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First edition of Smith's Concise Dictionary of the Bible. Octavo, bound in full dark green leather with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt inner dentelles, all edges gilt, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour on the front flyleaf, "John Hewy Havadine, with all good wishes from Arthur James Balfour, Trinity College, 1869." Arthur James Balfour was born of an ancient Scottish family and was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. He served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. He was later First Lord of the Admiralty in Asquith's coalition government in the first World War, and foreign Minister under Lloyd George (1916-1919). As Foreign Secretary in the Lloyd George ministry, he issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917 on behalf of the cabinet promising support for a Jewish National home in Palestine. In very good condition. The Bible has had an unprecedented influence on literature and history, especially in the Western World, where the Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed using movable type. According to the March 2007 edition of Time, the Bible â has done more to shape literature, history, entertainment, and culture than any book ever written. Its influence on world history is unparalleled, and shows no signs of abating.â With estimated total sales of over 5 billion copies, it is widely considered to be the most influential and best-selling book of all time. Attitudes towards the Bible also differ among Christian groups. Roman Catholics, high church Anglicans, Methodists and Eastern Orthodox Christians stress the harmony and importance of both the Bible and sacred tradition, while many Protestant churches, including Evangelical Anglicans, focus on the idea of sola scriptura, or scripture alone. This concept arose during the Reformation, and many denominations today support the use of the Bible as the only infallible source of Christian teaching. Others though, advance the concept of prima scriptura in contrast.
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