The Story of the Torah

Who wrote the oldest parts of the Bible? How old are they? How have they survived across the millennia? Why do dictators, tyrants and power groups fear and hate the writings so much that they have ceaselessly suppressed and banned them and to this day execute people found in possession of them? These are some of the questions addressed in ''The Story of the Torah'', first in the ''Is the Bible a Dangerous Book'' series of commentaries.South African born Beryl Lavender is a former journalist and teacher of English and Divinity, now living in Buckinghamshire in the United Kingdom where she divides her time between biblical research and church activities. She is an active member of the 14th century church of St Peter and St Paul, Olney, where John Newton was vicar when he wrote the words of ''Amazing Grace'' and where Henry Gauntlett, composer of the familiar tune of ''Once in Royal David''s City'' was the first organist.