The Cambridge History Of The Bible

Volume 3 covers the effects of the Bible on the history of the West between the Reformation and the publication of the New English Bible.

Volume 3 covers the effects of the Bible on the history of the West between the Reformation and the publication of the New English Bible.

Covers the effects of the Bible on the West from the Reformation to the publication of the New English Bible.

A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.

Volume 3 covers the effects of the Bible on the history of the West between the Reformation and the publication of the New English Bible.

Interpretations of the Bible abound . . . so what should you believe? What’s the real story behind the book that’s sold more copies than any other publication in history? Is the Bible a reliable historical document . . . or just the greatest story ever told? Written by acclaimed Bible historian Jeffery Donley, The Everything History of the Bible Book answers these questions and more. A one-stop resource for everything you need to know about the truth behind the Bible, this fascinating book addresses the following issues: The reliability of divine inspiration The forgotten gospels and their omission from the Bible Existence of documented historical support for Biblical events Accepted, disputed, and completely rejected Testaments De-coding Da Vinci The Shroud of Turin And much, much more! With The Everything History of the Bible Book as your guide, you’ll learn all about the legends, myths, and historical events that inspired the Bible. You’ll come to understand its amazing impact on the past, the present, and the future of mankind. Most important, you’ll find out what it can mean to you - and your world.

The Cambridge Companion to the Bible, Second Edition focuses on the ever-changing social and cultural contexts in which the biblical authors and their original readers lived. The authors of the first edition were chosen for their internationally recognized expertise in their respective fields: the history and literature of Israel; postbiblical Judaism; biblical archaeology; and the origins and early literature of Christianity. In this second edition, all of their chapters have been updated and thoroughly revised, with a view towards better investigating the social histories embedded in the biblical texts and incorporating the most recent archaeological discoveries from the Ancient Near East and Hellenistic worlds.