The Book of Genesis Illustrated
by R. Crumb
Reviewed by Leonard J. Greenspoon

Famed illustrator R. Crumb and the even more famous first book of the Bible: Is this a match made in heaven or in a location far more terrestrial?

King and Messiah as Son of God: Divine, Human, and Angelic Messianic Figures in Biblical and Related Literature
by Adela Yarbro Collins and John J. Collins
Reviewed by James C. VanderKam

What is the origin of the idea in canonical Christian texts that Jesus existed prior to the incarnation? And what is the source of the claim that he is a divine Messiah?

In Quest of the Historical Pharisees
Edited by Jacob Neusner and Bruce Chilton
Reviewed by John Merrill

Who were the Pharisees? The New Testament Gospels portray them as opponents of the Jesus movement, but their identity and motives are at best opaque.

God and Sex: What the Bible Really Says
by Michael Coogan
Reviewed by Phyllis Trible

God and Sex. Who would not be intrigued by so expansive and seductive a title coming from a secular and boutique press? But the subtitle narrows the scope: What the Bible Really Says.

The Cave of John the Baptist: The Stunning Archaeological Discovery That Has Redefined Christian History
by Shimon Gibson
Reviewed by James F. Strange

This book is an engaging, first-person account of the excavation of an ancient cave near Beth Ha-Karim, west of Jerusalem, that Shimon Gibson, the author/excavator, associates with John the Baptist.

The Uttermost Part of the Earth: A Guide to Places in the Bible
by Richard R. Losch

An informative look into the places of the Holy Land meant as a sort of reference book to go hand in hand with the Bible.

Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
by Stephen Bertman

A comprehensive look into the lives of the Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian neighbors mentioned in the Bible and contemporary records.

The Gospels of Mary: The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene, the Companion of Jesus
by Marvin Meyer with Esther A. de Boer

Was Mary Magdalene a repentant whore? According to Marvin Meyer, Biblical and extrabiblical texts show that Mary was the disciple whom Jesus loved above all others.

Women in Mark’s Gospel
by Susan Miller

Susan Miller surveys the role of the women in Mark in terms of discipleship.

Mary’s Mother: Saint Anne in Late Medieval Europe
by Virginia Nixon

Virginia Nixon has studied hundreds of images of Anne in an attempt to understand her and her popularity.

The Sacred Bridge: Carta’s Atlas of the Biblical World
by Anson F. Rainey and R. Steven Notley
Reviewed by Harold Brodsky

The Sacred Bridge offers a feast of expert information for the serious reader of the Bible.

Rabbi Paul: An Intellectual Biography
by Bruce Chilton
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans

A balanced portrait of this innovative, engaging Jew, informed by a critical reading of primary literature and judicious weighing of the secondary literature.

In Search of Paul: How Jesus’s Apostle Opposed Rome’s Empire with God’s Kingdom
by John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L. Reed
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans

A balanced portrait of this innovative, engaging Jew, informed by a critical reading of primary literature and judicious weighing of the secondary literature.

Social-Science Commentary on the Letters of Paul
by Bruce J. Malina and John J. Pilch
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans

An eminently practical focus on how the social dimension of Paul’s world comes to expression in his letters.

Paul: His Life and Teaching
by John McRay
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans

The life and travels of the apostle Paul from an archaeological perspective, and a treatment of Paul’s theology.

Paul: His Story
by Jerome Murphy-O’Connor
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans

This book brings to life with vivid imagery what that world looked like in Paul’s time and what it looks like today.

Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology
by Udo Schnelle
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans

A systematic look at Paul’s life and the development of his theology.

Paul
by N.T. Wright
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans

This book re-examines how the apostle Paul redefined the essentials of Jewish faith in the light of his experience of the risen Christ.

The Black Sea Flood Question—Changes in Coastline, Climate and Human Settlement
by Valentina Yanko-Hombach, Allan S. Gilbert, Nicolae Panin and Pavel M. Dolukhanov
Reviewed by A.J. (Tom) van Loon

Explores an environmental event of 7,500 years ago that possibly inspired the Genesis flood story.

Beasts of the Bible
By Simcha Jacobovici
Reviewed by Leonard J. Greenspoon

All your favorite Biblical beasts—the serpent of the Garden of Eden, Jonah’s whale/large fish, Behemoth and Leviathan—predictably, and often frighteningly, make an appearance in this DVD.

Sex in the Bible: A New Consideration
By J. Harold Ellens
Reviewed by Tal Ilan

In this book, Ellens challenges some views of sexuality and claims the Bible thinks sex is positive and wonderful and that it is “the big bad church that has spoilt all this” for people.

Studying the Old Testament: A Companion
By Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch
Reviewed by Robin Gallaher Branch

In his book, Matthews gives a straight forward, well-documented story of the peoples of the Old Testament, illuminated using references, guides, photography, geography and archaeology.

The Bible’s Buried Secrets
Two-hour NOVA special
Reviewed by Kenneth Atkinson

In this 2-hour special, NOVA takes viewers on a fascinating quest in search of the origins of the Hebrew Bible. The film introduces viewers to the latest findings in Biblical scholarship and archaeology.

God’s Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question—Why We Suffer
by Bart Ehrman
Reviewed by John Merrill

A recognized expert on biblical texts, Ehrman focuses on the difficult question of why a good God would cause people to suffer. He comes to the conclusion that suffering is caused, not by God, but by evil forces in the world.

The End of Biblical Studies
by Hector Avalos
Reviewed by John Merrill

Avalos presents criticisms of biblical archaeology. He argues that since the nature of archaeology itself is fragmentary (there is no absolute proof), the whole endeavor should be given up.

Eden to Exile: Mary Magdalene Understood
by Jane Schaberg with Melanie Johnson-Debaufre
Reviewed by Amy-Jill Levine

This book, done in question-answer format, investigates Magdalene’s depiction as penitent, whore, apostle and lover and how she’s viewed historically from biblical times all the way to present-day Hollywood.

Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible
By Eric H. Cline
Reviewed by John Merrill

In his book, Professor Cline gives a fresh and thoroughly evidenced look into the many Biblical mysteries.

Rereading Paul Together: Protestant and Catholic Perspectives on Justification
Edited by David E. Aune
Reviewed by Ben Witherington, III

Rereading Paul Together gives a collection of papers presented at a colloquium held at Notre Dame 2002. The essays focus on the biblical concept of justification: a constant topic of debate between Catholics and Protestants.

Resurrection: The Origin and Future of a Biblical Doctrine
Edited by James Charlesworth
Reviewed by Ben Witherington, III

Despite relatively few Scripture texts on the subject, the concept of bodily resurrection is fervently believed by many within the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this work, James Charlesworth and his fellow essayists attempt to answer the question of where such a hope originated.

Scribal Culture and the Making of the Hebrew Bible
By Karel van der Toorn
Reviewed by Alan Millard

Ancient Israel was mainly an oral society. Reading was rare and limited to scribes. In this book, Toorn investigates ancient scribal habits and attempts to use them to unravel the history of the Hebrew Bible.