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Biblical Fiction

Bible stories are rich in human drama: Dastardly sins of murder, lust, greed, cowardice, and envy compete on one hand with such virtues as loyalty, sacrifice, compassion, and love on the other. Is it any wonder, then, that authors have mined the Bible for inspiration, and have re-imagined events for their own stories?

According to the Almanac of the Bible, the first fiction in English on a biblical theme was penned by Henry Fielding. In 1742, he wrote a parody of the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in Joseph Andrews. Since then, the gates on Biblical fiction have opened so wide that “it has been estimated that in the U.S….novels drawn from Holy Scripture exceeds that from any other source.” Here are a few of the fiction titles we have at CRRL that retell Bible stories:

Mary, Called Magdalene

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By Margaret George

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"Brilliantly grounded in both biblical and secular historical research, it depicts Mary of Magdala...even as it peels away layers of legend. Testaments, letters, and narrative convincingly capture Mary's immediate and moving voice as she becomes part of the circle of disciples and comes to grips with the divine."
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King of Kings

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By Malachi Martin

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A novel about the life and times of David--a shepherd who slew Goliath and went on to become a master military commander and then king.

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Dear and Glorious Physician

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By Taylor Caldwell

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Lucanus grew up in the household of his stepfather, the Roman govenor of Antioch. After studying medicine in Alexandria he became one of the greatest physicians of the ancient world and traveled far and wide through the Mediterranean region healing the sick.

As time went on he learned of the life and death of Christ and saw in Him the God he was seeking. To find out all he could about the life and teachings of Jesus, whom he never saw, Lucanus visited all the places where Jesus had been, questioning everyone--including His mother, Mary--who had known Him or heard Him preach. At last, when he had gathered all information possible, he wrote down what we now know as the Gospel according to St. Luke.

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Daughter of Jerusalem

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By Thom Lemmons

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"With all the excitement of high drama, author Thom Lemmons transfers you back to the time of Jesus and allows the reader to be on scene as Mary Magdalene, one who was lost then found, reaches in compassion toward other wandering sheep of the house of Israel. Through Mary's eyes one will experience the birth of the infant church and the heady excitement of the early days following Pentecost."

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Christ_the_Lord_out_of_Egypt

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By Anne Rice

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"This story of Jesus as a young boy, told from his perspective, presents his gradual understanding of his birth and unique abilities. Historical details are well-researched."
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Ancient Rage

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By Mary Lee Wile

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"A highly effective expression of a mighty struggle going on in nearly every modern woman's soul. Imaginatively portrayed in a no-holds-barred dialogue between the raw, unassuageable pain/rage of Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist) and the deep patient loving trust in God's will of Mary (mother of Jesus), nine years after the violent deaths of their two sons."
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A Love Divine

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By Alexandra Ripley

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A fictionalized portrait of Joseph of Arimathea provides an intriguing look behind the myth of the wealthy Jew who gave his own tomb for the burial of Jesus and who, according to legend, carried the tenets of Christianity to Britain.
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