biblical studies. After carefully investigating the full spectrum of cutting-edge research and conflicting reports, he challenges the popular perception that the credibility of the Bible has been seriously undermined by critical scholarship. Rather, he concludes that the weight of the historical evidence upholds the essential truth of the Exodus, the Gospel accounts of Jesus, and other vital elements of the Bible. The author draws extensively from his own interviews with leading Bible experts and on-site reports from Israel and Egypt in his examination of scholarship's hot-button issues, including: Dramatic archaeological discoveries that both affirm and challenge the history in the Bible The controversial quest for the historical Jesus and its sometimes flawed arguments and skeptical assumptions regarding the reliability of the Gospels The amazing revelations of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient texts that profoundly influence our understanding of the Bible The mysterious phenomenon of The Bible Code and why there may be far less to its doomsday prophecies than meets the eye Sheler's considerable experience as a leading religion journalist enables him to get to the heart of the issues without the jargon. Written in clear, compelling prose, Is the Bible True? presents a sophisticated analysis--informed by important scholarly work--in lucid, accessible terms.