In the Beginning: The Story of the King James Bible
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Amazon.co.uk Review
In the Beginning is Alister McGrath's history of the King James Bible and is, as the subtitle explains, his exegesis of "How It Changed a Nation, a Language, and a Culture". McGrath's story begins with the development of the printing press, describes the forces (before, during, and after the Reformation) fuelling the demand for English vernacular translations of the Bible, and considers the impact of the King James Version on Western worship and politics. McGrath deftly blends an arch and charming, donnish argot with breezy, tough, brass-tacks directness. Of the ongoing process of creating new biblical translations, he writes, "It has yet to end; indeed, it will not end, until either history is brought to a close or English ceases to be a living language." Elsewhere, describing the cultural influence of the authorised version, he explains, "Without the King James Bible, there would have been no Paradise Lost, no Pilgrim's Progress, no Handel's Messiah, no Negro spirituals, and no Gettysburg address." A professor of historical theology at the University of Oxford, McGrath has written a number of popular books about Christianity (including The Christian Theology Reader, an Introduction to Christian Theology and Theology for Amateurs). In The Beginning continues his work of making complex matters of theological thought and history accessible to a wider audience. --Michael Joseph Gross
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
An entertaining and informed book.
Daily Telegraph
A straightforward, stirring, mercifully unsubtle account of a cultural icon we take for granted.
The Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Daily Telegraph
A straightforward, stirring, mercifully unsubtle account of a cultural icon we take for granted.
The Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As the other reviewers have commented this is not a heavyweight academic tome - but it doesn't pretend to be.
This is however a fascinating account of the emergence of English as a language. English, French and Latin all vied for supremacy after the Norman conquest, and it was no foregone conclusion that English would win, but the fate of French was sealed by the 100 years' war. With English supreme, the emergence of printing was all that was needed (together with the impetus of the reformation) to make the pressure for an English bible unstoppable.
The various forerunners of the AV are documented, and it is clear that the AV relied heavily on them (the AV's title page is quite honest about this). It is for this reason that the AV seemed old-fashioned even when it was first published - no one spoke with "thees" and "thous" by then, and if they did it did not imply respect!
A good read, and if anything, as much a social history of late medieval England as an account of the translation of the bible.
This is however a fascinating account of the emergence of English as a language. English, French and Latin all vied for supremacy after the Norman conquest, and it was no foregone conclusion that English would win, but the fate of French was sealed by the 100 years' war. With English supreme, the emergence of printing was all that was needed (together with the impetus of the reformation) to make the pressure for an English bible unstoppable.
The various forerunners of the AV are documented, and it is clear that the AV relied heavily on them (the AV's title page is quite honest about this). It is for this reason that the AV seemed old-fashioned even when it was first published - no one spoke with "thees" and "thous" by then, and if they did it did not imply respect!
A good read, and if anything, as much a social history of late medieval England as an account of the translation of the bible.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Overall I found this book to be an enjoyable read. Alister McGrath approaches his chosen subject with enthusiasm and wide ranging knowledge. By the time I had finished it I felt I had a general grasp of the translation of the King James Bible and that I had learned a good many interesting titbits of information. I also felt a need to delve into some subjects more deeply, especially of the method of translation. I do not feel that is a weakness of the book. The author clearly intended to produce a book at the intelligent end of popular publishing and not a doctoral thesis.
The book is both more and less than its title suggests. It's first half gives us a history of English Bible translation throughout the 16th Century. Its second half gives us the immediate background to the translation of the King James Bible, the procedure for translation that was adopted, and some key issues of translation are addressed. What is missing is the promise that the book would tell us `and how it changed a nation, a language and a culture'; while some examples are given there is a sense that this section of the book has been truncated. The key chapter we could have expected and that is missing is one on the influence of the King James Bible on our contemporary language and world. We are left with the impression that for Alister McGrath history ends, at the latest, in the 19th century.
With that proviso standing I still heartily recommend this book, as there are few on the subject at a popular level that keep away from the `King James only' versus `King James flawed' debate. Alister McGrath is to be applauded for steering well clear of that argument.
The book is both more and less than its title suggests. It's first half gives us a history of English Bible translation throughout the 16th Century. Its second half gives us the immediate background to the translation of the King James Bible, the procedure for translation that was adopted, and some key issues of translation are addressed. What is missing is the promise that the book would tell us `and how it changed a nation, a language and a culture'; while some examples are given there is a sense that this section of the book has been truncated. The key chapter we could have expected and that is missing is one on the influence of the King James Bible on our contemporary language and world. We are left with the impression that for Alister McGrath history ends, at the latest, in the 19th century.
With that proviso standing I still heartily recommend this book, as there are few on the subject at a popular level that keep away from the `King James only' versus `King James flawed' debate. Alister McGrath is to be applauded for steering well clear of that argument.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Alister McGrath has written a good introduction to a fantastic story - the publication of the The King James Bible. As a general reader I found this a fascinating book: there's just enough background on the key characters; the social, political and economic context; and the text itself. My only criticism was the way the booked 'tailed away' towards the end. I sensed the book crossing the boundary between generalist and specialist and not quite striking the right note. That cost the book a star in the rating system. All in all an enjoyable read for those who like popular history.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Book of Few Revelations
As a previous reviewer has noted, this book fails to do justice to its subject. It fails even to live up to the blurb on the cover: by the end of it, the reader is none the wiser... Read more
Published on 6 Aug 2002
A disappointing book on a great and riveting book.
McGrath has written a book upon an extraordinary and momentous book-The King James Bible and its influence. Unfortunately McGrath's book is unable to do it justice. Read more
Published on 4 July 2001 by Rohintan Mody
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