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.

"The Story Bible" reveals the unfolding, grand narrative of the Scriptures. Using the clear, accessible text of the NIV, this rendering of the Bible allows its stories, poems, and teachings to come together in a single, compelling read.

The stories in this booklet are but a cross section of the more than 400 stories that comprise the 10 volumes of: The Bible story.

Experience the Bible as a singular, powerful story and prepare to be swept away by Scripture as never before! Wangerin's "Bible storybook for adults" features brilliant settings, dramatized scenes, and added dialogue—all gleaned from extensive research. The Book of God reads like a novel, dramatizing the sweep of biblical events, bringing to life the men and women of this ancient book in vivid detail and dialogue. From Abraham wandering in the desert to Jesus teaching the multitudes on a Judean hillside, this award-winning bestseller follows the biblical story from start to finish. Priests and kings, apostles and prophets, common folk and charismatic leaders—individual stories offer glimpses into an unfolding revelation that reaches across the centuries to touch us today. The Book of God: Follows the biblical story in chronological order Filled with carefully researched cultural and historical background Includes biblical events viewed through the eyes of minor characters Master storyteller Walter Wangerin Jr. shares the story of the Bible from beginning to end as you've never read it before, retold with exciting detail and passionate energy. Experience the Bible in a beautiful new way!

This treasure will be a great help to pastors, teachers, parents and grandparents as they, like the faithful mother and grandmother of St. Timothy, lead the little ones to understand the Sacred Scriptures. Throughout this Bible, high quality realistic art is used to fully engage the reader, rather than using cartoonish artwork that might suggest to children that the Bible stories are pretend rather than real. Instead of paraphrasing each story, they were drawn directly from the Bible while adjusting them for student readability. Other unique features included in this Bible are discussion questions, learning activities, prayers, and also a user's guide to explain how to use this Bible with children at different stages of development and reading levels. Whether for at-home use, in preschools, or as part of a congregation-wide children's ministry, this Bible will bring each story to life, leaving a meaningful and lasting impression on children from ages 3 to 8. Features: • 130 Bible stories drawn directly from the Bible • Focus on Christ with Old Testament prophecies included • Highlights challenging words • Beautiful life-like illustrations • Discussion questions • Learning activities • Prayers • Presentation page • Large readable text (14 point type) • Large 9 x 10 format, lies flat • Glossary • User's guide for different age levels

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.