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The Bible has been the most influential text in all of Western culture. It's difficult to understand medieval or early modern or much of modern literature without knowing it...

Prof. Barbara Newman, Northwestern University
from 2006 Bible Literary project

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It's not that it's impossible to read some writers without a Biblical background, but that you would miss a whole dimension to their work.

Prof. Steven Goldsmith, University of California at Berkeley
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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I can only say that if a student doesn't know any Bible literature, he or she will simply not understand whole elements of Shakespeare, Sidney, Spenser, Milton, Pope, Wordsworth

Prof. Robert Kiely, Harvard University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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...there is truth in the remark. "without Tyndale[Bible translator], no Shakespeare"...

Prof. David Daniell, University College London
from The Bible in English

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You can't really study Western literature intelligently or coherently without starting with the Bible.

Prof. Gerald L. Bruns, University of Notre Dame
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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...a familiar understanding of Christian doctrine in historical perspective thus contributes to a fuller appreciation of Shakespeare's art, but Shakespeare's art

Prof. Roland M. Frye
from Shakespeare and the Christian Doctrine

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In English tradition and also for an American tradition begun by Puritan writers, a knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is even more crucial than classical references.

Prof. Ulrich Knoefplmacher, Princeton University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

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There is no book more important for our culture than the Bible, and it is fundametal to the study of English literature and language.

Prof. David Jasper and Prof. Stephen Prickett
from the Bible and literature

Abraham

Picture description: The Sacrifice of Isaac by Caravaggio (1590-1610; Oil on canvas; Uffizi)
Picture copyright: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/about/license.html

Bible Verse

Genesis 17:5

Meaning

This name is of Hebrew origin. In the Old Testament, Abraham was originally named Abram which means “my father is exalted”. Later on, God renamed him as Abraham which stands for “father of many nations”. He was married to Sarah and gave birth to Isaac when he was a hundred years old, so he was regarded as being the father of the nation of Israel through Isaac. God tested Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeyed but God’s angel prevented the act at the last moment. Hence, Abraham is also commonly known as the Father of Faith.

Gender

Male

Example

Keywords

Abraham    faith    father    Isaac    Israel    sacrifice    Sarah    Sarai   

Related Information

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