Page - 16 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/01

16 | Erich Renhart www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/1, 13–32 Categories of Religious Books Three categories of religious book, roughly distinguished, are considered in this article and can be characterised here in a few words. It is beyond question that the Bible – be it the complete Bible, Old Testa- ment, New Testament, or individual biblical books (e. g. the book of Psalms, the Gospels) – is of utmost significance within the Christian book tradition. The biblical books are the primordial basis from which all other types of reli- gious book examined here are derived or by which they are inspired. Biblical books are authoritative. Sometimes large volumes, they are intended to be consulted not just once, but instead regularly and over long periods of time. As a consequence, they must be robust. Do we find these realities mirrored in the material quality of such book production past and present? Liturgical books4 – lectionaries, missals, choir books5 etc. – these too are deemed to have authoritative power, evident in their very prescriptive rubrics. Li- 4 Palazzo 1998. 5 For an in-depth study of a choir book’s codicology: Zammit Lupi 2011. Fig. 2: Detail of a cloth book cover. An otherwise poorly furnished book is wrapped in fabric, which might be a sign of “emotional appropriation”. (Photo: E. Renhart)