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The Bible: A Biography
Karen Armstrong
#UE5782 Paperback, 302 pages; 2007 $14.00
Members' Price: $11.90

  Karen Armstrong is a well-respected religious historian (and former nun) whose work is required reading in many theology courses. Thus it comes as no surprise that she was the one to pen this thought-provoking and often surprising "biography" of the world's bestselling book. The Bible's story begins in 597 BCE, when political turmoil between Judah and Babylonia led to the destruction of Solomon's temple. From that point in history, Armstrong goes on to explore the blending of various oral traditions to form the root of the Hebrew Bible; the edits made when Old Testament writings were translated from Hebrew to Greek; the origins of the Jesus movement and the gradual division of Judaism and Christianity; conflicting interpretations by the Catholic Church and Martin Luther; and the attacks on biblical text during the Age of Enlightenment. Fair warning: Some readers will balk at Armstrong's conclusions, while others will find the historical information deepens their spiritual studies. Either way, there is no denying the astonishing complexity of the Bible. (KG)