God's Scribes: How the Bible Became the Bible (Marco Polo Monographs 3) - Softcover

Gosline, Sheldon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0967720133 ISBN 13: 9780967720135

Publisher: Shangri LA Pubns Ltd, 1999

Synopsis

"With a healthy balance of criticism and respect for the subject, this book examines how the Jewish Bible became “The Bible.” It is common to speak of the Bible as “inspired”—a group of mysterious documents miraculously handed down from heaven, absolutely perfect in form, every word, every letter, carrying specifically divine significance, but it was just well edited. This book is an excellent choice for a Bible history or Bible as literature undergraduate course text. Writing in ancient societies performed quite a different function from its modern usage. We must constantly remember that writing for the ancients was preservative rather than creative. The Bible preserves such debate and differences of opinion."

About this title

About the Author

Charles Isbell is a professor of biblical and Hebrew studies at Louisiana State University and the author of several books relating to Old Testament studies.

Review

For Jews, Christians and Muslims, Isbell's balanced judicious treatment of the Hebrew Bible will appeal to all educated nonspecialists. -- CHOICE, Dec. 2000 Vol 38 No. 4, Review by Dr. H. O. Forshey, Miami University

The most honest Biblical discussion available today. This book should be in every home next to the Bible itself. -- Dr. Lester Ness, Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations

This is an intriguing book and one worth persuing. -- Rabbi David A. Teutsch, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Edition details

• Publisher: Shangri LA Pubns Ltd
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0967720133
• ISBN 13: 9780967720135
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 265