This is probably your last chance to get the best posters of biblical sites in the Holy Land that I know of.  Each poster in the set of 8 has 16-20 spectacular photographs by Richard Cleave.  BibleLandPosters.com has the “last in existence” for $72 including shipping.  I have my own photos, but you can’t print them this cheap, so I bought the poster set and recommend it to others.  If you don’t want to plaster your house with these, they could be ideal for a church or school classroom or hallway.  Before you order, you can see exactly what you’re getting.

My friends at SourceFlix Productions have just finished a 3-minute video in which they interview various archaeologists on site to answer the question, “Is the Bible relevant for archaeology in Israel?”  If you don’t know the answer to that question, or if you’d just like to hear from some of the best archaeologists working in the Holy Land, take a look.  Among those interviewed are Amihai Mazar, Amnon Ben-Tor, Aren Maier, and Gabriel Barkay.

One of my favorite books on my favorite subject is The Sacred Bridge: Carta’s Atlas of the Biblical World. I’ve hoped to do a short review of it here, but I haven’t had the necessary time yet. I used the book last semester as a required text for a course I taught, but the problem with it is the cost. $100 may be standard for a chemistry textbook, but it’s hard on Christian college students who are used to paying much less. Thus the announcement of a shorter and cheaper version is welcome:

Carta’s New Century Handbook and Atlas of the Bible: Abridgement of The Sacred Bridge
by Anson F. Rainey and R. Steven Notley

Carta, Jerusalem, Forthcoming, November 2007

280 pages + full color illustrations and maps, English

Cloth, 9 x 12 inches

Your Price: $50.00

In some cases, shorter is better and I think this will be one. For most students, The Sacred Bridge is really over their heads. It’s sometimes over my head, and rarely is too basic for me. Thus I am guessing that most students will find the abridged version sufficient for their needs.

Just to be clear, there are many things in this book that I disagree with. If you’re looking for something more conservative, try the NIV Atlas of the Bible, by Carl Rasmussen or the Moody Atlas of Bible Lands, by Barry Beitzel. But the advanced version is The Sacred Bridge or its abridgement.

UPDATE (8/8): Not everyone reads the comments, so I’ll just note that the chairman of Carta has commented below that they are nearing publication of a new atlas by Paul H. Wright, In His Image: Carta’s Atlas of Biblical Geography. Wright is the director of the Jerusalem University College.

I like a good calendar, especially one with photos of Israel.  But while the title of this one is intriguing, the cover shot just does not inspire me.  Maybe the rest of the shots that you can’t see are better!  At $18, I’m not risking it.  But you can see the “Jerusalem in the Fog” calendar and decide for yourself.

Note the Author: Melekh Ben Ya’aqov (King, son of Jacob)

The Biblical Archaeology Society is having a summer sale on DVDs that looks pretty good.  For instance, the BAS Lecture Series Deluxe Set I is $80 and includes 9 DVDs with 15 lectures.  Some of the lecturers are leaders in the field, including William G. Dever, Michael D. Coogan, Bart Ehrman, James Tabor, Aren Maier, and Shelley Wachsman.  A bonus lecture by Dever includes his personal memories of famous archaeologists.  I haven’t seen these, but good lecture series usually require a plane ticket and an entrance fee of $25 and up.  There’s a second series for $62 which includes 12 lectures.  Some of the topics seem a bit esoteric, and some of the lectures I don’t think you’d want to show to a church group, but for many who can’t go to grad school, this is one option.