WHEN BIBLE MEETS HISTORY

Crane addresses questions of the biblical historicity in this nonfiction exploration of the Pentateuch.

“There is no one right way to approach the Bible,” the author reminds readers in the book’s introduction. Despite being the world’s bestselling book, most readers do not understand the historical context in which the Bible was produced or its connection to the broader picture of world history. Born out of Crane’s belief that background knowledge of the Bible’s first five books (or Pentateuch) “can support and enhance religious or secular understanding of this great work,” the book is driven by a central question: Is history compatible with biblical accounts? Reveling in nuance and displaying a firm grasp of contemporary historiography, the author notes that archaeologists and historians have yet to form a singular consensus on ancient history. Adding to the complexity of studying Biblical history, per Crane, is the fact that the Bible is a genre-defying work that blends nonfictional accounts with theology, poetry, parody, metaphor, and hyperbole. While deliberately obfuscating his own theological beliefs, the author ultimately sides with those who believe that the events described in the Torah actually took place (though he tempers this sentiment with an acknowledgement that the Pentateuch does not share modern preoccupations with chronological and geographic accuracy or other concerns of contemporary historians). Additionally, the book makes a compelling, if not particularly novel, case that the Bible’s first five books directly shaped subsequent world history. (“Our modern civil society,” Crane writes, “is a direct descendent of ancient Hebrew holy innovations.”) The book’s erudite yet accessible text is broken into concise chapters that are often only a few pages in length and include a wealth of color-coded charts and high-resolution maps, photographs, paintings, and other images. The author of multiple books on Jewish history, Crane confidently guides readers through the labyrinth of ancient history with an engaging writing style. The text is supplemented by a 25-page bibliography of scholarly research.

A well-researched, absorbing, and open-minded case for biblical historicity.