The Bible - A Global History - Print

The Bible: A Global History

By Bruce Gordon

A sweeping global history of the Bible, exploring how this sacred text has shaped—and been shaped by—diverse cultures across two millennia.

Benefits

This book:

• Provides a deep, global perspective on the Bible’s history and cultural influence.
• Explores how the Bible has been both a tool for oppression and liberation.
• Presents a dynamic view of the Bible, emphasising its ongoing influence in the world.
• Traces the Bible’s journey across continents and historical periods.
• Offers insights into how different communities have encountered and interpreted scripture.
• Includes perspectives on the Bible’s role in colonialism, revolution, and faith movements.
• Is written by renowned scholar Bruce Gordon, combining accessibility with academic rigour.

Features

• Engages with over 2,000 years of Bible history across global contexts.
• Examines how the Bible has been translated, interpreted, and transformed over time.
• Features expert commentary from Bruce Gordon, a leading scholar in biblical history.

Hard cover 528pp
4.6cm H x 23.6cm L x 15.5cm W (0.79 kgs)
ISBN 9781541619739
Basic Books (2024)

[Allow 4 weeks]

Description

In The Bible: A Global History, Bruce Gordon presents an extraordinary journey through the life of the Bible, tracing its movement across time and space.

For Christians, the Bible is more than a book – it is the inspired word of God. But its transmission across the globe has been deeply influenced by the hands, hearts, and cultures of the diverse communities it encountered.

From its earliest translations in monasteries to its role in house churches in China, from its use in colonial conquests to its place in liberation movements, the Bible has been a living force in human history.

Gordon’s narrative highlights the Bible’s paradoxical nature – it has been wielded as a tool of violence and control, yet also as a source of hope, revolution, and liberation. This sweeping history crosses eras and continents, revealing the Bible’s profound and ongoing influence. 

The Bible offers readers a rare and breathtakingly global view of this sacred text, showing how it continues to shape and be shaped by the world.

Endorsed by notable historians Philip Jenkins and Joan E. Taylor, this masterfully written book is essential for anyone interested in the cultural and spiritual legacy of the Bible.