The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible (Oxford Illustrated Histories) [Hardcover]

John Rogerson (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198601182 | ISBN-13: 978-0198601180 | Publication Date: July 19, 2001

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Many people are familiar with the concept of "biblical history," but they are less acquainted with the notion that the Bible itself has a history. In The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible, readers will not discover maps of biblical times or charts of the first kings of Israel. They will instead find a detailed series of essays about the canonization process (how these particular books, letters and histories found their way into the Good Book), articles on the study of the Bible through the ages, information about various translations and sections on contemporary approaches to the Bible, including feminist and liberation theologies. Oxford reference books are nothing if not thorough, and this is no exception.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Attempting to cover in one modest volume the same ground and then some that the Cambridge History of the Bible (1976) covers in three is a daunting task. But what this volume offers is a single-source overview of the origins of the Bible we know (consisting of the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha), the transmission and translation of the texts, and the historical and contemporary interpretation and influence of the Bible. Enhancing this overview are numerous color and black-and-white illustrations. One volume obviously cannot treat all details and viewpoints, and this one does a relatively good job of surveying the middle ground. However, readers coming to it first or exclusively will not learn of the more conservative approaches, particularly regarding inspiration, preservation, and canonization. Also, the discussions of such things as Hebrew accents and vocalization and the proto-Masoretic text may be more than some lay readers are able to digest. Thus, though this is a worthy addition to academic and public libraries, it should be supplemented by other references and texts. Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198601182
• ISBN-13: 978-0198601180
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #760,170 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A mixed kettle of fish..., July 8, 2001

By 

Thomas J. Brucia "Tom B" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible (Oxford Illustrated Histories) (Hardcover)

Like The Bible itself, this volume is a library of `books'. It includes works of varying styles and topics, written by various authors, and collected under a single cover. This collection of 16 essays, by an assortment of writers, (in my opinion) makes for a patchwork approach. The articles vary wildly in quality and approach.

The photographs, color plates, woodcuts, and engravings are absolutely spectacular, and complement the adjacent text. It's a pity they are not numbered, but they ARE indexed (by page number and T,B,L,C,R locations) in an addendum curiously titled `Acknowledgement of Sources'.

The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible is divided into four sections: (1) The Historical Background of the Making of the Bible; (2) Text and Translation of the Making of the Bible; (3) The Study and Use of the Bible; and (4) Contemporary Interpretation. My ratings of each subsection are: 5-star, 5-star, 4-star, and 1-star.

Starting with the first two sections dealing with the Making of the Bible, don't miss the contributions of Philip Davies, `The Apocrypha,' David Parker's `The New Testament'; and Stanley E. Porter's `Modern Translations'. Be aware however that Porter is solely concerned with translation of the Bible into English... those expecting coverage of any other focus will be sadly disappointed. One `chapter' I had looked forward to reading was `The Bible in the Eastern Churches'. Bebawi's essay on this topic was a total disappointment. It was especially sad, since the next article (by Philip Alexander, see below) was so well done!

Despite the fact that The Bible is 70 percent Old Testament and 30 percent New Testament, this book reflects a predictably disproportionate interest in Christianity. (Predictable because so many more people adhere to Christianity than to Judaism). Nonetheless, Philip Alexander's section, `The Bible in Judaism' is an excellent contribution. Geoffrey Khan's portion, `The Hebrew Bible' is also superb.

I found the last section (Contemporary Interpretation) to be a waste of paper and ink. The four essays included are: Feminist Scholarship; Liberation Theology: Latin America; Liberation Theology: Africa and the Bible; and Liberation Theology: Europe. It boggled my mind to find (1) nothing about contemporary American fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible, (2) nothing about the technical problems of translation (like the problem of the shepherd/sheep analogy to island-dwelling fishermen who have never seen a sheep or any conception of why a shepherd would be involved with these creatures); (3) nothing about the relationship of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament to religions and sects indebted to them but not based on them (such as The Church of Latter Day Saints and Islam just to mention two!); (4) nothing about the Pentecostal movement, especially important in Latin America; (5) nothing about Biblical interpretations by `sects' (ranging from the Branch Davidians to the Jehovah's Witnesses - I could go on and on... This work is obviously academic (in a very narrow cultural sense), and - despite the pretensions of Section four (Contemporary Interpretation) - parochial. I was tempted to use a razor blade, and cut this entire section out of an otherwise excellent book!

Considering the amount of effort that went into this work, I wish that the editors had provided timelines. It is probably a better learning procedure to go through the text with an Excel spreadsheet or Word tables open, extracting data from the text into a chronologically coherent summary, but it is `a pain'. If a reader can do it, the editor could have done it.

This is an excellent work, despite many lacunae. It filled an educational gap in my knowledge, and - given the partisan glosses that Bible study usually includes - should help others with a sincere desire to learn more about this library of religious readings.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Embarrassing for Oxford..., February 5, 2009

By 

A. Tyler - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible (Oxford Illustrated Histories) (Hardcover)

Let me begin by admitting that I was unable to read this book in full. From the onset, with John Rogerson's (the editor's) summary of the Old Testament, I found this work wholly lacking in thoroughness. It may be that I was expecting a different kind of work, especially when Oxford is the publisher. As other reviewers have noted, this book is pretty much the opposite of scholarly material. It should be surprising that I would feel that way, considering I am a lay student of biblical history.

To better understand my dissatisfaction, I would like to present an excerpt from the aforementioned summary; I apologize in advance for the resulting length of this review:

"In the second half of the thirteenth century BCE there was a migration of peoples from northern Transjordan to the central hill country of Palestine, the area of the later northern kingdom, Israel. The reasons for the migration are unknown; they may have had political or environmental causes, or both. This could well have included the entity, or part of it, that is mentioned as Israel in the Merneptah stele of 1219 or 1207. This group may have then been joined by a group of shasu who brought with them faith in a God Yahweh who had helped them to escape from Egyptian overlordship. Faith in Yahweh as the God of Israel then became one of the distinguishing features of Israel as it struggled for survival with the Canaanites and then with the Philistines in Palestine itself, as well as with neighbouring peoples in Transjordan."

This paragraph is presented by its author as fact, with no supporting references whatsoever. I have no idea how the author knows these things, even if they are true. This type of talking down occurs throughout the entire article. I am admittedly a Christian reader; but I am also incurably skeptical and a critical thinker. I have a hard time accepting anything as fact unless it is readily verifiable, if not by me, then by the author's peers. Here, nothing is given to verify. No sources for the conclusions, and no references for the derivation. I've written a similar complaint/review about Cambridge's "Companion to the Bible."

Again, it may be that my expectations were wrong for this book, but I do not like being spoon-fed information. I expect superior scholarship from works with Oxford's name on them. That may well be my mistake. In my opinion, scholars who are truly confident in their assertions should be willing to present alternative arguments, as well as their own. If their opinions are strong enough to withstand criticism, only then do I consider them palatable.

If you would like to read a treatment of the Old Testament by a true scholar, then I would recommend reading "On the Reliability of the Old Testament," by K.A. Kitchen. While his work may be too exhaustive for some, it can never be mistaken as being "written for children," as another reviewer put it.

Lastly, this book is not, as I had hoped, a history of the development of the Biblical text. I believe its title is misleading in that respect. It appears to be more of a history of the development of Judaism and Christianity into their current theological forms. That is fine, if that is what was intended. I just wish they had named it appropriately so I could have avoided it altogether.

Oh, did I mention that Origen's name is spelled "Origin" on page 173? Come on, Oxford!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible, May 13, 2007

By 

J. Lindner (Gem Lake, MN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible (Oxford Illustrated Histories) (Hardcover)

I purchased this book looking for a guide to the actual history of hos the Bible came to be. This book delivered, sort of. It covered what I was looking for, but not in the depth that I really wanted. The collection of writers seem to know their subject matter, but the editing of putting together is somewhat lacking. It seems to be an overview of everything it sets out to define. There is no cross referencing or anything else that would make this a single-volume research book. At times the book is down right boring. Very nlittle is offered to captivate the reader's attention.

Yet the book is not without its merits. It gives the casual reader enough information to promote further study. It has very colorful artwork, though perhaps not enough (too many black and white copies of paintings). This book takes a dedicated reader to plow through it, but it may very well be rewarding for the right person.