The Bible in History How Writers Create a Past

For the last century, archaeologists, historians and biblical scholars have believed that the stories of the Bible describe real historical events, but in the last two decades, this understanding has been radically challenged. It is generally accepted, that there is very little archaeological or historical evidence to confirm the stories of the Bible. In this lucid and fascinating book, Professor Thompson - who has been at the forefront of the international debate for many years - shows that we misunderstand the Bible if we read it as history. Combining literary criticism of biblical texts and detailed analysis of ancient history, he shows that we have to look at the Bible as a body of literature that reflects the philosophical and moral views of its authors. By examining the social and political forces at work in the Middle East during the times that the Biblical texts were composed, he puts the Bible in its historical context and sheds new light on the relationship between the Old Testament and the New, between Judaism and Greek philosophy, between Yahweh and Christ.