The women watched as the Son of God writhed in agony. Surely, this was the end. No. This was the beginning … the beginning of the journey from the Cross to the Church. “[Graziano] moves on to the development of the Gospels and how the social, political and theological interests of the early church founders influenced what became part of the biblical canon. Graziano’s book is thoughtful and measured, willing to uncouple the Bible from the assertion that it is the word of God. However, although the book’s lack of an agenda makes it broad-minded and reasonable, readers may find it difficult to draw specific conclusions about its content. It seems to be an effort to introduce historical study of the Bible to laypeople; as such, the text is clear, light and readable… The author does shed light on many intriguing aspects of biblical history, but overall, the book serves best as a concise introduction for newcomers. That said, more critical readers may be able to use the book as a jumping-off point for their own investigations.” —Kirkus Reviews