English Bible History The fascinating story of how we got the Bible in its present form actually starts thousands of years ago, as briefly outlined in our Timeline of Bible Translation History. As a background study, we recommend that you first review our discussion of the Pre-Reformation History of the Bible from 1,400 B.C. to […]

“What is the significance of the Medo-Persian Empire in biblical history?”……Answer: The Medo-Persians, led by King Cyrus II, invaded Babylonia from the east in June of 539 B.C. and captured its capital, Babylon, in July of the same year. In biblical chronology, this occurred near the end of the Babylonian exile. Within a short time, […]

Question: “What was the Protestant Reformation?”……Answer: In understanding the history of Protestant Church and the Reformation, it is important to first understand that one of the claims that the Roman Catholic Church makes is that of apostolic succession. This simply means that they claim a unique authority over all other churches and denominations because they […]

Johannes Calvyn: slim man met die seer maag Kinderjare Johannes Calvyn, soos hy vandag in Afrikaans genoem word, het Rooms Katoliek grootgeword. Sy pa, G├®rard Cauvin, was die notaris en administrateur van die katedraal te Noyon, in die Picardie-distrik van Frankryk. Sy ma, Jeanne le Franc, was die dogter van ÔÇÿn herberg-eienaar in Cambrai. Hyself […]

“What happened in the intertestamental period?”……Answer: The time between the last writings of the Old Testament and the appearance of Christ is known as the "intertestamental" (or "between the testaments") period. Because there was no prophetic word from God during this period, some refer to it as the "400 silent years." The political, religious, and […]

“What are the 95 theses of Martin Luther?”……Answer: The "95 Theses" were written in 1517 by a priest and professor of theology named Martin Luther. His revolutionary ideas served as the catalyst for the eventual breaking away from the Catholic Church and were later instrumental in forming the movement known as the Protestant Reformation. Luther […]

The Crusades In 1095 Pope Urban II calls for a ÔÇÿwar of the cross' , a crusade , to liberate Jerusalem from Muslim occupation , to be rewarded with forgiveness of sins and rich plunder. His call meets with an immediate and enthusiastic response and is followed by a series of crusades to the Holy […]