The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198601182 ISBN 13: 9780198601180

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2001

Synopsis

Here is the story of a book--the Bible--a book like no other, which has been in continuous use for nearly 2000 years. In this new Oxford history, a distinguished team of scholars presents an authoritative account of that story, richly illustrated, and based on the latest research.
Readers will learn how a collection of writings in Semitic languages and in Greek--writings that we now call the Books of the Bible--developed over a period of about 800 years and how, even before the Bible existed as one volume, its constituent parts were interpreted and subjected to a scrutiny that no other writing has had to endure. The contributors trace the routes by which the canon of Scripture was determined, shedding light on the many controversies over which writings should be regarded as authoritative and which should be considered Apocrypha and hidden from public use. They describe how over centuries the writings were copied, translated, and printed, and how they were interpreted in Judaism and in the churches in the East and West. It concludes with surveys of how the Bible is used today in feminist criticism, and in the movements for theological liberation in Latin America, Africa, and Europe. The volume also features an index and a guide to further reading.
Written by an international team of 17 renowned biblical scholars, and handsomely illustrated with over 150 black-and-white illustrations and 24 pages of color plates, The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible is an essential resource for everyone interested in the origin and interpretation of the Word of God.

About this title

About the Author:

John Rogerson is Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield, where he was Head of Department for 15 years. He is author of An Introduction to the Bible, Atlas of the Bible, The Old Testament World (with Philip Davies), and Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings.

From Booklist:

This hugely ambitious book is intended to introduce every conceivable aspect of the history of the Bible, from its writing, preservation, and canonization to the historical interpretations and contemporary theology concerned with it, all in relatively short articles--a daunting task. Although plenty of gaps could be noted, the results overall are admirable. The two sections on the historical background and the creation of the Bible suffer from the typical flaws of generalized studies; there are plenty of tantalizing hypotheses, but no new information and little scholarly agreement are presented. The other two sections, however, concerned with the Bible's significance throughout history and contemporarily in feminism and liberation theology, provide rare detailed analysis of that historic significance and the many cultural revolutions it has inspired, including the invention of the printing press and Latin American social reform. Although new historical observations are not to be found in it, having so much information so copiously illustrated, albeit mostly in black-and-white, in one volume is gratifying. John Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0198601182
• ISBN 13: 9780198601180
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416
• Editor: Rogerson John