Customer Reviews

The Indestructible Book

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This series, hosted by Ken Connolly, pastor, professor, author, is simply superb. Presented in four parts beginning with the accuracy of the texts and the accuracy and formation of the canon, Connolly then takes us on a tour of the many places where the translation and transcribing of the Bible occurred. Along the way he relates many historical milestones. From the initial blessing of Jerome's Latin Vulgate, to the church's later misplaced veneration of it as grounds to forbid the translation of Scripture into other languages, to the work of Wycliffe, Hus, Luther, Tyndale and others, this is a powerful retelling of the history of the Bible. Some may find the first part a wee bit dry, but stick with it. You will be shocked and inspired at the accounts of those who gave their all to place the Bible into the hands and language of the common people.

This video is excellent for personal use, small group study, or home schooling (high school and up). I am grateful to have found it and the companion book (same title) and I encourage anyone who is a Christian to see it.

I purchased this after reading a previous video version's recommendation on Amazon. It did start a little slow as the previous reviewer mentions. But then it I found myself watching many sections repeatedly because so much information was coming that I hadn't heard before. One of the best things about this dvd set is that the author is speaking on location of the historical topics that he covers. He jumps from country in the middle east to Europe and back again. Each new section starts in a new place.

I actually ended up using the video series when I was homeschooling my near-teenager one year for the purpose of notetaking (and learning about the history of the Bible). Also, a women's Bible study group that I am a part of is now going to start using these series for a study. I am not sure that it will be "easy" as a Bible study as the book version doesn't have questions. However, I am hopeful that the subjects themselves will lead to great discussion.

I feel that the videos are very well done. I highly recommend the series mostly because the authors voice and mannerisms make it easy to watch and learn. On a downside, my son described him as "an old guy talking". That is however the perspective of an 11 year old so you may want to consider the age of the audience. Ken Connolly certainly does all of the narration on this video, but the video is not just of him. The visuals are quite varied showing many locations, artwork, and artifacts. This video series is meant for people who really are looking for knowledge and understanding. If you are the kind of person that likes a good documentary as well as an interest in Biblical history then this is the kind of video that you will certainly enjoy.

The indestructible book had a lot of very good information. I was riveted through each segment and even took notes the second time through so I could recall the information later. And the segments where each an hour which was a perfect amount of time for this deep of material.

My only complaint is that I was expecting atleast American PBS quality and didn't see it. It looked to be made for British tv and the sound quality of the DVDs and the microphone quality of the presenter left a little to be desired. But like I said before it was all great information and I feel much more informed about the origins and content of the Bible.

I am especially delighted to have found a new copy of this now out of print companion book to the video series. It is a nice hardback book with multiple color plates and running commentary on how we got our English (and other modern world language translations as well)Bibles ... and what it cost the dear saints who have preceded us so long ago to get it to the "common man".

I highly recommend running down a copy of the book to go with the video series of the same name, especially if you have children.

After reading this book a second time, 20 plus years after the first time, I was struck by the inaccuracies and contradictions I see now that I did not see the first time. Mr. Connolly insists that Latin was a dead language during the middle ages and that monks and priests "stood between the peasant and his God", page 51. The truth is Latin was the universal language and all understood it. That is why Jerome translated the Bible into Latin, the Latin Vulgate, so the common folk could hear and understand it and readers could read it.
Because in those days most people could not read, the Catholic church reached the people through missionaries, and preaching of the gospel (as Connolly states on page 52). Also, because of the illiteracy problem, the church filled their churches with vivid paintings and statuary, so the illiterate could see the Bible without having to read it! And for those who could read, the Church translated the Bible in the vernacular hundreds of times over before Wycliff and the rest ever came along.
In regards to another missionary in Connolly's book, he states that Columba "when he received his priest's orders" preached to the Picts on the small island of Derry. But, Connolly adds, he did it "without any help from the church at Rome." So if no help was gotten from Rome, from whence did Columba "receive his priest's orders" I ask?
According to Connolly the church in Rome had no part in evangelizing the world but only shackling it in darkness, so when you read all the accounts Mr. Connolly lists of Rome's priest and missionaries evangelizing the world and whole regions becoming Christian, I guess you will have to ask yourself which way it really happened. My suggestion is to read this book knowing it is written by someone who appears to be anti-Catholic and therefore writes accordingly.
Read this book using some critical thinking along the way, and read the other side too before feeling "informed". I suggest "Where We Got the Bible: Our Dept to the Catholic Church". It is a good read and as the title suggests as pro-Catholic as "Indestructible" is anti.