The Bible: A Global History

by Bruce Gordon

A global history of the world’s best-known and most influential book For Christians, the Bible is a book authored by God for humanity. Its eternal words are transmitted across the world by fallible human hands. Following Jesus’s departing instruction to go out into the world, the Bible has been a book in motion from its very beginnings, and every community it has encountered has read, heard, and seen the Bible through its own language and culture. In The Bible, Bruce Gordon tells the astounding story of the Bible’s journey around the globe and across more than two thousand years, showing how it has shaped and been shaped by changing beliefs and believers’ radically different needs. The Bible has been a tool for violence and oppression, and it has expressed hopes for liberation. God speaks with one voice, but the people who receive it are scattered and divided—found in desert monasteries and Chinese house churches, in Byzantine cathedrals and Guatemalan villages. Breathtakingly global in scope, The Bible tells the story of this sacred book through the stories of its many and diverse human encounters, revealing not a static text but a living, dynamic cultural force.

Genres: History, Religion, Nonfiction, World History, Christian, Christianity, Christian History

528 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 2024

About the author

Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History

http://divinity.yale.edu/gordon
bruce.gordon@yale.edu
Denomination: Presbyterian

A native of Canada, Bruce Gordon taught from 1994 to 2008 at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, where he was professor of modern history and deputy director of the St Andrews Reformation Studies Institute. His research focuses on European religious cultures of the late-medieval and early modern periods, with a particular interest in the Reformation in German-speaking lands. He is the author of Calvin (Yale University Press, 2009), a biography that seeks to put the life of the influential reformer in the context of the sixteenth-century world. It is a study of Calvin’s character, his extensive network of personal contacts and of the complexities of church reform and theological exchange in the Reformation. The Swiss Reformation (Manchester University Press, 2002) (an “Outstanding Publication” for 2003 by Choice Magazine) studies the emergence of the Reformation n the multi-lingual world of the Swiss Confederation and its influence across Europe in the sixteenth century. His book Clerical Reformation and the Rural Reformation (1992) examined the creation of the first Protestant ministry, which took place in the Swiss city of Zurich and its numerous country parishes. In addition, he has edited books on the development of Protestant historical writing, the relationships between the dead and the living in late-medieval and early modern society, the Swiss reformer Heinrich Bullinger, and, most recently, on biblical culture in the sixteenth century. He was the principal investigator of a major grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom on Protestant Latin Bibles of the Sixteenth Century. The project explores the new translations of the Old and New Testaments by Protestant scholars into Latin during the Reformation and the questions posed by these extraordinary works for our understanding of translation, authority, material culture, confessional identity and theological formulation. The monograph is currently being completed. He has started work for Princeton University Press on a study of the reception of Calvin’s Institutes from the Reformation to the modern world. His teaching includes a lecture course on Western Christianity from the early church to the scientific revolution, and seminars on the culture of death, sources and methods of religious history, the Reformation, Calvinism, and the Reformed tradition from Zwingli to postmodernism. He teaches in the Department of History and in Renaissance Studies and works with graduate students on a wide range of topics in early modern religious history. He is on the board of various publishing series: St Andrews Studies in Reformation History (Ashgate), Zürcher Beiträge zur Reformationsgeschichte (Theologischer Verlag Zürich), and Refo500 Academic Studies (Vandenhoeck &Ruprecht). He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and in 2012 received an honorary doctorate from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. (Presbyterian)

Read a feature article about Professor Gordon.




Education

B.A. (Hons) King’s College
M.A. Dalhousie University
Ph.D University of St. Andrews


Books



1. Shaping the Bible in the Reformation. Books, Scholars and Their Readers in the Sixteenth Century, ed with Matthew McLean (Brill, 2012).

2. Calvin. 1509‐1564 (Yale University Press, 2009)

3. Architect of Reformation. An Introduction to Heinrich Bullinger, 1504‐1575,
co-ed. (Baker Academic, 2004)

4. Translation and Edition of Hans R. Guggisberg, Sebastian Castellio. Defender
of Religious Toleration (Ashgate Press, 2003)

5. The Swiss Reformation (Manchester University Press, 2002)

6. The Place of the Dead in Late Mediaeval and Early Modern Europe, ed. with Peter Marshall (Cambridge University Press, 2000)

7. Protestant History and Identity in Sixteenth‐Century Europe, 2 vols., ed.
(Scolar Press,

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves another read-through and a commitment to revisit it annually. It’s like a buffet; there is so much information that one can pick and choose what satisfies one's needs at any particular moment.

I was interested in the journey of the Christian bible and Gordon’s research presented me with more than I anticipated.

Author Bruce Gordon describes the bible as “the most influential book in the world” and “the most global of books” and describes it as a “story of the divine conversation that was never limited to bound pages.”

He begins (and the part I was most interested in) by defining ‘bible’ and introduces readers to Athanasius, a controversial and combative bishop in Alexandria who, in 367 CE, listed 27 books of the New Testament which he regarded as ‘canon’. His was the first list and was a turning point in determining the Bible's contents. Gordon continues with exciting scroll discoveries, production at Tours, and the translation by King Alfred. The next section was a little more familiar to me, but I appreciated the refresher on the journey of the Reformation and the King James Bible. I wasn’t as interested in the Transatlantic Bible chapters to the end (chapters 8 - 14), and I admittedly flitted through these chapters. This is by no means my final read-through. I know that I’ll go back and learn and relearn. This is an excellent resource that I’m excited to possess.

Things that gave me pause:
- Being in possession of these texts (bible) incurred grave risks
- Bible wasn’t invented by Christians but “emerged from their interaction with Roman society.”
- The codex “became a means by which Christianity distinguished itself from Judaism and Roman culture.”
- How Constantine the Great’s wish to have 50 bibles for his churches in Constantinople required “the skins of approximately 350 calves or sheep” for each one.
- The (almost not) discovery Constantin von Tischendorf made in the deserts at Cairo


I went down a rabbit hole researching the two surviving codices (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) to see for myself where the bible as a book originated. How wonderful that these are available online!

The most important thing you need to know is that this book, although written by someone gifted in their field, is accessible to us all. It reads like a conversation and I was able to put it down several times and pick it up again without feeling like I needed to reread to remember what I’d previously learned. I’d claim that this is a necessary tool for the inquisitive.

I was gifted this copy by Basic Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Amanda Geaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having previously enjoyed Bruce Gordon's in-depth biographies of John Calvin and Zwingli, I approached The Bible: A Global History with a keen interest in exploring the historical and cultural transformations of the Bible. This book offers a panoramic view of how the Bible has been perceived, interpreted, and utilized across different epochs and civilizations. Starting from the formation of the biblical canon in the early Christian church to the complexities of global Pentecostalism, Gordon meticulously traces the evolution of the Bible's role in society, its impact on languages and nations, and its journey through the printing revolution, the Enlightenment, and into the modern world.

One of the book's strengths is its exploration of the Bible's cultural and linguistic journey, highlighting moments such as the creation of the Armenian Bible, which led to the development of a written form for the Armenian language, and the influence of the King James Version on English language and literature. The narrative also delves into the Bible's significant yet often overlooked role in non-Western cultures, including its reception in China and Africa, illustrating the complexities and challenges of translating and interpreting the Bible in diverse cultural contexts.

However, while The Bible: A Global History is rich in content and provides a comprehensive overview of its subject, it falls short of being an engaging read. The prose, though clear, lacks the dynamism that could make such a vast historical sweep more captivating. This is not to detract from Gordon's scholarly achievement; the book is undoubtedly a valuable resource for those interested in the history of Christianity and the Bible. Yet, this may not be the ideal choice for readers seeking a more gripping narrative.

In sum, Gordon's work is an impressive scholarly endeavor that offers insightful perspectives on the Bible's global impact. It sheds light on the multifaceted ways this sacred text has shaped and been shaped by human history. Despite its lack of narrative flair, the book is a testament to the enduring influence of the Bible across centuries and cultures, making it a worthwhile read for those intrigued by the intersections of religion, history, and society.

I received this book from the publisher through the NetGalley review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Amanda Grinavich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really solid history of the Bible, its translations, how it’s made its way around the world, and the different ways it is interpreted and used. Maybe a *tad* bit dry / text-bookish in some spots, but very readable at the same time.

You don’t have to be religious to read or appreciate this as it is not a focus on the religion. An interest in history and how the world’s most popular book got to that point would make it worthwhile.

[Marjolijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indrukwekkend boek. Indrukwekkend veel details; soms wat veel.

[Dave Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often say, the key to good history is a good narrative. As the famous quote goes, of which I've forgotten the source, "all history is narrative." If this is the measure, Gordon has written a very good history about the Bible.

One of the marks of a good narrative is thematic cohesion. History books that are basiclaly one big data dump I find, beyond having very little to actually say about that data, ignore the fact that the historian is never cut off from the necessary function of interpretation. If all history is narrative history, all history is interpretation. Gordon gives us as readers a clear thesis and clear aim. It could be summarized in the simple statment that what defines the Bible is the necessary tension that shapes it. That tension is between the need to wrestle it down to certain truths, and the truth that the Bible cannot and refuses to be wrestled down, owned and contained. This is the conclusion that we come to in the final chapter:

"The global book remains deeply personal and local, often creating tensions between individual and corporate reception. It defines and shapes those who seek to actualize its words in their lives, to capture its model of holy living. Yet it will not be owned by anyone and continues to defy all efforts to anchor it in fixed interpretations. It inspires striving but rejects posession and exclusivity." (p434)

"For Christians there is no greater fear than getting the Bible wrong, an anxiety that has inspired great faith and inflicted devastating damage." (p434)

"In grasping to understand its words and is silences, for over two millenia the Bible's readers have found hope. To borrow from the title of a 1965 film, the Bible tells the greatest story ever told. Its words have comforted, inspired, sickened, and haunted humanity. Its text belongs to the global world of sacred texts, with which, today more than ever, it is in conversation... The Bible remains inexhaustible." (p437)

The author summarizes that idea in this wonderful statement,
"The Bible dictates its own history, which is without end." (p433)

Thsi conclusion acts as the answer to the books introduction, and indeed the first chapter, where Gordon talks about the relationship between the Bible, described as a "book of books," and interpretation. In this way it is a book without end. Citing Gregory the Great, "The Bible is, as it were, a kind of river, if I may so liken it, which is both shallow and deep, wherin both the lamb may find a footing, and the elephant float at large." Or as Gordon puts it, "Every translation is contingent, a product of a moment that, unlike the Bible, is not eternal. At that moment the Bible holds something back." (P64) That holding back is what allows it to speak, and allows us to seek.

What the Bible is, in this way, is necessary to uphold if we are going to step into the wild world of the Bibles formation into canons (yes, that reads plural), translations, debates, and denominational divides. Here I found an important and helpful reminder for not only what the Bible is, but how it retains its place as a sacred text within this historical framework. There is something about noting that larger narrative as a tension that makes that push and pull come alive. We need to formulate convictions based on our engagement with the text. And yet for the Bible to be alive and for the Bible to speak, we also need to understand that the minute we do, such actions need to be shaped by the critique. The whole of history is shaped this way. And yet, to be sacred also means holding something, some foundation, to be true, lest this tension slip into relativism. When it comes to the Bible, it is simply this- the Bible is a sacred text. If its not, there is no need to give it that sacred and formative place. Here Gordon makes this point rather subtly, which goes hand in hand with the fact that he is doing his best job to tackle a subject with immense internal significance, by standing at a distance. This has both weaknesses and strenghts. But in my opinion we need both. It is extremely helpful for me to have a voice like Gordons brought into the mix of my own internal wrestling with the Bible as a Christian. And yet, I come to this knowing that the internal process, the nuances that shape the actual practice of engaging the sacred text from the inside, is going to sit outside of Gordon's perspective standing at a distance. This is what a life of faith is after all- not blind belief but an actual "lived" (faithfulness) belief. The only way we can truly come to knowledge of God and the world.

Another truism that runs through this book is the fact that all of this wildness, which the first chapter called "Becoming a Book" helps to outline, is tamed by its relationship to the past. We might call this Tradition. Tradition is not dogma, it is, rather, a commitment to a historical narrative that all constructions, be it denominations, theologies, or the Bible, have a thread that lead backwards. Which is to say, just because we can point to a dated "composition," does not mean that this is where something is brought into being. Rather, that becomes a window into the thing that precedes it. And at its most fundamental level, the existence of a sacred text opens us up to a world not of the second and third and fourth and 18th centuries ect, but to the history that gave this life. Meaning, the logical conclusion of the Gospels existence must and can only ever be the existence of the seeds that gave it life. Which is hugely important, because its a reminder that "the Bible" was never contained to "a book of books."

Some defining aspects of the Bibles history that Gordon touches on. First, he writes that "it is striking how many of the momentous developments of the Bible were the work of individuals or small groups in peril." (p176) The Bible emerges from the margins, and is shaped by a story that gives life to those on the margins. The worst parts of its history are when it gets coopted by the worlds Empires. The enduring parts of its history are when it stands as the necessary critique to Empire. Perhaps one of the great example of this push and pull is American slavery. That the Bible both functioned as peoples justification for slavery and its abolition is precisely how the sacred text has always worked. If it could be contained, it would always be contained by the shape of Empire. If it has power, it will always critique the shape of Empire. This is the narrative history.

A second key facet of the Bibles history relates to the books title- a "global" history. Recognizing the relationship between the Judeo and Christian componants of the narraativer, Gordon writes that, "The Christian revolution was that scripture was meant for all, whether literate or not." If we are looking at the Bible purely on a historical front, we can see that in the movement from scroll to book, it is both moving from Jerusalem into the whole of the world, and likewise into the hands of the common people. Which is to say, the thing that gives birth to the reformation finds its roots in a patterned history. As Gordon writes, "The Bible's global ubiquity doesn't imply global familiariaty." (p432) Meaning, its presence precedes its embrace, often in profound and fascinating ways, but always with a coherent sense of how and where this happens (on the margins). One of the more interesting points of historical information to this end was the fact that China is the worlds leading source of making and printing and producing Bibles. Looking at how the sheer presence of Bibles translates to familiarity simply underscores the persistance of the sacred text in the margins, defined in its own particular way within the borders of China.

One final observation in terms of those key facets- the Bible grew organically into canon in relationship to devotional practices. These two things cannot be detached, lest we lose any and all sense of what the Bible is. The text is sacred not primarily because it can be studied and torn apart and analyzed, but because it offers us a story to be shaped by. This is, perhaps, the single most important facet, something, as Gordon points out, which has perhaps been lost in a wrong understanding of the Bibles transformation in an age of science and reaason:

"It is tempting to think that, with the arrival of the age of science and reason, the story of the Bible had reached its zenith- that what remains is a tale of decline. Not so. The rise of natural philosophy and the Enlightenment brought to the fore the relationship between the Bible and reason.... There were of course skeptics, (but) other leading lights of the age, such as Galileo, Bacon, and Newton, transformed our understanding of heaven and earth and did so with the Bible in hand. Indeed, as a panoramic view of the most important scientific, political, and philsophical thinkers of the age will show, efforts to marry religion and the Bible with science were far more prevalent than we today often take to be the case. The question with which thse thinkers grappled was not really whether the Bible was still relevant in a world in upheaval but how it was so.... It would be a mistake to see this period as one of rejection or repudiation of religion. Transitions are generally slow and complex, and many of the most important Enlightenment thinkers, to say nothing of the common people, were resolute in their belief. The Bible retained center stage and, in most cases, was reconciled with what was being learned about science and history" (p179; p208))

The sacred text is alive, and it gives us life through our participation in it. The crticisms (meaning, proper academic tools) are important and are relevant, but one of the great mistakes these criticisms often make is assuming that the Bible it is disecting and deconstructing is somehow contained to a book. That to critique the book is to somehow do away with the book, or to domesticate it. This couldn't be further from the truth. It should awaken us to why we come to it at all- to be shaped by something that is not only alive, but invites us into the practice of translating it into our lives. One of my favorite parts was when it talks about the medieval age and its own attempts to recover the long standing practice of midrash, of writing in the margins. The bibles of this time were presented, long before our modern commentaries were a thing, a a conversation with the past. Present translations set alongside notes from previous ones, with open margins to invite fresh observations. I thought it was a beautiful picture of how the evolution of a "book" could marry itself to the simple practice of inviting the text (or the spirit behind the text) into our lives and allowing it speak.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable overview of the history of the Bible in global perspective. I especially appreciated his chapters on the pre-Reformation vernacular translations and look at the manuscripts.

A few incautious offhand comments are found that are not strictly accurate (e.g. the Gospel of Judas being read approvingly and circulated widely or E. W. Kenyon being lumped among televangelists). They don't detract from the overall picture as they are not central, but they were distracting for me.

Understand that this book is not necessarily a history of how we have come to have the Bible, but might better be described as a book about the Bible in history. So while topics of text and canon are touched on, they do not receive extensive treatment. More often, you will find how people have treated and interpreted the Bible through the ages. Go in with the proper expectation and I think you will benefit from this book.

[Dan Cassino · Rating 3 out of 5]

The initial sections on the translation and fights over the Bible in Europe through the early modern period are fascinating. After that, though, it moves into a series of mind-numbing chapters about translations outside of the US and Europe. Want to know how many “Biscuit Tin” Bibles were printed in Africa in the 20th Century? Gordon will tell you! The attempt to highlight the role of women in these efforts by adding in two pages at the end of every chapter is eye-rolling. It’s also frustrating because Gordon hints at some really interesting issues, like how to translate the word “God.” Does it make sense to co-opt the name of local deities? What if the term is feminine in other languages? These big picture ideas are what I want to read more about, not which missionaries first translated Matthew into Yoruba.

[Derek Woodall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several interesting elements stand out from this biography:
1. Communities have preferred translations/editions and are resistant to new ones (even better ones). 2. The Bible has been used, re-translated, and interpreted in various ways by various motivations. Some come from a high view of Scripture and its authority and inspiration, pursuing the right interpretations. Others come from a desire for evangelization. However, the Bible has often been translated or distributed for political reasons as well.
3. Numerous communities across the world and across time have treated the Bible as sacred.

An interesting and worthwhile read. The Bible is a book in motion and it is intriguing to read how communities, cultures, and regions have treated it.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best I've read on history of the creation and life of today's Bible as we know it, and its long journey from Hebrew, Greek, and Latin to English and the mryriads of other modern languages. Well-written.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A *very* broad overview of the history of the role of the Bible. It needs another edit and a new edition -- the text repeats itself and reintroduces people throughout, sometimes on the very next page.

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title by Bruce Gordon is a must read and is packed with a wealth of information related to the history of the Bible. It has in-depth scholarship but is written in a very readable and accessible style. Due to the amount of information contained it’s best to read this slowly in sections and take your time with it. This was my first book by this particular author and the experience has caused me to look up other titles and put those on my TBR.

#TheBibleAGlobalHistory #Netgalley

[Ilya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very ambitious and comprehensive survey of the history of the Bible—and, unlikely many in this genre, it is genuinely global in scope. I thought the chapters on China and Africa were especially interesting, and the one on Pentecostalism was fascinating as well. If I have one criticism, it is that the narrative presentation is a bit lacking in oomph: there is a lot of “an important development was X” and “a key figure was Y,” followed by “another important development” and “another key figure.” But it is a relatively minor quibble—the book delivers where it matters.

- many thanks to Basic Books for an ARC via NetGalley

[Hannah Bardin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher through the NetGalley review program. Opinions expressed are my own.

Bruce Gordon's "The Bible" is truly breathtaking in the breadth and depth of knowledge. Gordon tracks the history of the texts that have come to make up the Bible from our earliest records to modern translations. He follows the texts around the world and how different cultures were shaped by and shaped the scriptures. His expertise is clear throughout the book.

That being said, the only critique I have is the sheer amount of information contained in the 500 some odd pages. At times it lost me as a reader, when it became too dense and lost some of the personality of the author.

"The Bible" is a comprehensive work on the history and journey of Christian scripture throughout time and culture. While it does sometimes lose itself in the information, it is certainly an excellent resource for anyone interested in the history of the Bible.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Gordon’s The Bible: A Global History is a panoramic work that charts the journey of the Bible from ancient scroll to global icon. Although I have to admit that I am a sucker for these broad sweeping histories, I do believe they often tell us more about the author than the content simply because there is so much material available and anyone can pick and chose to create whatever narrative they desire. In this case, rather than a history of Christianity in general, Gordon narrows his focus to the text itself, allowing the Bible’s development, translations, and shifting interpretations to take center stage. From early canons to Pentecostal revivals (which he poorly represents), from Armenian linguists to African revivalists (that he also largely gets wrong), Gordon shows that the Bible's story is as much about the people and cultures who received it as the divine message it was meant to convey. As one of my profs for my MDiv said at least once every five minutes, the book is supracultural.

Gordon’s real strength lies in his thematic cohesion. Rather than dumping a heap of data on the reader’s lap and calling it a day, he traces a central thread: the Bible is a text shaped by tension. It's a sacred book that people constantly attempt to pin down, even as it resists capture. It demands interpretation, yet it refuses any attempt at dogmatism. As Gordan writes, “The Bible dictates its own history." He draws deeply on sources from early Church Fathers to modern theologians, placing the Bible in a constant state of dialogue with history, with readers, and even with itself.

The global lens is one of the most rewarding parts of Gordon’s approach. Beyond the usual suspects of European translators and Protestant reformers, he spends time exploring lesser-known (yet no less impactful) figures and movements, such as the Chinese Christians engaged in translation, and the profound tension faced by African Christians reconciling a sacred text once used to oppress them. Gordon notes that Africa now contains more Anglicans than the UK and US combined and there are now Anglican missionaries from there heading back into the West. There’s a quiet depth to the way Gordon treats such stories, not as footnotes to the Western narrative, but as central threads in a truly global tapestry.

That said, Gordon’s prose is more precise than passionate, more elegant than electric. This is not the kind of history book you binge read on a rainy weekend. And while his treatment of the Enlightenment’s interaction with Scripture is refreshing, highlighting not rejection but complex reconciliation, it’s hard not to wish for more engagement with the Bible in today’s digital world. A few chapters could have benefited from a bit more narrative spark or contemporary application, beyond the brief nod to Life Church's Youversion Bible app and its half a billion downloads.

Still, for those willing to wrestle with a text about a text that is itself fundamentally about wrestling with God, Gordan's book is an invaluable companion. It’s a rich reflection on a book that has shaped empires, broken chains, inspired saints, and occasionally been read and handled very badly. Gordon, standing at a respectful scholarly distance, invites us not to master the Bible but to be mastered by its depth. For those seeking to understand not just what the Bible is, but what it has done and continues to do, Gordon offers a history worthy of its subject that is nuanced, reverent, critical, and, just occasionally a little too dry.

[Jason Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich , fascinating book. It takes the journey of the Bible from earliest codices to now . Being a history of the Bible rather than of the faith in general allows it a focus that highlights tines and people we don’t often hear about and away from some major Christian figures who are important in the history of revival etc but not in this history.

Along with the well known codices ( I loved the story of British PM Ramsey Macdonald purchasing the codex sinaiaticus froth the British library where it attracted rapt audiences) are Ethiopian codices . Along with the well known English and European transistors such as a Tyndale are Chinese Christians who worked on translations - the chapter on China is one of the finest in this book. Also strong here is Africa - the author wryly notes that today Africa contains more anglicans than the UK and US combined and a quarter of catholics as though they are giving us the gospel back . The wrestle by postcolonial African Christians with a book so often used to oppress them is well evoked here .

There are limitations - more engagement with the Bible in the digital age perhaps . And while an otherwise strong chapter on the Bible in America is good on his scripture was both abused by slavers and inspirational to both slaves and anti slavery campaigners it fails elsewhere . It shows how Paul the apostle tells shaves to be obedient but fails to show that he also tells masters to be kind , sort of the balance he always brings I.e. children should honour parents but parents should not provoke children, wifely submission is contextualised in the command for husbands to love sacrificially. Here the Bible isn’t defending slavery but speaking into a society where it’s a fact of life to offer nuance , mutual respect and spiritual equality and freedom . And here is no mention of verses that condemn slave trading eg exodus 21:16, 1 tim 1 8-10.

But a rich read that also shows the care in the biblical canon for truth and a strong role for women in nineteenth century mission . The grand sweep of the bibles history and influence are well balanced with testimonies and other stories .

[Chris Jaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a look at the book itself, and how it's affected the Christian religion itself over the centuries. In the early years, it took advantage of a shift in printing technology. Out with the scrolls, in with the early version of bound books. You eventually get it in Latin in the Vulgate (and apparently St. Jerome's version took a while to catch out as THE version). It was more present in the Medieval world than I would have suspected. Most were illiterate, but the stories were still told to them. There were pushes to translate into modern lanaguages, and these took off with the Reformation.

England gets the King James Bible, which became a classic. The word spread over the ocean to North America. The US became awash in Bibles, featuring in everything from revivals to Denmark Vesey's plot. The Bible was translated into all sorts of languages as missions went worldwide. China posed a serious problem due to governmental resistance and translation problems. Africa saw Africans eventually reconstitute Christianity on their own terms, with more communal focus and less of the western individualism. Catholicism really caught on there over the years and the Anglican Church is bigger in Nigeria than the UK and US combined. Pentecostalism was been a fairly recent phenomonan, and it's hard to define exactly. There isn't much concern with theological details, more about one's passionate connection to the All-Mighty, often with a focus on the miracles. Much of the last few centuries has seen white preachers use Christianity to dismiss traditional religion of the colonized as superstition, but with Pentecostalism many in the global south combine those traditions with Christianity. One sect of Pentecostalism even has moved into Prosperity Gospel.

I found the book interesting, but looking back I'm not sure I've retained that much, aside from the last chapter. (Which makes me wonder: do I only retain that because it's the part most recently read?)

[Kathleen]

1 copy in our library system and it's checked out. I read a review in the WSJ about this book:
https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/book...
‘The Bible’: A Book on a Mission by Barton Swaim (WSJ, September 27, 2024).

"What a book the Bible is, what a miracle, what strength is given with it to man! It is like a mold cast of the world and man and human nature, everything is there, and a law for everything for all the ages. And what mysteries are solved and revealed! Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov; Translated by Constance Garnett.

I had a conversation with a person yesterday and I mentioned the Bible version, Good News for Modern Man. She exclaimed, I liked the illustrations. Something that did not strike a chord that I would mention it. BUT the Introduction of the book introduces us to Annie Valloton, a Swiss artist fought with the French Resistance during the Second Word War and sketched pictures of the walls of prison camps....after a ten-minute meeting at an airport, to illustrate the Good News Bible, a translation into everyday English that first appeared in the 1960s. Annie Vallotton has been declared the world's best-selling artist!

[Susie Helme · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book goes through how the Bible became a book and how early Christian writers were inspired to proselytise. We see how the Gospels portrayed the person of the Christ, an aspect of early Christianity which remains shrouded in myth.
Then it works chronologically through the history of the Christian Bible, from the middle ages to Renaissance and Reformation, taking on the science versus religion argument. We follow the book as it champions the switch from scroll to codex format. The project of translating the Bible drove the invention of the Armenian (4th C) and Cyrillic (9th C) scripts. The book made its way to the New World, making its way to Africa and China. It has been translated into 698 languages.
Although it treats the Christian Bible (New Testament) only, it does touch upon Christian interpretations of Jewish Scriptures. I missed discussion of the Jewish history, and found discussion of the formation of canon a bit wanting. The dating of the gospels is a fascinating story, and I wish the book had gone into that a bit more. There are some colour photographs of famous Bibles throughout history, but a big book like this could have used more illustrations.
This is a prodigious work of scholarship extensive in scope.
I was given this book for Christmas.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so much more than ‘just’ a history of the Bible. It’s a history of civilisation, colonialism, manipulation, faith, and so many things. It’s truly fascinating and brilliantly written. It’s taken me a long time to work through it as it is dense with facts and research but it is actually an easy read. It isn’t ‘academic’ in any way.

I especially enjoyed the sections on the biblical scribes (for some reason I assumed they were all men), on how various people fought to have translations made, and how people manipulated other countries - in particular, African countries - to deny local customs and encourage Christian learning, and how the overall book became what we now recognise.

I had no idea that one of the most recognised, ‘unknown’ artists is Annie Vallotton who illustrated the Good News Bible.

This is a book that promises much and delivers more and would be a great gift.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

[Viral · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read about the different ways folks have thought about, engaged with, and made Bibles over the last two thousand years. I never really thought too hard about the Bible as a historical story that has transformed in so many ways, through various translations and editions, and through how folks have chosen to fixate on specific aspects or features of it. From the idea of rewriting the Bible as part of how you engage with it, to medieval kings ordering painted editions of Bibles, to the popularization of the King James version, to the present day with the use of Bible verse apps.

The story of the Bible is very much the story of modern technological development, and how we choose to engage with religious texts, and so this was an interesting read! I guess it doesn't resonate as strongly with me simply because it's not a text that is personally resonant for me, but still a book that I would recommend to Christians and non-Christians alike!

[LENGDUNG TUNGCHAMMA · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever wanted to read a biography of the Bible, this is the book you should pick up.

The Bible is a fascinating book — not just for what it says, but for what it has survived. Think about it: what other material from 2,000 years ago is still in use today? Very few things. And yet, the Bible remains central to the lives of millions. It has endured both persecution and abundance. People across generations, cultures, and continents have found themselves in its pages.

Bruce Gordon has done an excellent job of telling the story of the Bible itself — its journey, its impact, and how it has been shaped across time. In Bruce, the Bible finds the perfect biographer. This book is packed with information, it’s engaging, and it spans the globe. It’s not just European or Western — it’s truly global in scope.

[William Schram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a religious man. To me, the Holy Bible is not the divinely inspired word of God, but a mishmashed collection of folk tales and random bits of history that has something for everyone. My favorite sections are Job and Ecclesiastes.

The Bible, by Bruce Gordon, explains how the Bible became a global force. He begins with the texts of the Church Fathers and proceeds through history, explaining why certain books were included. Along the way, he discusses translations and how they led to the schisms.

The book is well-researched and comes with pictures of some of the codices. Well, I say it's well-researched, but I don't have any expertise on the Bible.

I enjoyed the book immensely. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.

[Mark Seeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful read. Well written and documented. There is the usual stuff: Jerome's Vulgate, Wycliffe’s Bible in English, then Tyndale’s common English bible, Calvin's Geneva Bible, the achievement of the King James translators. What I appreciated was Gordon's demonstration that the Bible did not disappear during the Middle Ages but was everywhere in various forms including illustration, art and polyglots. Gordon covers the Bible in America, in Africa, in China. I thought his approach and appreciation evenhanded and sincere. If you love the Bible, this is the book you will want to read.

[Anton Frommelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Audiobook

Extra star for the clear amount of research that went in to this. It’s more akin to a text book so not the most engaging listen, but well put together (that said I always like having the physical book to see sources). By the end I felt like I didn’t have a good sense for the origins of the Bible so I went back and re-listened to the beginning and realized it’s just because there is not a clear origin story but a messy conglomeration of different authors and manuscripts.

Every day I’m amazed that people use a 2,000 year old book to justify things like separating families, persecuting queer people, and withholding food stamps.

[Shabddotin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Gordon’s The Bible: A Global History is an ambitious and illuminating work that succeeds in showcasing the enduring and far-reaching impact of the Bible. It is a valuable resource for scholars, history enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding the global legacy of one of the world’s most influential texts. I really enjoyed reading this book! It should definitely be on more websites like shabd.in so that more people can read it.

[Ky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit limited in what it decides is worthy of being included in this "history of" the Bible. Would have liked less about various translations that go on to be discussed for pages and pages and more about the cultural impacts and how they changed the Bible, as well as vice versa. I suppose if you're reading this to be a scholar of the Bible, it's a better read in that sense. But if you're looking for an objective look at how the Bible has changed throughout various cultural shifts and countries, you'll probably be left wanting more.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I think there was some unevenness throughout the book. In places the author seemed to take it for granted that the reader had a lot of scholarly depth and in others not so much. The thing that I will take away and continue to think about is how translations of the Bible into various languages have had to work within the frameworks of those languages and adapt the terminology and concepts expressed in those languages to try and encompass Biblical concepts, not all of which have direct translations in other languages and how that shapes different understandings.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well researched history of the Bible

I love the Bible and have spent my life reading, studying and teaching it. And yet, I learned so much from this history. I love the author's belief in the power of God's Word, and his openness to the many ways the Bible has been used and revered all over the world and throughout history. We get to witness how the Bible has transformed people everywhere it has gone. I kept thinking how I should have already known this information and yet so much was new for me. This should be required reading for anyone who values the Bible.

[Joe Gonzalez Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a really in-depth history of the Bible, covering all the different versions and translations it’s gone through over time. It moves fast and covers a lot, so some parts might not be for everyone. For me, certain parts of history or regions were not relatable. Still, it’s a solid read about the Good Book. I usually say I read a lot and consider myself educated, but this one definitely made me realize my vocabulary’s not as strong as I thought, probably because I’m not a historian or theologian. Even so, I picked up a ton of new information, and I’m glad I read it.

[Addie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched survey and of interest to anyone pursuing more information about the history of "The Bible" as a piece of written text across the last 2,000 years, but it's on the dry side in terms of being a linear history and as such I couldn't really recommend it to the lay reader who is looking for entertainment. But if you're deep diving a bit on biblical history (as a book, not a sociological history of events that are written about in the bible), it would be a must-read.