Where We Got The Bible: Our Debt to the Catholic Church [Paperback]

Henry Graham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 14, 1997

Traces the origin and preservation of sacred Scripture. This book includes the conversion story of the author, who converted from Calvinist ministry to Catholicism.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This is a two-in-one book that exonerates the Catholic Church from the charge of neglecting the Bible, and that shows the truth of the faith can reach even someone reared in a society burdened with centuries of anti-Catholic prejudice.

About the Author

Bishop Graham was brought up a Calvinist in Scotland, became a minister, but found himself irresistibly drawn to Catholicism, became a priest, and eventually became a bishop.

Product Details

• Paperback: 170 pages
• Publisher: Catholic Answers (January 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888992042
• ISBN-13: 978-1888992045
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,286,906 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Catholic Church gave the world the Bible, March 24, 2000

By 

John Pineda (Omaha NE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where We Got the Bible... Our Debt to the Catholic Church (Paperback)

An accurate and concise account on how the Bible came to be. Shows how the Catholic Church has defended holy scripture throughout the ages, despite the accusations of protestants and the Church's enemies. Accurately describes the rise and fall of badly translated protestant Bibles such as Tyndale's Bible (the english translation of Luther's Bible), the sinner's Bible (ommitted the word 'not' from some of the ten Commandments), etc. The English Crown ordered these versions burned or destroyed by decree when the errors were found. Errors and additions that have been handed down until this day (such as the addition of the word 'alone' by Luther to maneuver justification, and the addition of 'for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.....'). This book is a must have for anyone wishing to learn which books were originally contained in the Canon of scripture and who put them there. Shows why the books of the Septuagint (referred to as the Apocrypha by protestants) are included in the Bible, and were in the Jewish Canon during the time of Jesus.

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good defense of Bible History for Catholics, July 27, 2000

By 

V. M Salomon "vinnie70" (Glendale Heights, Il) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where We Got the Bible... Our Debt to the Catholic Church (Paperback)

This book is a short history of the Bible and how the Catholic Church regarded it. Graham describes how the cannon of the Scripture was formed and the reverence the Catholic Church has had for the Bible since she defined the cannon. He describes the Catholic Church's preservation of the Bible up to the Douay Rheims translation. (Graham's book was written in 1911) Graham takes much time explaining the process of how monks copied Bibles before the printing press. He also defends the Catholic Church against accusations that they hid the Bible to keep people ignorant of it. He uses a good dose of common sense to make his points.

Graham gives reasons why it is hard to find English Bible translations dated before the reformation. He explained that because the Protestants destroyed many Catholic objects in countries where the reformation flourished, Catholic Bibles could not be found in these areas. However, in countries where the reformation did not take foothold, there are many existing vernacular Bibles. I actually went to the Field Museum in Chicago and saw 11th century Spanish Bibles with my own two eyes. It was luck that they were on a tour as I finished the book.

My main complaint about the book is that there are almost no footnotes. He makes bold claims but no way to proof what he says. In order to test his stories, I had to do some footwork myself. For example, I learned that Martin Luther regarded the Epistle of James to be unworthy to remain in the Scriptures (mostly because of James 2:24) but I had to do some searching to verify it.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Am clear and concise review of catholic bible history, July 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Where We Got the Bible... Our Debt to the Catholic Church (Paperback)

Even though originally published in 1911, this book loses nothing. This short paperback is written clearly and concisely in an attempt to counter charges that the Catholic Church detests the Bible and has burned Bibles in the past to keep their flock from reading it. History is clear: for 1500 years after Christ there was only the Catholic Church. The Church decided which books were truly inspired and those that were not. The Church laborioulsy protected the Bible through persecutions and barbarian invasions. This little book certainly is worth reading.