Completed in August 2024, this five volume study looks at the influence of the Bible on western literature from the classical to the modern age, and in the third volume dealing with the period from the Enlightenment to Romanticism includes a chapter by Christopher Rowland, "'Why is the Bible More Entertaining & Instructive than any other book?': William Blake and the Enhancement of the Literary":
The Bible and Western Christian Literature is a 5-volume, 1.5 million word reference resource on the impact and influence of the bible upon the development of literature, charting this relationship from the classical period to the modern day. The international spread of the biblical text is reflected in a structure that considers the broader geographical, philosophical, and theological factors that crop up when the bible's role in culture and society is considered. The work reflects a broader cultural narrative that is dependent upon the bible for its relevance and yet also contributes to the bible's own continuing relevance in modern society.
Each volume is edited by a leading specialist in the period, and begins with a set of introductory materials including a chapter on how the biblical text is mediated in the given period. Ten thematic essays then introduce the key thinkers, works, events and themes of the period. Extracts from primary materials are then presented with specialist commentary showing how these texts interact with the bible itself.
The five volumes cover: The Late Classical and Medieval Periods, The Renaissance and Reformation Periods, Enlightenment to Romanticism, The Nineteenth Century, and The Modern Period.
Christopher Rowland is Emeritus Dean Ireland's Professor of Exegesis of Holy Scripture in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford.
The Bible and Western Christian Literature: Books and The Book is edited by Stephen Prickett and Elisabeth Jay, published by T&T Clark, and retails for £670 from bookstores.