Reprint of the original, first published in 1871. The publishing house Anatiposi publishes historical books as reprints. Due to their age, these books may have missing pages or inferior quality. Our aim is to preserve these books and make them available to the public so that they do not get lost.

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.

Dave Brunn has been an international Bible translator for many years. Here he divulges the inner workings of translation practice to help us sort out the many competing claims for superiority among English Bible translations. His professional assessments and conclusions will be a great help to all seeking truth in translation.

The English Bible Translations and History, Millennium Edition, is a study of the translations of the Bible from the time of Jerome (404 A.D.) to the publication of the Authorized Version in 1611. This book covers the Reformation in England, the reigns of King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth, and legislation during this time (1534-1662) frame. It is also a study (604-1750) of the historical, political, and the theological problems relating to Rome, the popes, councils, changes in England and Europe, and the rise of the Protestants and Non-Conformists (1382-1517). Many problems relating to the translations of the Bible into English, and Doctrines of the Roman Church, are also discussed in this book. This study covers (1382-1750) the development of the Vulgate, the translations of John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, the Coverdale Bible, the Great Bible, the Bishops' Bible, the Geneva Bible, the Matthew's Bible, the Rheims-Douay Bible, and the Authorized Version. Related Bible translations, problems, and history are also discussed in this work. This study also explains the Inquisition (1184), the Great Schism of the Catholic Church (1309-1417), the Index (1557), the rise (1382-1689) of the Reformers, St. Bartholomew Day's Massacre (1572), the printing of various Bibles (1526-1750) in English for Catholics and Protestants and movements in education and reform in England. the Reformers (1382-1611) faced many theological and political problems in trying to bring vernacular translations of the Scriptures to church members; this study explains many of these theological and historical issues. a bibliography is listed for further study on the subject. Cover photo by Author.