An Introduction to the Medieval Bible Introduction to Religion Series

The Middle Ages spanned the period between two watersheds in the history of the biblical text: Jerome's Latin translation c.405 and Gutenberg's first printed version in 1455. The Bible was arguably the most influential book during this time, affecting spiritual and intellectual life, popular devotion, theology, political structures, art, and architecture. In an account that is sensitive to the religiously diverse world of the Middle Ages, Frans van Liere offers here an accessible introduction to the study of the Bible in this period. Discussion of the material evidence - the Bible as book - complements an in-depth examination of concepts such as lay literacy and book culture. This introduction includes a thorough treatment of the principles of medieval hermeneutics, and a discussion of the formation of the Latin bible text and its canon. It will be a useful starting point for all those engaged in medieval and biblical studies.

Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. The Bible as book; 3. The medieval canon; 4. The text of the medieval Bible; 5. Medieval hermeneutics; 6. The commentary tradition; 7. The vernacular Bible; 8. The Bible in worship and preaching; 9. The 'Bible for the poor'?; Afterword.

Frans van Liere studied theology and medieval studies at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, and is Professor of History at Calvin College. He has published extensively on medieval biblical exegesis and twelfth-century intellectual history. His most recent publications include Andrew of Saint Victor, Commentary on Samuel and Kings (2009) and Interpretation of Scripture: Theory (Victorine Texts in Translation), Volume 3 (co-edited with Franklin Harkins, 2012).