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The Bible ChronicleOld newsTHE BIBLE CHRONICLE Some years ago Longmans published The Chronicle of the Twentieth Century. This was a large volume charting history since 1900 using newspaper reports and photographs of events. The Bible Chronicle is a worthy attempt to do the same kind of thing marrying together both biblical history and news of what was going on at the same time in other parts of the world. The book is well produced with over 600 photographs, maps and charts in full colour. The newspaper headline-style is pursued in recounting the Bible stories, e.g. 'Loyal lover woos wayward wife' is the story of Hosea. It all makes fascinating reading as we find out what was going on in Athens around the date that Nehemiah became governor of Jerusalem. However, it is this matter of chronology which raises the biggest problems with the book. It follows what we might call the conventional archaeological chronology, much of which has been called into question, or is at least disputable. So, for example, the Exodus is dated to the 13th century BC. One of the consulting editors, John Bimson, of Trinity Theological College, Bristol, seems to adhere, in his academic writings, however, to a 15th-century date for the Exodus. But there is no attempt here, because it is a popular presentation of material, to critically examine the alternative chronological systems including the relative merits in their correlations with Egyptian history, or indeed biblical history. Perhaps this is being picky, given the style of the book, but it can be quite disconcerting to find the prophet Joel placed in a time which makes his prophecy already partly fulfilled. It could be a very handy book for Sunday school teachers and youth leaders with the accounts written up in a racy way, but are you happy with the dating? John Benton© Evangelicals Now - December 1997 |