The Bible in Christian History

Course Description

Ever since the first century, the Christian Scriptures have been on the move. Across vast distances of time and space, these texts have reached readers and listeners in a multitude of contexts, from sanctuaries, to monasteries, to private homes. For two thousand years, new translations and new technologies alike have aided the Bible’s movement and reception around the world.

This course is for anyone interested in exploring the history of the Bible as it travelled the world to become the global bestseller it is today. Through readings, lectures, and assignments, we will consider key moments in the Bible’s history, including the early formalization of Christian Scripture, the impact of the medieval scriptorium and university, the discoveries of Renaissance humanism, the transformative impact of print during the Reformation, and the pairing of translation and global missions across church traditions.

In this course, students will be invited to explore the multifaceted story of the Bible in Christian history with special attention to the formation of the Bible as a book, the theology of biblical authority, and approaches to biblical interpretation. The goal of this class is to inform, equip, and propel students toward a new or renewed recognition of the significance of the Bible in the past and for the present.