The Bible Code (book)
| Company type | Book series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Michael Drosnin |
| Products | Books (The Bible Code, Bible Code II: The Countdown, Bible Code III: Saving the World) |
| Parent | Simon & Schuster (first book), Penguin Random House (second book), Worldmedia, Inc. (third book) |
The Bible Code is a 1997 publication authored by Michael Drosnin and issued by Simon & Schuster. Its follow-up, Bible Code II: The Countdown, released in 2002 through Penguin Random House, also reached the New York Times Best-Seller list. The series concluded with Bible Code III: Saving the World, published by Worldmedia, Inc. in 2010.
The Bible Code and its interpretation of Bible Code theory
Drosnin introduces a purported "Bible code"—concealed messages within the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Torah, which can be uncovered by extracting letters at uniform intervals arranged in text grids.
He suggests that this code was implanted by extraterrestrial life, who additionally introduced the DNA comprising the human genetic code to our planet. In Bible Code II: The Countdown, he elaborates on this idea, asserting that an alien artifact—a steel obelisk—containing a key to the code lies near the Dead Sea, which he endeavored to find.
The methodology claimed in the book is based on the 1994 study "Equidistant Letter Sequences in the Book of Genesis" authored by Eliyahu Rips, Doron Witztum, and Yoav Rosenberg, although these researchers have publicly rejected Drosnin’s interpretations.
Criticism
The approach taken by Drosnin and the broader concept of "Bible codes" have faced significant scrutiny from mathematicians and academics, who argue that they lack scientific credibility and sound statistical foundation.
Acquisition of The Bible Code by Warner Bros. Pictures and "Code" screenplay
In May 1997, film rights for The Bible Code were secured by Warner Bros. Pictures. Production executives Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Bill Gerber emphasized the work’s engagement with profound themes concerning human destiny, biblical significance, and humanity’s uniqueness in the cosmos.
Drosnin collaborated with filmmaker Ruth Rachel Anderson-Avraham (born Yvonne Michele Anderson), an alumna of the University of Virginia with degrees in English Literature and Religious Studies, to develop a screenplay titled "Code" for Warner Bros. in 1998. This script, written after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing but prior to 9/11, incorporated a storyline referencing the 1993 Al Qaeda attack, set across New York City and Jerusalem.
Despite these efforts, Warner Bros. did not proceed with production, and ultimately, rights reverted back to Drosnin.
In 2010, Relativity Media obtained film rights encompassing The Bible Code trilogy—including Bible Code II: The Countdown and Bible Code III: Saving the World. Although a 2012 release was targeted, the project never advanced to completion.
Bibliography
- The Bible Code. (US, Simon & Schuster, 1997); (UK, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1997)
- The Bible Code II: The Countdown. (US, Viking Books, 2002); (UK, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2002)
- The Bible Code III: The Quest. (UK, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2010)
- The Bible Code III: Saving the World. Worldmedia, 2010
Related literature
- Jeffrey Satinover: Cracking the Bible Code. Wm Morrow, 1997. Offers a more historical and conventional perspective.
External links
- The Bible Code, transcript from a BBC Two broadcast dated 20 November 2003, including insights from Drosnin, Rips, and McKay