ABSTRACT
In this chapter we will consider various types of religious belief, from official doctrine to popular tradition, concerning the nature and origin of sacred texts. On the one hand, priests and scholars representing the religious establishment promulgated a system of doctrines, such as the verbal inerrancy of scripture and divine inspiration, and special procedures, including official lectionaries for public worship and rules governing the pronunciation, writing down and protection of sacred texts. On the other hand, the people responded by surrounding such sacred texts with an aura of sanctity and reverence, which gave rise to all kinds of colourful legends and superstitions. These then had the effect of reinforcing the official doctrines and guaranteeing the unique authority of scripture.
