Gained in Translation; the Bishop of Birmingham Tells Diane Parkes Why the King James Bible Remains a Cornerstone of Our Culture and Society 400 Years after It Was First Published

Byline: Diane Parkes

The King James Bible was the end result of seven years of work by a committee of top scholars. For years they pored over every chapter, every verse and every word.

First published in 1611, the King James or Authorized version, is one of countless translations and paraphrases of the Bible and yet it remains at the heart of Christianity today.

So why is this version so special? Recently succeeding to the throne of a country riven by religious differences King James I of England ordered the new translation to be written in an attempt to bring God's word to the public - and to heal the rifts in the church.

From 1604-1611 a translation committee of more than 50 scholars debated every single word, looking into its origins and its contemporary meaning to a divided church. Derived from ancient Greek and Hebrew manuscripts with reference to earlier translations into the …

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Publication information: Article title: Gained in Translation; the Bishop of Birmingham Tells Diane Parkes Why the King James Bible Remains a Cornerstone of Our Culture and Society 400 Years after It Was First Published. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Birmingham Post (England). Publication date: December 29, 2011. Page number: 4. © 2009 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. COPYRIGHT 2011 Gale Group.

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