THE FOLIO SOCIETY

The Bible is the most influential book in Western culture, touching almost every aspect of our lives as a well-spring of ethical and philosophical traditions and as an inspiration to artists, writers and composers throughout the ages. This Companion provides an authoritative one-volume reference to the people, places, events, institutions, beliefs and secular influence of the Bible. Written by more than 250 scholars, drawn from some twenty countries across five continents and embracing a wide variety of perspectives, the Companion contains over 700 entries. Extended entries on subjects such as baptism, ethics, sin and grace read more like interpretive essays, while thoughtful discussion of biblical views on modern issues from homosexuality to anti-Semitism make this thorough reference book absorbing reading. Twenty-eight pages of colour maps provide a helpful and accurate portrait of the ancient world, while the detailed index and cross-referencing mean it has never been easier to check a fact or identify a figure than here.