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.

With colour illustrations, pictures, and pull-out timelines, this history book brings the whole Bible to life! From Genesis to Revelation, from the beginning of time to the early church, from the first promise of a Saviour to the promise that one day that Saviour will return - this book spans all of time. Find out about how the God of all time spoke to his people and still speaks today through his Word.

It is becoming increasingly popular among the intelligentsia to claim that treasured Bible history is nothing more than a myth. Proponents conclude that since the church is unsure of when these events transpired, perhaps they never happened in the first place. Unfortunately, this alarming trend appears to be gaining more acceptance in our seminaries and churches. The True Bible Timeline seeks to dispel such notions by providing an accurate resource to properly date the Old Testament. The result of a five-year long project, it accurately establishes and painstakingly documents the dates of key Bible figures and events, starting with the Creation of Adam and ending at the Cross of Christ. The complete chronology for 200 Bible events is included in the appendix. Guided by His Wisdom, author R. Craig Bridgforth built this timeline through a meticulous process that allowed him to produce a trustworthy and accurate resource that will enrich studies of the Old Testament with new understanding and insight. Developed almost entirely from Scripture, this reference guide provides a reliable chronology of events and figures from the Old Testament.

Hailed as "the most radical repackaging of the Bible since Gutenberg", these Pocket Canons give an up-close look at each book of the Bible.