If you are talking about how we interpret the Bible now, then you would use present. You would say, the Bible "is interpreted" today both factually and metaphorically.
If you are talking about when the Bible was written or things that have taken place before the present time, you would use the past tense. You would say, the various books "were written" to provide both an historical context and lessons on acceptible religious practices.
When writing a literature essay about the bible, do you write in past or present tense?
2 answers
Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. If you look at some typical essays you will find a lot use the "historical present" so it would depend upon your thesis.