A unique visual history of the bestselling book of all time, Bibles: An Illustrated History from Papyrus to Print provides a snapshot of the biblical tradition through over fifty rare and important Bibles.Following a general introduction, the Bibles are presented in chronological chapters giving a short introduction for each period. Every example, from the oldest biblical fragments dating from c. 200 AD to the lavishly decorated gospels of the fine press tradition in the twentieth-century, is illustrated and accompanied by a caption which explains its particular significance.Drawing exclusively on Oxford’s collection, one of the finest in the world, this book tells the remarkable story of the development of the Bible across media, language, and provenance. Containing many unusual examples, some of which have never been illustrated in print before, it includes many of the great biblical texts of the Eastern and Western tradition, including the Magdalen Papyrus, the Laudian Acts, the Anglo-Saxon Exodus, St Margaret’s Gospel-book, the Douce Apocalypse, the Bible Moralisee (MS. Bodley 270b), the Kennicot Bible, the Guttenberg Bible, and the King James Bible.Published in the year of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, Bibles: An Illustrated History from Papyrus to Print brings together an extraordinary range of biblical texts and marks a milestone in the history of one of the most influential and enduring books in the world.

A distinguished team of scholars assesses the importance of the Bible and retraces its history in words and images across two thousand years.

An illustrated history of the Bible provides detailed coverage of the Old and New Testaments, from the patriarchs to the epistles of Paul, and includes timelines and informational sidebars.

Presents the history of the translation of the Bible into English, from the fourteenth century to the twentieth century.

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.

Sixth through eighth grades. Paperbound edition of a famous Bible History used in Catholic schools for years. Covers the most famous events narrated in the Bible. 80 beautiful drawings of biblical events.