In a culture awash in information, genuine understanding is surprisingly rare. Many read much but comprehend little. Mortimer J. Adler, a philosopher and educator from the twentieth century, confronted this problem head-on in his now-classic work How to Read a Book. First published in 1940 and revised in 1972 with Charles Van Doren, the book remains as relevant as ever—especially for thoughtful Christians.
For studious Christians, careful reading isn’t merely a scholarly discipline—it is a spiritual imperative. We are people of the Book. Yet few Christians have been taught how to read well, let alone how to read the Bible and other books in a way that builds discernment, wisdom, and understanding. Adler’s book fills this gap. And while Adler was not a theologian, his commitment to objective truth, clarity of argument, and the careful pursuit of meaning offers a wealth of practical guidance for Christians who are serious about reading.
This review will walk you through Adler’s background, his reason for writing the book, and—most importantly—his practical principles for reading different types of books. Along the way, we’ll apply his approach to Scripture and to the kinds of books a confessional Protestant might typically read: biblical commentaries, doctrinal works, theological debates, biographies of the faithful, and even well-argued secular texts. We will also explore how studious Christian readers can benefit from Adler’s insights while remaining grounded in a biblical worldview.
As an aside, respected Reformed theologian RC Sproul mentioned this book as one of the influential books in his past. I admire Dr. Sproul so that is why I decided to investigate its content.
Additionally, I don’t want to discourage any Christian from their own approach to reading and studying the Bible and other Christian books without the Adler approach. His advice is just that…advice. The main thing is to enjoy and benefit from your biblical and devotional reading.
Mortimer J. Adler – The Man Behind the Method
Mortimer Jerome Adler (1902–2001) was a philosopher, educator, editor, and one of the most influential advocates of classical education in the 20th century. Born in New York City to Jewish immigrant parents, Adler was an intellectually precocious child who dropped out of high school and took a job as a copyboy at the New York Sun. Despite this unconventional beginning, he was accepted to Columbia University, where he later earned a PhD in philosophy.
Adler’s career was marked by a relentless pursuit of wisdom—not merely knowledge. He became a champion of the “Great Books” movement, which emphasized the importance of reading the foundational texts of Western civilization. With Robert Hutchins of the University of Chicago, he helped create the Great Books of the Western World series and was instrumental in developing the Syntopicon, an index of ideas found in those books.
Though he was raised in a nonreligious home and for much of his life remained a spiritual seeker, Adler eventually converted to Christianity—specifically, to Roman Catholicism—at the age of 82. This conversion was preceded by decades of spiritual searching and philosophical commitment to objective moral truth. While Adler’s theological views differ from those of a confessional Reformed Protestant, he had a profound respect for Scripture and moral order, and his writing reflects a deep concern for the good, the true, and the beautiful.
Why How to Read a Book Was Written
Adler believed that most people—even college graduates—do not know how to read well. The problem, as he saw it, wasn’t literacy in the basic sense, but the lack of what he called active reading. In his own words:
Reading a book is a kind of conversation. You ask questions of the book and the author; he responds with arguments, facts, or ideas. If you’re not engaging in this way, you’re not really reading—you’re merely flipping pages.
Adler observed that modern education tends to emphasize information-gathering and test-taking, rather than deep engagement with ideas. As a result, most readers approach books passively. They expect to be entertained or spoon-fed answers rather than challenged to think. Christians are not immune to this problem. Many read devotionals, blog posts, or even Scripture itself in a way that prioritizes emotional impact or inspirational takeaways over careful study, discernment, and application.
Adler’s book is a response to this intellectual and cultural drift. He aims to recover the discipline of active reading—especially of “difficult” books that stretch the mind and soul. In doing so, he seeks to equip readers to read for understanding, not merely for amusement or acquisition of trivia.
Adler’s Four Levels of Reading
At the heart of How to Read a Book is Adler’s framework of the “four levels of reading.” These are not simply categories, but stages of increasing intellectual effort and understanding:
- Elementary Reading – The basic ability to decode words and comprehend simple sentences.
- Inspectional Reading – A systematic skimming to grasp the book’s structure and main idea.
- Analytical Reading – A thorough, detailed, and critical engagement with the book.
- Syntopical Reading – Reading multiple books on the same topic and comparing them to gain a broader understanding.
Let’s explore each level in more detail, especially how they apply to the books that a studious layman might read—most notably, the Bible.
Elementary Reading: Laying the Foundation
Elementary reading is what most people learn in grade school—identifying letters, sounding out words, grasping sentence structure, and following a narrative. For the Christian, this is the bare minimum required to engage with Scripture or any other serious work.
Though Adler spends little time here, it’s a vital reminder: we must not assume that everyone—even in the church—has the same facility with reading. Part of discipleship involves helping fellow believers grow in basic literacy, so they can graduate to deeper understanding.
Inspectional Reading: Surveying the Landscape
Inspectional reading is where many Christians stop—but Adler sees it as a starting point for deeper understanding. This level includes two main types:
- Systematic Skimming: Browsing the table of contents, reading chapter headings, and glancing at key paragraphs to grasp the main ideas.
- Superficial Reading: Reading the entire book quickly, without pausing to look up unfamiliar terms or reflect deeply.
Why do this? Because before we can critique or deeply engage a book, we must first see what it says. Many theological misunderstandings arise from people misrepresenting or misquoting a book or author—either intentionally or out of laziness.
If you’re reading a doctrinal book like Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin, or The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink, a first sweep allows you to ask: “What is this book about?” “What is the author’s main argument?” “What tone does he use?” Even if you’re eventually going to dig deep, this first pass sets the stage.
Analytical Reading: Grasping with the Mind
This is the heart of Adler’s method. Analytical reading is not quick or easy. It involves:
- Identifying key terms and propositions.
- Understanding the author’s arguments.
- Determining whether the author has solved the problem he set out to address.
- Evaluating whether his reasoning is sound.
For studious Christians, this is especially relevant. When reading the Bible, a catechism, or a doctrinal text like the 1689 London Baptist Confession, you must read with both reverence and logic. Ask questions such as:
- “What is the author affirming?”
- “What evidence or Scripture is cited?”
- “Is the argument internally consistent?”
- “Are there unstated assumptions?”
Let’s apply this to the Bible. Suppose you’re studying the book of Romans. Analytical reading means observing the flow of Paul’s argument, tracing his “therefores,” and discerning how each chapter builds upon the last. You look up cross-references. You note how Paul defines key terms like justification, faith, law, and grace. You ask what problem Paul is addressing and how he answers it.
This correlates directly with sound hermeneutics:
- Grammatical-historical exegesis: What do the words mean in their context?
- Authorial intent: What was the writer aiming to communicate?
- Genre sensitivity: Is this law, poetry, narrative, prophecy, epistle?
- Biblical theology: How does this passage fit into the whole of redemptive history?
Adler isn’t writing as a theologian, but his approach affirms the necessity of reading Scripture with rigor and purpose—not just devotionally, but analytically.
Doctrinal and Theological Texts
Let’s apply Adler’s analytical approach to a few examples of Christian texts typically read by Reformed/Particular Baptists or conservative Presbyterians:
A. Catechisms and Confessions
Consider the Westminster Shorter Catechism or the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. These are not devotional in tone—they are didactic, propositional, and polemical. They present doctrines in systematic form, meant to be memorized, internalized, and applied.
Adler would urge the reader to ask:
- What are the key terms used, and how are they defined?
- What assumptions underlie each question and answer?
- How do the Scripture proofs relate to the doctrinal claims?
- What is the structure of the entire catechism or confession? (e.g., theology proper, anthropology, soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology)
A superficial reading might affirm the doctrines, but an analytical reading requires understanding why these doctrines are affirmed, and what biblical support exists for them.
B. Historical Theology
Suppose you are reading B.B. Warfield’s The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible or Charles Hodge’s Systematic Theology. These are weighty texts that require not only comprehension but engagement.
Adler would suggest:
- Grasp the whole before the parts. Read the table of contents carefully. What issues is the author addressing? Inspiration? Canonicity? Inerrancy?
- Break down arguments. What premises are used? What conclusions are drawn?
- Test coherence. Does the argument follow logically? Does the author anticipate objections?
In doing this, you are honoring the author’s effort to make an argument. You are not reading to agree or disagree prematurely, but to understand.
Syntopical Reading: Thinking Across Books
Syntopical reading is Adler’s most advanced level. It involves comparing multiple books on a single subject to gain a comprehensive understanding. This is the method of the mature student—or, in theological terms, the Berean.
To read syntopically:
- Define your subject clearly.
- Select a list of books (diverse in perspective).
- Inspect each book to locate relevant material.
- Bring authors into conversation with one another.
- Form your own analysis of the topic using insights from all.
Let’s say you’re exploring the doctrine of baptism. A Reformed Baptist might read:
- The Baptism of Disciples Alone by Fred Malone (Baptist view)
- Children of the Promise by Robert Booth (Presbyterian view)
- To a Thousand Generations by Douglas Wilson (Covenantal paedobaptist view)
- Relevant chapters from Calvin’s Institutes and the 1689 Confession
A syntopical approach doesn’t simply ask, “Which one do I agree with?” but rather: “What is each author trying to prove? What are their assumptions? What Scriptures do they cite? Where do they differ in reasoning?”
This method also works with biblical books. Studying the synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—syntopically allows the reader to observe patterns, emphases, and distinctions that enrich their understanding of Christ’s life and ministry.
Applying Adler to the Bible: Reading the Word with All Four Levels
Adler believed that even the Bible, as a book, could be read using these levels—though he rightly acknowledged that sacred Scripture is not just another text. Christians would add the necessity of spiritual illumination through the Holy Spirit, which no secular reading method can supply. Nevertheless, Adler’s method provides a helpful framework for deeper reading.
1. Elementary Reading: Learn the basics—grammar, vocabulary, biblical genres. This might involve using study aids or learning some biblical Greek or Hebrew.
2. Inspectional Reading: Survey the structure. For instance, when reading the Gospel of John, note the seven signs, the “I am” statements, and the prologue. Read it quickly first to grasp its overall flow.
3. Analytical Reading: Study a passage in-depth. Analyze Paul’s argument in Romans 5–8. Outline the logical steps. Cross-reference key terms. Ask questions. Consider the context—literary, historical, redemptive-historical.
4. Syntopical Reading: Compare Scripture with Scripture. Read Galatians alongside James. Study Isaiah’s servant songs with John’s passion narrative. Let Scripture interpret Scripture, which is a principle of the Reformation.
This aligns with traditional hermeneutics: grammatical-historical exegesis, the analogy of faith, and Christ-centered interpretation. Adler didn’t invent these methods, but his secular framework overlaps with them at multiple points.
Christian Discernment: Reading Books by Authors Outside Our Tradition
One of Adler’s most valuable lessons for Christian readers is how to engage with books written by authors who do not share your worldview.
Too often, Christians are tempted to dismiss or embrace books based on labels: “He’s a liberal, so I won’t listen.” Or: “This book is popular, so it must be fine.” Adler rebukes both tendencies. Instead, he insists:
Do not begin by criticizing. Understand first. Judge later. If you can’t state the author’s argument in your own words, you haven’t understood him.
This is especially important in our time, when the Christian landscape includes everything from biblically faithful pastors to progressive revisionists. The difference between a John MacArthur and an R.C. Sproul is intra-mural. But the difference between R.C. Sproul and “Progressive” Richard Rohr is fundamental. The former differs in interpretation; the latter in allegiance to Scripture itself.
Adler teaches us how to read all authors charitably but critically. Even if a book is flawed—or outright dangerous—understanding its argument is the first step to refuting it. And sometimes, even a mistaken author makes a true point.
Final Thoughts: Why This Book Matters for Christians
Reading is a spiritual discipline.
For believers, How to Read a Book is not just a secular tool—it’s a reminder that loving the Lord with our minds (Mark 12:30) means cultivating intellectual virtues: clarity, honesty, humility, diligence, and discernment.
Here’s how Christian readers can benefit:
- Clarity: Learn to read carefully so you don’t misrepresent what authors—or Scripture—say.
- Discernment: Evaluate arguments, not just emotions or style.
- Growth: Read across a range of genres—history, theology, biography, even classics.
- Community: Read in groups. Discuss. Debate. As iron sharpens iron (Prov. 27:17), so good reading sharpens minds and souls.
- Spiritual Wisdom: Reading the Bible with both heart and head deepens faith, shapes worship, and grounds doctrine.
For conscientious Christians, Adler offers a method that complements our commitments: we take truth seriously. We read deeply. We love God’s Word and seek to test everything (1 Thess. 5:21). Adler gives us tools to do that better.
Even though he came from outside our theological circles, Adler reminds us that God’s common grace has equipped many to teach wisdom about the world—and how we engage it. As long as we test all things by Scripture, we can receive such instruction with gratitude and care.
Conclusion
How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler is more than a how-to manual. It is a call to serious reading—a summons to approach books, especially great and difficult ones, with respect, diligence, and clarity.
For Christians who are people of the Book, Adler’s method is not optional. It is deeply relevant. Whether reading a commentary by John Owen, a biography of Spurgeon, or the Psalms themselves, Adler’s approach helps us understand better—not just the words on the page, but the truth they point to.
We live in an age of spiritual fog and intellectual apathy. Reading well is one way we can stand against the tide.
So read actively. Read analytically. Read syntopically. And above all, read the Bible—Adler’s way, yes, but more importantly, God’s way: prayerfully, faithfully, humbly, and joyfully.
S.D.G.,
Robert Sparkman
MMXXV
christiannewsjunkie@gmail.com
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