Bruce Gordon’s The Bible: A Global History is a panoramic work that charts the journey of the Bible from ancient scroll to global icon. Although I have to admit that I am a sucker for these broad sweeping histories, I do believe they often tell us more about the author than the content simply because there is so much material available and anyone can pick and chose to create whatever narrative they desire. In this case, rather than a history of Christianity in general, Gordon narrows his focus to the text itself, allowing the Bible’s development, translations, and shifting interpretations to take center stage. From early canons to Pentecostal revivals (which he poorly represents), from Armenian linguists to African revivalists (that he also largely gets wrong), Gordon shows that the Bible's story is as much about the people and cultures who received it as the divine message it was meant to convey. As one of my profs for my MDiv said at least once every five minutes, the book is supracultural.

Gordon’s real strength lies in his thematic cohesion. Rather than dumping a heap of data on the reader’s lap and calling it a day, he traces a central thread: the Bible is a text shaped by tension. It's a sacred book that people constantly attempt to pin down, even as it resists capture. It demands interpretation, yet it refuses any attempt at dogmatism. As Gordan writes, “The Bible dictates its own history." He draws deeply on sources from early Church Fathers to modern theologians, placing the Bible in a constant state of dialogue with history, with readers, and even with itself.

The global lens is one of the most rewarding parts of Gordon’s approach. Beyond the usual suspects of European translators and Protestant reformers, he spends time exploring lesser-known (yet no less impactful) figures and movements, such as the Chinese Christians engaged in translation, and the profound tension faced by African Christians reconciling a sacred text once used to oppress them. Gordon notes that Africa now contains more Anglicans than the UK and US combined and there are now Anglican missionaries from there heading back into the West. There’s a quiet depth to the way Gordon treats such stories, not as footnotes to the Western narrative, but as central threads in a truly global tapestry.

That said, Gordon’s prose is more precise than passionate, more elegant than electric. This is not the kind of history book you binge read on a rainy weekend. And while his treatment of the Enlightenment’s interaction with Scripture is refreshing, highlighting not rejection but complex reconciliation, it’s hard not to wish for more engagement with the Bible in today’s digital world. A few chapters could have benefited from a bit more narrative spark or contemporary application, beyond the brief nod to Life Church's Youversion Bible app and its half a billion downloads.

Still, for those willing to wrestle with a text about a text that is itself fundamentally about wrestling with God, Gordan's book is an invaluable companion. It’s a rich reflection on a book that has shaped empires, broken chains, inspired saints, and occasionally been read and handled very badly. Gordon, standing at a respectful scholarly distance, invites us not to master the Bible but to be mastered by its depth. For those seeking to understand not just what the Bible is, but what it has done and continues to do, Gordon offers a history worthy of its subject that is nuanced, reverent, critical, and, just occasionally a little too dry.

This is so much more than ‘just’ a history of the Bible. It’s a history of civilisation, colonialism, manipulation, faith, and so many things. It’s truly fascinating and brilliantly written. It’s taken me a long time to work through it as it is dense with facts and research but it is actually an easy read. It isn’t ‘academic’ in any way.

I especially enjoyed the sections on the biblical scribes (for some reason I assumed they were all men), on how various people fought to have translations made, and how people manipulated other countries - in particular, African countries - to deny local customs and encourage Christian learning, and how the overall book became what we now recognise.

I had no idea that one of the most recognised, ‘unknown’ artists is Annie Vallotton who illustrated the Good News Bible.

This is a book that promises much and delivers more and would be a great gift.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

This title by Bruce Gordon is a must read and is packed with a wealth of information related to the history of the Bible. It has in-depth scholarship but is written in a very readable and accessible style. Due to the amount of information contained it’s best to read this slowly in sections and take your time with it. This was my first book by this particular author and the experience has caused me to look up other titles and put those on my TBR.

#TheBibleAGlobalHistory #Netgalley

This is a very ambitious and comprehensive survey of the history of the Bible—and, unlikely many in this genre, it is genuinely global in scope. I thought the chapters on China and Africa were especially interesting, and the one on Pentecostalism was fascinating as well. If I have one criticism, it is that the narrative presentation is a bit lacking in oomph: there is a lot of “an important development was X” and “a key figure was Y,” followed by “another important development” and “another key figure.” But it is a relatively minor quibble—the book delivers where it matters.

- many thanks to Basic Books for an ARC via NetGalley

I received this book from the publisher through the NetGalley review program. Opinions expressed are my own.

Bruce Gordon's "The Bible" is truly breathtaking in the breadth and depth of knowledge. Gordon tracks the history of the texts that have come to make up the Bible from our earliest records to modern translations. He follows the texts around the world and how different cultures were shaped by and shaped the scriptures. His expertise is clear throughout the book.

That being said, the only critique I have is the sheer amount of information contained in the 500 some odd pages. At times it lost me as a reader, when it became too dense and lost some of the personality of the author.

"The Bible" is a comprehensive work on the history and journey of Christian scripture throughout time and culture. While it does sometimes lose itself in the information, it is certainly an excellent resource for anyone interested in the history of the Bible.

The Bible by Bruce Gordon is absolutely fascinating. Despite growing up with the bible, I knew next to nothing about its origins. I was grateful to fill in the gaps in my knowledge.

This book is very informative and interesting, however, it reads like a thesis. I found myself having to read sentences and paragraphs multiple times to properly understand what was being said.

In saying that, I do believe history buffs will very much enjoy this book.

This covered a long period of history in an engaging fashion. I learned a lot through reading this title.

Having previously enjoyed Bruce Gordon's in-depth biographies of John Calvin and Zwingli, I approached The Bible: A Global History with a keen interest in exploring the historical and cultural transformations of the Bible. This book offers a panoramic view of how the Bible has been perceived, interpreted, and utilized across different epochs and civilizations. Starting from the formation of the biblical canon in the early Christian church to the complexities of global Pentecostalism, Gordon meticulously traces the evolution of the Bible's role in society, its impact on languages and nations, and its journey through the printing revolution, the Enlightenment, and into the modern world.

One of the book's strengths is its exploration of the Bible's cultural and linguistic journey, highlighting moments such as the creation of the Armenian Bible, which led to the development of a written form for the Armenian language, and the influence of the King James Version on English language and literature. The narrative also delves into the Bible's significant yet often overlooked role in non-Western cultures, including its reception in China and Africa, illustrating the complexities and challenges of translating and interpreting the Bible in diverse cultural contexts.

However, while The Bible: A Global History is rich in content and provides a comprehensive overview of its subject, it falls short of being an engaging read. The prose, though clear, lacks the dynamism that could make such a vast historical sweep more captivating. This is not to detract from Gordon's scholarly achievement; the book is undoubtedly a valuable resource for those interested in the history of Christianity and the Bible. Yet, this may not be the ideal choice for readers seeking a more gripping narrative.

In sum, Gordon's work is an impressive scholarly endeavor that offers insightful perspectives on the Bible's global impact. It sheds light on the multifaceted ways this sacred text has shaped and been shaped by human history. Despite its lack of narrative flair, the book is a testament to the enduring influence of the Bible across centuries and cultures, making it a worthwhile read for those intrigued by the intersections of religion, history, and society.

I received this book from the publisher through the NetGalley review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This book deserves another read-through and a commitment to revisit it annually. It’s like a buffet; there is so much information that one can pick and choose what satisfies one's needs at any particular moment.

I was interested in the journey of the Christian bible and Gordon’s research presented me with more than I anticipated.

Author Bruce Gordon describes the bible as “the most influential book in the world” and “the most global of books” and describes it as a “story of the divine conversation that was never limited to bound pages.”

He begins (and the past I was most interested in) by defining ‘bible’ and introduces readers to Athanasius, a controversial and combative bishop in Alexandria who, in 367 CE, listed 27 books of the New Testament which he regarded as ‘canon’. His was the first list and was a turning point in determining the contents of the bible. Gordon continues with exciting scroll discoveries, production at Tours, and onto the translation by King Alfred. The next section was a little more familiar to me, but I appreciated the refresher on the journey of the Reformation and the King James Bible. I wasn’t as interested in the Transatlantic Bible chapters to the end (chapters 8 - 14), and I admittedly flitted through these chapters. This is by no means my final read-through. I know that I’ll go back and learn and relearn. This is an excellent resource that I’m excited to possess.

Things that gave me pause:

1) Being in possession of these texts (bible) incurred grave risks
2) Bible wasn’t invented by Christians but “emerged from their interaction with Roman society.”
3) The codex “became a means by which Christianity distinguished itself from Judaism and Roman culture.”
4) How Constantine the Great’s wish to have 50 bibles for his churches in Constantinople required “the skins of approximately 350 calves or sheep” per bible.
5) The (almost not) discovery Constantin von Tischendorf made in the deserts at Cairo


I went down a rabbit hole researching the two surviving codices (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) to see for myself where the bible as a book originated. How wonderful that these are available online!

The most important thing you need to know is that this book, although written by someone gifted in their field, is accessible to us all. It reads like a conversation and I was able to put it down several times and pick it up again without feeling like I needed to reread to remember what I’d previously learned. I’d claim that this is a necessary tool for the inquisitive.

I was gifted this copy by Basic Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.