The Bible: What Everyone Needs to Know®

by Michael D. Coogan

The Bible is the most influential book in Western history. As the foundational text of Judaism and Christianity, the Bible has been interpreted and reinterpreted over millennia, utilized to promote a seemingly endless run of theological and political positions. Adherents and detractors alike point to different passages throughout to justify wildly disparate behaviors and beliefs. Translated and retranslated, these texts lead both to unity and intense conflict.Influential books on any topic are typically called "bibles." What is the Bible? As a text considered sacred by some, its stories and language appear throughout the fine arts and popular culture, from Shakespeare to Saturday Night Live. In Michael Coogan's eagerly awaited addition to Oxford's What Everyone Needs to Know® series, conflicts and controversies surrounding the world's bestselling book are addressed in a straightforward Q&A format. This book provides an unbiased look at biblical authority and authorship, the Bible's influence in Western culture, the disputes over meaning and interpretation, and the state of biblical scholarship today. Brimming with information for the student and the expert alike, The What Everyone Needs to Know ® is a dependable introduction to a most contentious holy book.

Genres: Religion

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2020

About the author

Michael David Coogan is Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum and Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. For several decades, he has taught an introductory course on the Hebrew Scriptures at Harvard University, as well as at Wellesley College, Boston College, and Stonehill College. One of the leading biblical scholars in the United States, he is the author of The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, and editor of the acclaimed third edition of The New Oxford Annotated Bible.

Reviews

[Fr. Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful resource for brief, but not too-brief, answers to basic questions about the Bible, both the Hebrew portion and the Christian portion, with a special chapter at the end dedicated to more current issues that often relate to the Bible and its use today. I personally would recommend on this latter portion that additional research be pursued, particularly in relation to the New Testament's treatment of the Jews and its connection to anti-semitism. It's not as simple as "the writers were anti-Semitic." There are historical nuances to consider, and one might leave this text thinking that everything is cut and dried. But I do highly recommend this book for the basics. 4.5/5

[Stefan Grieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some helpful information about the Bible and Christianity, but it mostly just covers the basics with a bit more of a deep dive and some nuance.

On the downside, I think having every sub-heading as a question can become incessant (as simple and as clear as it can be to follow also), and it can sometimes get bogged down by abbreviations.

I think this book is best for those curious on the Bible and Christianity, those who'd like a refresh and those who'd like to be a bit more proficient on their Biblical knowledge in an easy and accessible enough way.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent, albeit very basic, introduction. Less focused on theology and more on the history and use of the text itself. What lets it down is the one area of theology it does choose to focus on, in the final sections - an obsession with how homosexuality, transsexualism, antisemitism and slavery are treated in the Bible.

[Saigon Cheeky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Concise Enjoyable

Read Read Read ...Dzo

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a reference book for class. The arguments can be vague and often lump people together to support it's argument but doesn't fairly represent their stance.