An Introduction to the Bible

Today we are faced with an almost bewildering range of different versions of the Bible, from Protestant and Catholic Bibles, to Study Bibles and Bibles without commentary. How did they originate and in what ways do they differ? In his superbly researched and informative work, J. W. Rogerson investigates the many variants of the Bible, including the different translations, examining their origins and historical contexts and comparing the source material and authorship of each one. Taking the reader through the books of the Old and New Testaments, he explores the various styles of writing such as narrative, psalms, letters and laments, together with the composition of the gospels and the historical, political and religious backgrounds against which they were composed. Complete with a full glossary and a detailed bibliography, An Introduction to the Bible is a work of great scholarship, examining the Bible in terms of its readers, its critics and its ethical value, as well as its immense religious significance world-wide.