A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths

Bring together a group of people who want to study the Bible, and you might find unified interests, but highly diverse ways of reading what’s there.

From a Jewish perspective, for instance, the Bible reveals providential guidance while instructing God’s people on how to live a life of faith. 

From a Christian perspective, the Bible shows the ongoing relationship between deity and humankind. Again and again, we mess up, and each time, God redeems.

How the old and new come together (or not!) takes a whole book to discuss, which is what former Oxford professor and Anglican priest John Barton does in A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths.

Published as part of the Allen Lane Imprint by Penguin Books, who kindly sent me a copy to review, the “Notes,” “Further Readings,” “Bibliography,”  “Bible References,” and “Index” in the back matter confirm the extensive research involved, but then, that’s not surprising as Rev. Barton  previously co-edited The Oxford Bible Commentary, edited The Cambidge Companion to Biblical Interpretation , and wrote scholarly works on various aspects of the Bible. 

Reviewing such a comprehensive history can be daunting and, at times, disconcerting as I’m a believer in the Bible as Holy Spirit inspired and not just inspirational. Nevertheless, I hope to encourage you to discover the diverse conditions and religious mindsets surrounding the Bible before you come  to your own well-informed conclusions.

After leafing through a “List of Illustrations,” “Maps,” “Acknowledgements,” and “Introduction: The Bible Today,” you’ll find the book has been divided into four parts. In addition to the back matter previously mentioned, the “Content” page shows the topics addressed:

Part One

The Old Testament

1. Ancient Israel: History and Language

2. Hebrew Narrative

3. Law and Wisdom

4. Prophecy

5. Poems and Psalms

Part Two

The New Testament

6. Christian Beginnings

7. Letters

8. Gospels

Part Three

The Bible and Its Texts

9.  From Books to Scripture

10. Christians and Their Books

11. Official and Unofficial Texts

12. Biblical Manuscripts

Part Four

The Meanings of the Bible

13. The Theme of the Bible

14. Rabbis and Church Fathers

15. The Middle Ages

16. The Reformation and Its Readings

17. Since the Enlightenment

18. Translating the Bible

Conclusion: The Bible and Faith

Rev. Barton’s conclusions may or may not coincide with mine, but this comprehensive history can certainly expand understanding of the biblical text and the way we perceive what’s there.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, reviewer and lifelong student of God’s Word

A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths, quality hardback

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