Product Description

Why did Jonah live in a whale? And how did Jesus turn the water into wine at the wedding in Cana? From Genesis to Revelation, this accessible companion explores and explains the most important stories of the Bible. Classical works of art and archaeological sites reveal fascinating details about life in biblical times including festivals, fashions and customs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36153 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
From Genesis to Revelation this handbook follows the Bible on a book-by-book basis. What makes this lavishly illustrated handbook so impressive is the use of five types of double-page spreads. The "Book" spread discusses the origin and significance of each book, with a brief summary of the key themes. The "Story" spread provides an inviting retelling of the main stories, while also explaining why specific passages, characters and events are so meaningful. "Background" and "History" spreads offer cultural contexts as well as fascinating historical facts that make the reading of the Bible all the more rich and satisfying. "Theology" enters into the mature arenas of biblical study, where interpretation and theory are deftly explored. The religious art and design are sophisticated and elegant--a welcome departure from often cartoonish or overly ornate biblical illustrations. Yet the most praise should be heaped upon the multi-denominational team of authors that embrace both Christian and Jewish faiths. Together they kept this handbook credible, scholarly, and highly readable. --Gail Hudson

About the Author
John Bowker was Dean of Trinity College, Cambridge from 1984 to 1991 and is currently a Fellow of Gresham College, London and Honorary Canon of Canterbury Cathedral. He is also Adjunct Professor of Religion at North Carolina State University. Professor Bowker's many books include the DK titles God: A Brief History and World Religions. He lives in Cambridge.

Customer Reviews

A good bible companion. Concise, interesting, unbiased,
I would highly recommend this book. Great pictures and well laid out make this a good, enjoyable read at any time. The book is a good companion for those wanting to know more about all aspects of the bible. It is unbiased and does not lead you into the authors religious beliefs. Rather, the book explores each book in turn and gives a summary of significance within the book and gives alterate interpretations which the reader may be unaware of. The book provides an insite into the people in the bible, places in the bible and describes culture in the biblical times. Additionally it explores areas such as angels, satan and other interesting areas that just makes you want to read on. Beautiful pictures and extracts from religious works makes this book enjoyable to read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is the type of book that you can pick up and open at any page and read something new and interesting.

Ideal for the beginner
This is an ideal book for those who have just discovered the Bible and are keen to discover more. While not as extensive a commentary as the Lion Handbook to the Bible, this DK version covers all the Bible's books, featuring overviews of the most well-known stories and events, and the characters involved.

Lavishly illustrated in the DK tradition, with a useful reference section detailing people, places and various terms used in the Bible, this book is a user-friendly volume (perhaps a bit large to be a handbook) that is a pleasure to dip into and browse.

A commendably thorough guide
John Bowker and a team of contributing scholars have done a fine job with this heavyweight guide to the Bible. Written for adults, it's nonetheless packed with Dorling Kindersley's usual high-quality photographs and illustrations. Broader in sympathy, and generally more neutral in approach to its subject than volumes such as The Lion Handbook to the Bible, it's a very in-depth look at the individual books that comprise the Jewish and Christian scriptures, as well as themes and cultural background. It also has helpful additional material that enhances understanding, for example on Egyptian folklore (essential background to parts of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament), the nature of Canaanite religion, crime and punishment in the ancient world, kingship and warfare. There are good sections, too, on the apocrypha. Sensitive in approach to issues of religious exclusivism, it uses an analysis of the book of Jonah to give a balanced discussion of universalism and particularism in the context of the Hebrew Bible's understanding of Israel as God's covenant people.

The New Testament section has some very good material on the Roman empire and broader Hellenistic cultural background, as well as on how the concept of a Messiah was understood. One weakness is that it offers little discussion of the theological significance of the crucifixion or resurrection (for example, differing theories of what the death of Jesus meant), and little on the variety of contemporary approaches to New Testament interpretation. However, it's otherwise commendably thorough, though probably not for the absolute beginner.