RaveyDavey

Hello,

Can anyone recommend a good, definitive summary of the Bible as a historical document that highlights the sources of the various books, authors, dates of inclusion or ommission etc.

I have read of some examples somewhere else but can't find the thread... I think one of the guys who posts in Positive Atheism had a good one he gave to his wife...

Thanks for your help!
RD

PS Got given a lovely leather-bound illustrated bible last month, belonged to my great-uncle so must be around 100 years old. My dad said it was right that I should get it as my great-uncle was an athiest too! Now I have a better source for biblical quotes than the sceptics' bible webpage... although the search function is somewhat lacking!

James Brown

I enjoy Asimov's Guide to the Bible.

Equinox

I asked around for such a book years ago, only to be met by blank stares. However, since then, I've found some books that help.

First is "who wrote the Bible? (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by Friedman

which is a pretty good coverage of the old testament.

For the new testament, I'd recommend this Audioclass by Dr. Ehrman - it's very good, but is only a brief introduction.

http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursede....aspx?cid=6299

you may wait for it to go on sale - it'll be at least half off, and sales happen often at this company.

For a more in-depth approach to the NT, here is a great book that is used as a textbook in many NT classes:

The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings (or via: amazon.co.uk), by Dr. Ehrman

Some ideas, at least-

Equinox

gupwalla

I second Friedman for a good beginner's guide to the documentary hypothesis.

It isn't "definative" (but then, what is or can really be?) but it is highly accessible -- very good for the lay student and a good foundation if you want to follow up with more scholarly inquiry.

Toto

Check the sticky at the top of the page on recommended reading and references

Dominus Paradoxum

I think you should definitely check out James Kugel's How to read the Bible (or via: amazon.co.uk) It's easy to read and extremely comprehensive. Because of that, it is a bit long though.

RaveyDavey

That's really great, thanks!

rob117

From the standpoint of archaeology, I'd recommend "The Bible Unearthed (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by Finkelstein and "What did the Biblical Writers Know and When did they Know It? (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by Dever. These two books have contradictory chronologies (most scholars still follow Dever's traditional chronology), but they both agree (based on geopolitical and cultural anachronisms in the texts) that most of the substantial biblical texts date to the Late Iron Age-- c.750-550 BC.

I would also recommend "David's Secret Demons (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by Baruch Halpern. Halpern is trained as a biblical historian but has been heavily involved in archaeology (he co-directed the Megiddo expedition with Finkelstein). He argues based on several different lines of evidence that most of the David material in Samuel is actually very early-- 10th-9th centuries BC. I can't evaluate his linguistic arguments, but archaeologically his arguments do seem to hold up.

lintrap

I'd reccomend anything by Bart Erharm ( may not be spellint that right ), although he more has released a cirriculum anthology than any specific piece.

wavy_wonder1

You just need a good introduction to the old and new testaments.

I have a bibliography of hundreds of items, so I'll just post a few, mainstream and conservative in no particular order:


Old Testament

The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures - Michael D. Coogan

The Old Testament: An Introduction - Eissfeldt, Otto

People of the Covenant: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible - Henry Jackson Flanders Jr

The Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible - Stephen Harris

Introduction to the Old Testament - J. Alberto Soggin

Introducing the Old Testament, New York: Oxford University - Coggins, Richard

Introduction to the Hebrew Bible - John J. Collins

The People of Ancient Israel: An Introduction to Old Testament Literature, History, and Thought - J. Kenneth Kuntz

Old Testament Introduction - Werner H. Schmidt, et al

The Hebrew Scriptures: An Introduction to Their Literature and Religious Ideas - Samuel Sandmel

Introduction to the Old Testament - Georg Fohrer; D. Green (trans.)

The Old Testament: Text And Context - Victor H. Matthews, James C. Moyer

The Old Testament: An Introduction - Rolf Rendtorff; John Bowden (trans.)

Understanding the Old Testament, 5th Edition - Anderson, Bernard. W.

Faith, Tradition, and History: Old Testament Historiography in Its Near Eastern Context - A. R. Millard, James K. Hoffmeier, and David W. Baker (Conservative)

Old Testament Survey: The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament - William Sanford La Sor, et al (Conservative)

An Introduction to the Old Testament, 2nd Edition - Tremper Longman III, Raymond B. Dillard (Conservative)

Giving the Sense: Understanding and Using Old Testament Historical Texts - David M. Howard, Michael A. Grisanti (eds.) (Conservative)



New Testament

An Introduction to the New Testament (Anchor Bible Reference Library) New York: Doubleday - Brown, Raymond E.

The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings - Bart D. Ehrman

New Testament Introduction - Donald Guthrie (Conservative)

An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation - David A. deSilva (Conservative)

New Testament: Its Background, Growth and Content - Bruce M. Metzger

Introduction to the New Testament, Vol. 1: History, Culture, and Religion of the Hellenistic Age, 2nd edition - Helmut Koester

Introduction to the New Testament, Vol. 2: History and Literature of Early Christianity - Helmut Koester

The New Testament: A Student's Introduction - Stephen Harris

The New Testament in Antiquity: A Survey of the New Testament within Its Cultural Context - Gary M. Burge

The New Testament and the People of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God) - N. T. Wright



Finis,
ELB