Written by the great medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides,
The Guide of the Perplexed
attempts to explain the perplexities of biblical language—and apparent inconsistencies in the text—in the light of philosophy and scientific reason.
Composed as a letter to a student,
The Guide
aims to harmonize Aristotelian principles with the Hebrew Bible and argues that God must be understood as both unified and incorporeal. Engaging both contemporary and ancient scholars, Maimonides fluidly moves from cosmology to the problem of evil to the end goal of human happiness. His intellectual breadth and openness makes
a lasting model of creative synthesis in biblical studies and philosophical theology.