How the Bible became the Bible

by Donald O'Dell

Overview

The Florida Writers Association (www.floridawriters.net) awarded this book, How the Bible became the Bible, the winner in the non-fiction category of the 2006 Royal Palm Literary Award contest. The announcement was made November 11, during the FWA 2006 Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.

How did a collection of scrolls, laws, songs, poems, narratives, and letters get put together, declared sacred, and called the Holy Bible? The author makes the case that our human nature has always had a strong desire for simplistic, black-and-white, religious beliefs – a desire to know that one’s right. This quells doubt and, as such, is fear-based. This inclination had its beginnings in the Old Testament, led to abuses in Israel’s Temple-State system, and influenced the documents that were eventually included and excluded from the New Testament.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940014686969
Publisher:	Infinity Publishing
Publication date:	02/28/2006
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	308
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Donald L. O'Dell holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and an undergraduate degree in history from North Texas.

As an ordained United Presbyterian minister, he served as a street gang minister in Trenton, NJ. In addition he had two separate pastorates in Oklahoma, where he also served as Chaplain in a county hospital.

He continued to serve smaller congregations after he joined the private sector in business. Semi-retired, Don resides in Tennessee with his wife, Marcia. He is active with a proposal consulting business.

He also remains an active participant in a New Thought spiritual groups and congregations.

This is a book of my spiritual journey. For many years it's clearly been for me, and others I have spoken with, a self discovery tool; it is also a formidable bible study guide to help anyone with the context of researching the Bible.

Visiti the web site www.DonODell.com.

Editorial Reviews

"As you know, I teach the Bible courses at Unity Institute. I have placed your book, How the Bible became the Bible, on the recommended reading list for all students of these courses. Don, I'm so glad you wrote this – providing a sane, high-level discussion of the development, history, and understanding of the Bible for us today – in what is becoming a growing climate of extremism, pandering, misinformation and divisiveness."

Rev. E.J. Rev. E.J. Niles

“The history and mystery of the Bible have been in the literary hands of only a few people compared to the millions who do not know the true meaning of the Bible – including what it really is and what it really is not. Mr. O'Dell has done insightful research to explain simply the pure intent … of this greatly misunderstood book and how it came to be. I highly endorse and recommend O'Dell's exciting new work.”

Dr Tom Costa

"[How the Bible became the Bible] provides excellent historical background as well as the author's personal history, which enhances his message by providing a glimpse of how the Holy Scripture can really be used. The book discusses very technical subjects yet makes them understandable to the average reader. It is a useful positive approach and has the ability to provide healing insight among today's dogmatic and divisive approaches to scripture…. I will be promoting your book.

Lee Carroll

“Mr. O’Dell has written a sane book that gives us a peek into the history of what we call our Bible. It awakens us to the importance of thinking through our automatic responses to our childhood Bible orientation and making a claim on our own spirituality…. I visualize this book reaching out and touching the many people who may have settled for a ritualized and meaningless experience with God, or may have given up on their spirituality altogether….

Rev. Elizabeth Claire

“How the Bible became the Bible can put years of Bible study and Scripture reading suddenly into focus. It sharpens the big picture no matter how clear it seemed before…. The research and scholarship are excellent, yet it can be read as easily by those with little biblical knowledge as by those with [Bible study] experience.”

Karen Harvey, historian