Rethinking The Bible

With Jane Clayson in for Tom Ashbrook.

From handwritten scrolls to postings online, the bible is always evolving, says religious scholar Timothy Beal. We’ll hear him out.

Timothy Beal was raised in an evangelical Christian home and went on to become a religious scholar and professor at Case Western University.

So, you wouldn’t expect these words to come out of his mouth: “The bible is an accidental book.” But that’s exactly what he said. And that’s just for starters.

There’s no original bible, he says. The idea of the bible as the word of God is only about a century old.

To make the case, Beal looks at sacred texts and at today’s nearly billion dollar bible publishing industry.

This hour On Point: Reimagining the bible with Timothy Beal.
- Jane Clayson

Guest:

Timothy Beal professor of religion at Case Western Reserve University. His new book is  "The Rise and Fall of the Bible: The Unexpected History of an Accidental Book."

Michael Farris, chancellor and founding president of Patrick Henry College.