The Illustrated Guide to the Bible - Hardcover

J-r-porter-professor-j-r-porter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1900131005 ISBN 13: 9781900131001

Publisher: London: BCA 1995., 1999

Synopsis

The Bible has had an immeasurable impact on Western culture as the basis of two of the world's great religions, Judaism and Christianity. It remains a powerful means of spiritual guidance and a work of challenging profundity, charged with the deepest emotions and containing some of the most compelling stories ever told. For countless generations it has been a source of inspiration to artists, a comfort in suffering, and a focal point for reflection on the mysteries of life.
Now, The Illustrated Guide to the Bible distills the essence of this great work in over one hundred generously illustrated commentaries on the major stories, places, characters, and events in the Bible, from the Garden of Eden and the suffering of Job to the Last Supper and the Book of Revelation. Beautifully illustrated with over 300 full-color reproductions, photographs, and maps, the authoritative and engaging essays emphasize biblical narratives and their meanings and context. The substantial introduction brings together the latest scholarship on how the Bible was written, compiled, and handed down from generation to generation, and discusses its formidable, far-reaching influence throughout history. The main body of the Guide, divided into two sections, offers a treatment of the Hebrew Scriptures and the extraordinary history of the Israelites and a discussion of the New Testament and the life of Jesus. Each essay places its subject in historical and geographical context, comparing themes presented in the Bible with corresponding myths from a wide variety of cultures. Boxed sidebars throughout provide interesting background information on important themes and symbols (such as the dove and the lily) and full-color maps help to illustrate places and events (such as the city of Babylon and Paul's final voyage to Rome). The final section presents an invaluable and fully cross-referenced book-by-book summary of the Bible, a glossary of biblical terms, and a comprehensive bibliography and index.
Superbly illustrated with photographs of art, artifacts, and landscapes, and with magnificent paintings, charts, maps, and family trees, the highly accessible Illustrated Guide to the Bible is an excellent companion to this great work. It is an essential volume for every home and library, the first place to turn for information on this seminal book of Western culture.

About this title

About the Author

J.R. Porter is Professor Emeritus of Theology at the University of Exeter, England, and a former Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. He served for twenty years as a member of the General Synod of the Church of England. His many publications include Moses and Monarchy and Proclamation and Presence; in addition, he has contributed to numerous publications, including The Extended Family in the Old Testament: A Source Book of the Bible for Teachers and A Basic Introduction to the Old Testament.

From Library Journal

Porter, a former fellow of Oriel College, Oxford, has written a general introduction to the Bible and the Apocrypha that shows how its most important ideas and images may be more reliably interpreted through comparison with the art and artifacts of ancient and modern cultures. Porter's introduction offers a survey of the formation, transmission, and translations of the Bible. His discussion of the role of archaeology and historiography in biblical interpretation is critical and well balanced; he also conveys the importance of the role of myth and mythological concepts. His richly illustrated work demonstrates his appreciation for Western art as a vehicle for conveying the history of scriptural interpretation. The appendixes feature a book-by-book summary of the Bible, separate glossaries of terms and abbreviations, a list of works for further reading, a subject index, and a list of illustration sources. Highly recommended for general readers and informed lay readers, as well as theological researchers.?Robert H. O'Connell, Denver
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: London: BCA 1995.
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1900131005
• ISBN 13: 9781900131001
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288