This monograph represents a timely evaluation of the continuing influence of sacred texts in the twenty-first century. It places the Bible in the context of a cultural text which inspires both reverence and revulsion among a variety of different groups. It is very much a theological and sociological study, creatively and innovatively written. It therefore presents an interesting introduction to the subject for lawyers which will challenge the way that they think about blasphemy and set this in a wider sphere of theology and literary criticism.

Sherwood begins with a consideration of the Bible as a potent and enduring cultural symbol in an age which is considered by many as predominantly secular (as is made clear by the subtitle of the work, Trials of the Sacred for a Secular Age). The book opens with a detailed assessment of reactions to an ‘artistic’ exhibition in Glasgow where viewers were able to write on the text of the Bible. The exhibition was entitled sh[OUT]: Contemporary Art and Human Rights, showcasing work by lesbian, gay, bi, transgender and intersex artists. The range of responses and the vehement opinions expressed may be noted for the resilience of the Bible within the wider community and the social and cultural anxieties of the parties. The picture in the text shows how personal these responses are, with more than one mere assertion that the writer is ‘Bi and proud’, and an association in some of the writing of the Bible with bigotry and prejudice. One person had merely written ‘FACIST [sic] GOD’. The exhibition received a lot of press coverage at the time and highlighted perceptions in some of the right-wing press about the differences in treatment of sacred texts, particularly questioning whether the Qur'an would be treated in such a way. I think the main point which emerges from this part of the study is how the Bible is used as a cultural symbol associated with oppression, allowing people to react against real or imagined persecution, hence demonstrating its continuing relevance to forming people's identities, whether positively or negatively.

Professor Sherwood also presents an interesting overview of the history of the law of blasphemy as it developed in the modern era, examining early instances in the seventeenth century, the challenges to orthodox religion framed by the Freethinkers and Secularists in the course of the nineteenth century and finally the prosecutions in the late twentieth century, when Lord Denning famously said that the law of blasphemous libel had become a dead letter. This history demonstrates the evolution of blasphemy as the law allowed for legitimate criticism of theology and the central doctrines of a religion, alongside protection from scurrilous or abusive attacks that might result in the provocation of public disorder. The extent to which religious sensibilities, or indeed those of persons of no religion in respect of their atheism, should be protected continues to rage as an issue in public debate, particularly with the extremist religious responses that have been seen from some groups. This book therefore helps us to understand how the law evolved on this point, raising wider questions of interpretation and impact.

The later chapters look at the theological development of central stories from the Old Testament. In particular there is a literary construct of a recently discovered letter from Isaac to Abraham. Sherwood places the letter in the context of early texts – such as the so-called ‘Testament of Isaac’ from the first century ad – reflecting the cultural obsessions of Jewish Egyptian and later Christian Coptic communities. The letter is ostensibly dated to January 2010 and explores the relationship between father and son in the widest possible sense, bringing in theological and literary concepts and allusions, and illustrated comprehensively with biblical texts. It is quite difficult for a lay person to understand some of the finer points of detail and their significance. Overall, this section examines the inappropriateness of involvement in the biblical text, the differences between traditional scholarly accounts, and personal interaction with the Bible as a cultural object.

This is a thought-provoking book which gives a novel perspective on the way in which the Bible is regarded in the modern world. It places these issues in a popular cultural context and also goes on to imagine how texts would develop modern themes, an essential part of what Professor Sherwood describes as the dialogue between past and present.