Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The polytheistic religions of the ancient Western world did not require bookish beliefs or ethical codes, as books played almost no role in their religion. Judaism, on the other hand, stressed its ancestral traditions, customs, and laws, and maintained that these had been recorded in sacred books.#2 Christianity, the religion of Jesus, was also a bookish religion from the very beginning. Christians, from the very beginning, valued the books of their tradition.#3 The first Christians wrote letters to each other, which were extremely important to the communities. These letters were later regarded as scripture.#4 The New Testament is made up of letters written by Paul and other Christian leaders to Christian communities and individuals. These letters were important to the early Christian communities because they bound them together and helped make Christianity different from the other religions scattered throughout the empire.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The polytheistic religions of the ancient Western world did not require bookish beliefs or ethical codes, as books played almost no role in their religion. Judaism, on the other hand, stressed its ancestral traditions, customs, and laws, and maintained that these had been recorded in sacred books.#2 Christianity, the religion of Jesus, was also a bookish religion from the very beginning. Christians, from the very beginning, valued the books of their tradition.#3 The first Christians wrote letters to each other, which were extremely important to the communities. These letters were later regarded as scripture.#4 The New Testament is made up of letters written by Paul and other Christian leaders to Christian communities and individuals. These letters were important to the early Christian communities because they bound them together and helped make Christianity different from the other religions scattered throughout the empire.