In this course, you’ll learn the origins and history of the Bible from its ancient, and often obscure, beginnings to the present day.

Together we’ll discover how the Old and New Testaments were formed, including the early transmission of the manuscripts and the development of the canon. We’ll also discuss the myriad religious influences that were present while the Bible was being formed, as well as examining the Apocrypha and the Gnostic “gospels”.

We will discuss important contributions to the canon including the Dead Sea scrolls, the Nag Hamadi cache discovery, and examine church government over the centuries and its role in determining the content of the canon.

We’ll also learn about the history of Bible translation, from the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate to the Geneva and King James Bibles, through the ongoing work of translation around the world today.

This is an accessible course focused on the overarching story of how the Bible came to us today. It’s an excellent introduction for those desiring a more fundamental understanding of the development of this inspired book.