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.

In this much-anticipated textbook, three respected biblical scholars have written a history of ancient Israel that takes the biblical text seriously as an historical document. While also considering nonbiblical sources and being attentive to what disciplines like archaeology, anthropology, and sociology suggest about the past, the authors do so within the context and paradigm of the Old Testament canon, which is held as the primary document for reconstructing Israel's history. In Part One, the authors set the volume in context and review past and current scholarly debate about learning Israel's history, negating arguments against using the Bible as the central source. In Part Two, they seek to retell the history itself with an eye to all the factors explored in Part One.

Take in the full history of the Bible with a detailed account that focuses on its major empires, events and personalities. Written by a religious scholar who has taught at high school, college and adult levels, this historical exploration is organized around the major civilizations and epochs of the ancient world, beginning with Sumer and ending with Rome. Author Bruce W. Gore provides a thorough overview of major empires, such as the Assyrians or Babylonians, as well as more modest civilizations, such as the Phoenicians or Hittites. Learn how Cyrus the Persian, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and others changed the course of Christianity. In the course of historical exploration, this account also examines questions that may have puzzled readers of the Bible in the past: * Who was Sennacherib? * To which Assyrian king did Jonah preach, and did this make any difference in history? * What did the eight night visions of Zechariah mean in light of the rule of Darius the Persian? Study the Bible with an eye on its ancient setting and develop an understanding of its key people, places and civilizations with Historical and Chronological Context of the Bible.

A history of the Jewish people throughout the world, with an emphasis on the Divine Providence that has guided their destiny through the centuries.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

Photographs, maps, timelines, and text all work together to help students of the Bible come to a new level of historical and spiritual understanding in their faith. Hardcover, 320 pages.

The authoritative new account of the BibleÕs origins, illuminating the 1,600-year tradition that shaped the Christian and Jewish holy books as millions know them today. The Bible as we know it today is best understood as a process, one that begins in the tenth century BCE. In this revelatory account, a world-renowned scholar of Hebrew scripture joins a foremost authority on the New Testament to write a new biography of the Book of Books, reconstructing Jewish and Christian scriptural histories, as well as the underappreciated contest between them, from which the Bible arose. Recent scholarship has overturned popular assumptions about IsraelÕs past, suggesting, for instance, that the five books of the Torah were written not by Moses but during the reign of Josiah centuries later. The sources of the Gospels are also under scrutiny. Konrad Schmid and Jens Schršter reveal the long, transformative journeys of these and other texts en route to inclusion in the holy books. The New Testament, the authors show, did not develop in the wake of an Old Testament set in stone. Rather the two evolved in parallel, in conversation with each other, ensuring a continuing mutual influence of Jewish and Christian traditions. Indeed, Schmid and Schršter argue that Judaism may not have survived had it not been reshaped in competition with early Christianity. A remarkable synthesis of the latest Old and New Testament scholarship, The Making of the Bible is the most comprehensive history yet told of the worldÕs best-known literature, revealing its buried lessons and secrets.

Old Testament texts frequently offer a theological view of history. This is very evident in the Books of Chronicles and in the final section of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus). Today there is renewed interest in both these works as significant theological and cultural Jewish documents from the centuries before Jesus. Both Chronicles and Ben Sira aim to recreate a national identity centered on temple piety. Some chapters in this volume consider the portrayal of Israelite kings like David, Hezekiah, and Josiah, while others deal with prophets like Samuel and Elijah.

We know the stories -- Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, Jesus feeding the five thousand. We know the verses -- John 3:16, Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 13. But how many of us can take the separate pieces and fit them into the Bible as a whole? With the common practice of taking passages out of context, even active Bible readers tackling a chapter or more every day can easily lose sight of the whole biblical story.James Chatham, a beloved minister and Bible teacher, has spent decades offering the panorama of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation to those who want to understand God's Word more fully. He now spreads the wealth in this practical volume. In twenty-six short segments designed to facilitate Bible study, Creation to Revelation weaves the disparate stories and familiar verses into a complete narrative and thematic framework, taking "the whole counsel of God" into account. Pertinent sidebars, carefully designed discussion questions, and two helpful appendixes -- a chronology of the Bible's story and select daily Bible readings -- enhance Chatham's overview.Extremely accessible to a wide audience, this pithy book is meant not to replace the Bible but rather to lure us into reading it -- and to help us better understand its message.