 Word On Books
with Jeremy Fenton
In the Beginning
Alister McGrath, Published by
Hodder & Stoughton
The Making of the English Bible
By Benson Bobrick, Published by
Weidenfield & Nicolson
 In 1604 a committee of scholars brought together by England's King James began work on a 'new production of a fresh translation' of the Holy Bible. This version was to differ from those of the past millennia and a half in that it was to be written in the language of England (Good Queen Bess' English) rather than the traditional Greek.
For the first time in English history, many people had the opportunity to read their religious text (instead of relying on the reading of a priest). It could be argued that, also for the first time, the people had the chance to 'interpret the word of God according to the light of their own understanding'.
Can it be purely coincidence that following the King James's publication in 1611, the religious status quo was further tossed on its head (Martin Luther's Reformation had also begun less than a century prior) as a multitude of new thought and sects entered into existence.
It has been said that the collected works of Shakespeare contain all of the human characteristics ('anything that a man can be, you will find inside') - a sentiment that applies equally to the King James Bible. In fact the two are often lumped together as being the most influential books in the English Canon. Look no further than any standard book of quotations for the multitude of language, phrase and thought that has sprung directly from the King James.
Whether or not you take the Bible as containing the words of God is a matter of personal conviction as far as this reader is concerned (remembering all the time that the translation is beautiful, not necessarily accurate), but there is no getting away from the fact the King James Bible is one of the most powerful books even written.
With Easter upon us it seemed an appropriate time of year to recommend two fascinating new books on the creation of this lasting version of the Christian Bible.
 Benson Bobrick's The Making of the English Bible is the slightly more scholarly of the two works. It traces the machinations of history throughout the 16th century and the animosity between Protestant and Catholic thought. Bobrick's intention is to detail the impact that the new 'vernacular Bible' had on society, language and law - and he does so admirably in his exhaustively researched tome. He also displays more-than-a-touch of the flamboyant, seductive language for which his subject is renowned.
In the Beginnning by Alister McGrath is a more mixed affair - though no less enjoyable or worthy - as it dances across subjects and pulls forth enough anecdotes to keep even short attention spans riveted. Subtitled 'the story of the King James Bible and how it changed a nation, a language and a culture', McGrath's purpose is to take a 'complex matter of history' and make it accessible to a wider audience (which he has done), while improvising around the theme that the King James is the most influential of all published books in a religious and secular sense.
I suspect that neither of these all-inclusive books will appeal enormously to the non-literary minded - they both fall squarely outside the modern publishing phenomenon of easily-digestible light history.
These are serious books for the probing and inquisitive reader. Enlightening from cover to cover.
- Although Jeremy appreciates the thought, he has no need for anyone to send him yet another copy of the bible after reading this review. Pearls before swine and all that...
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