The Pageless Book

Photo by Javier Cruz Barranco

In the entire history of the world, there has not been a civilization as successful as Western Civilization - except maybe the Roman Empire, but please let’s over look that. And perhaps the Ottoman Empire… and can we ignore the Chinese Celestial Empire as well? Well, our society may not be unique in terms of successfulness, but there’s no arguing that our civilization is pretty spiffy, in the grand scheme of things, and worth the time and effort to understand.

For better or for worse, the origins of our civilization are rooted deeply into the historical soil of Christianity. By extension the religions that it has came from or have come from Christianity are also important us. Trying to understand the origins of this religion, as well as how this religion has evolved over time, gives us a better understanding of where we have been and where we are going. With this perspective upon our own history, we can better grasp our identity as a civilization, and come to terms with the problems facing us today.

Given this, I present to you a time line of holy texts that have been influential to, or influenced by, Western Civilization. By no means is this a complete list of texts. Although I have tried to include all the major influences on our culture, I may have left a few out. Nor can I claim that all the information is completely accurate. The information I present here is a brief summary and may miss important details. If you find that I have inadvertently excluded something that you believe to be important, feel free to let me know.

• The Zend Avesta - c. 1200 BCE.

This is the Holy Book of Zoroastrianism, the first prophetic and monotheistic religion. This religion became prominent between 560 BCE and 650 CE, and shares many similarities to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Like these religions, Zoroastrianism professes the existence of a heaven and hell, the belief in one God, and in the belief that this holy text is the word of God. You can find the text of The Zend Avesta here.

• The Torah - c. 1200 BCE Authorship, c. 450 BCE Canonized.

Also called the Pentateuch, these five books are considered the word of God as written by Moses in traditional Judaism. The Torah itself has undergone several revisions throughout history. When Israel split from Judah, the two priesthoods began to support slightly different copies of the text. Originally, the Torah was four books, but would later became five books in c. 625 BCE, when the priesthood of Judah claimed to have discovered Deuteronomy. In c. 450 BCE after the exile in Babylon, these two text were combined with other versions of the Torah as well as Deuteronomy and finalized into the book we have today. You can find the text of The Torah here.

• The Tanakh - c. 1000 - 100 BCE Authorship, c. 75 CE Canonized.

Better known to Christian readers as the Old Testament, this holy text includes the Torah along with nineteen other texts which form the core of the Hebrew Religion. It includes the writings of prophets, the poetry of kings, and the histories of the Hebrew people. You can find the text of The Tanakh here.

• New Testament (KJV) - c. 50 - 75 CE Authorship, c. 400 CE Canonized.

Twenty seven books make up this text, and form the corner stone of the Christian faith. Although there are several inconsistencies in the text and mistakes made in the scribing of them, it is believed to be an historically accurate account of Jesus’s life and death. In 1611 CE, the most popular English Translation of the Bible, both New Testament and Old Testament, was published as The King James Bible. You can find the text of the Christian Bible here.

• The Gnostic Gospels - c. 75 - 150 CE.

The core of the Gnostic Gospels are the books found in the Nag Hammadi Library in 1945 CE. Gnosticism is one of the many minor off shoots of early Christianity that were suppressed and became extinct. Gnosticism became the foundation of Hermeticism, which then gave root to Occult practices in Medieval Europe. You can find some of the texts of The Gnostic Gospels here.

• The Kebra Negast - c. 300 CE.

This text was presented at the First Council of Nicaea for possible inclusion into the Christian Bible. It later became the Holy Book of the Rastafari movement, which began c. 1930 CE. The book is an account of the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Ethiopia. You can find the text of The Kebra Negast here.

• The Qur’an - c. 600 CE.

As the sacred book of Islam, the Qur’an is believed by Muslims to be the final revelation to humanity. The book was first written by followers of Muhammad as recited by Muhammad the prophet over the course of 23 years. The text itself is poetic in nature and often alludes to stories of the Tanakh and the New Testament. You can find the text of The Quran here.

• The Adi Granth - c. 1600 CE.

The Adi Granth is the holy book of the Sikh religion. The text itself is a collection of the poetry, spiritual insights, and songs of the first five Gurus of the Sikh religion. Because the Sikh religion is a blending of both Islam and Hinduism, it also recognizes and included information from a number of Muslim and Hindu saints. You can find the text of The Adi Granth here.

• The Book of Mormon - 1830 CE First Publication.

Found and allegedly translated from golden plates by Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon is the sacred text of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Copies are often given for free by missionaries, and who could probably give a better review of the text then I can here. You can find the text of The Book of Mormon here.

• The Kitab-i-Aqdas - c. 1840 CE.

Written by Bahá’u'lláh, the founder of the Bahai faith, this book claims to be the next revelation of the God of Abraham. The Kitab-i-Aqdas accepts of the account of Muhammad, Jesus, Buddha, and Abraham as revelations of God, and also asserts that there will be yet other messengers of God in the future. The Bahai faith is often described as a blended religion, combining the teachings of several earlier religions. You can find the text of The Kitab-i-Aqdas here.

• The Urantia Book - 1935 CE.

This text is a compilation of papers that were collected by a group known as the Forum. The members of this Forum claim that the papers materialized as a response to questions they have asked between 1925 and 1935. Although The Urantia Book shares several teachings that are similar to Christian beliefs, it also diverts from Christianity in regards to the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ. It also delves into the study of the universe, presenting several theories on the makeup of reality. Currently, no single religion is associated with this text, although it is popular in New Age circles. You can find the text of The Urantia Book here.