Biblia Americana

Combining encyclopedic discussions of biblical scholarship with scientific speculations and advice for practical piety, Biblia represents one of the most significant untapped sources in American religious and intellectual history. Mather’s commentary not only reflects the growing influence of Enlightenment thought (Descartes, Newton) and the rise of the transatlantic evangelical awakening; it also marks the beginning of historical criticism of the Bible as text in New England.

Within the framework of Reformed orthodoxy, the famous Puritan clergyman constructively responded to the most radical biblical critics of the period (Grotius, Hobbes, Spinoza, Simon), who had challenged the textual integrity and authority of the scriptures. Biblia engages a vast array of source-texts, from the Church Fathers, medieval and Reformation theologians, Rabbinic scholarship, ancient history and philosophy, to the cutting-edge philological and philosophical studies of the period.

Moreover, Mather frequently includes discourses on specifically American topics such as Native American religions, culture, and medicines, captivity narratives, New World flora and fauna, African slavery, or evangelical activities. Edited by leading experts in the field, each volume contains a historical-contextual introduction, explanatory annotations, translations of the many Latin, Greek, and Hebrew quotations, as well as several indexes.