Selling the Word of God: The Early Commercial History of the English Bible with Harry Spillaine (Bodleian, 2026)
New Books in Language and TranslationSummary
Dr. Harry Spillane, a historian of early modern Britain, explores the commercial history of the English Bible in his new book, "Selling the Word of God." The book examines the Bible not just as a religious text but as a commercial product, focusing on its production, distribution, and the interplay between translators, printers, and consumers. Spillane highlights the significance of figures like William Tyndale, whose 1526 New Testament marked a pivotal moment in English Bible translation and production, emphasizing the relationship between the translator and the printer in making the text accessible to readers.
The discussion delves into the challenges faced by early Bible producers, particularly the restrictions imposed by the English government, which had effectively banned English Bibles for centuries. Spillane contrasts Tyndale's struggles with the eventual success of the Great Bible in 1539, which became the first officially sanctioned English Bible, despite its initial lack of clear purpose in church services. He also notes the eventual rise of the King James Bible in 1611, which benefited from a century of prior developments in Bible production and ultimately became the dominant English translation due to its widespread acceptance and the consolidation of the market under the monarchy.
Throughout the conversation, Spillane emphasizes the importance of understanding the Bible as both a text and a physical book, revealing how its materiality influenced its use and reception. He encourages readers to appreciate the artistry involved in printing and the complexities of the early modern book market, which shaped the accessibility and impact of the Bible in English-speaking communities.
Show Notes
Selling the Word of God: The Early Commercial History of the English Bible (Bodleian, 2026) by Dr. Harry Spillane is a history of the English Bible as a book. A book that in order to be read had first to be sold.
The Bible is the most published text in history and the story of its publication in the English language is extraordinary. Published on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Tyndale’s groundbreaking printed translation of the New Testament, this book traces the evolution of the English Bible from 1525 to the much celebrated King James version of 1611. By this date, readers could already choose from over a dozen English versions, each of them printed in vastly different ways. Behind each edition are stories of rivalries, mistakes, bankruptcies and bestsellers. Far from being fixed, stable publications, Bibles were consistently undergoing change and development in the early modern period.
Creativity and enterprise were at the heart of the English Bible market, something that the usual focus on Bible translators has often overshadowed. Illustrated with early editions, this book considers how printers created new markets for Bibles, how they advertised them, and how they commissioned innovative forms of illustration and decoration to attract buyers. How, it asks, did the English Bible become a bestseller?
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.
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