Book Review
The Indestructible
Book
W. Kenneth Connolly
(This book review appears by permission of The Associates for Biblical
Research,
www.biblearchaeology.org.)
The Bible is the most remarkable
piece of literature this world has ever seen. It has outsold every other
publication; it has been translated into more languages than any other, and
has become part of the fabric of society. Humanly speaking, it took more than
1,500 years to compile the Bible. About 40 authors contributed to it. Some
used poetry others wrote history and yet others biography. Some were kings,
but others peasants; some were warriors and others priests; some were devoted
patriots, and others members of an outlawed underground organization. Some
people were so committed to the belief that the Bible is God's book that they
were even willing to die for that proposition. And strangely, others have been
willing to put them to death. Supporters of the Bible have been hung, drawn
and quartered; they have been burned, boiled and beheaded. Even in the 20th
century in some countries men and women have been imprisoned and tortured for
reading this forbidden book.
How are we to classify the Bible? Each of
us must make up our own mind about this extraordinary book. Why have so many
people willingly sacrificed so much so that everyone can read the Bible? Why
did so much need to be sacrificed for a book that has proven itself to be
"indestructible"?
The Indestructible Book tells the story of the
Bible from its beginnings to its translation into English, a story filled with
heroes who believed nothing is more important than learning what the Bible has
to teach us. One of those heroes was John Wycliffe. This Oxford scholar and
priest translated the entire Bible into English, eventually becoming chaplain
to the king of England. Wycliffe's controversial views ultimately offended
both church officials and palace authorities. Wycliffe stood alone; defending
himself against charges of heresy. He died while preaching in his church.
Believers in England and on the Continent who spread his message and beliefs
were executed by burning.
Another hero whose story is told in The
Indestructible Book is William Tyndale. Converted to Christianity through
his study of the Greek New Testament, Tyndale had English Bibles printed on
the Continent and smuggled into England in sacks of flour. People caught
reading this contraband were burned at the stake with the Bible hung around
their necks. Tyndale himself was eventually apprehended and burned. His final
prayer was this: "Open the eyes of the king of England." Three years later,
that prayer was answered.
Dramatic narratives about Wycliffe, Tyndale,
and many others fill The Indestructible Book. The text is complemented by
123 illustrations, nearly all of them reproduced in color. Here is a beautiful
book to treasure, even while it points us to a still more valuable book the
Bible, "the indestructible book"!
Baker Book House, 1996, 192 pages.
ABR wishes to get this book into the hands of as many people as possible and
is making it available for the special reduced price of $9.95, plus postage
and PA sales tax. Call 1-800-430-0008 for your credit card