Light of the Word: How Knowing the History of the Bible Illuminates Our Faith

“While a comprehensive understanding of the Scriptures is not a prerequisite for salvation, it is nonnegotiable for sanctification,” asserts historian Lim (Sola Scriptura and Sectarianism) in this impassioned history of the Christian Bible. Framing the acceptance of God’s word as the “second gift” after salvation, Lim begins by delineating the Old Testament’s three-part structure (the “Law,” “the Prophets,” and “the Writings”), a setup that existed “at least a century before Jesus’s birth.” Later she digs into the New Testament, devoting particular attention to how its 27-book canon was solidified in the fourth century, which helped “stabilize the church” by “rooting out heresies and clearly delineating orthodox teaching.” Other topics include the book of Esther, in which God is never explicitly mentioned; miracles in scripture; and “challenges” to the Bible, including that “archaeology has disproved” it. Lim’s enthusiasm for her topic is palpable, and she never loses sight of “the wonderfully absurd” (for instance, that “God impregnated a teenage girl from a humble family”) or sacrifices close historical detail. New Christians will gain particular energy from Lim’s heartfelt promise that scripture can reveal “moments when the miraculous converges with the ordinary.” (Dec.)