King James Bible's 400th Birthday: May 2, 2011
METRO
UNITED KINGDOM - Next month the King James Bible celebrates its 400th birthday. The tome, which first went on sale on May 2, 1611, took previous English language versions and created a definitive Bible that became the most influential book ever written, a cornerstone of British society, permeating everything from art and literature to politics and morality, here and around the world. "All societies need a common fund of stories and sayings," says the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. "Not just to help them get along but to help them agree about their goals and ideals. For several hundred years, the King James Bible was probably the most important bit of that common fund for most English-speaking people." However, 400 years on it’s arguably less of a cultural force than it once was. Britain is becoming increasingly multi-faith and, at the same time, the numbers of atheists and agnostics have risen. [link]
UNITED KINGDOM - Next month the King James Bible celebrates its 400th birthday. The tome, which first went on sale on May 2, 1611, took previous English language versions and created a definitive Bible that became the most influential book ever written, a cornerstone of British society, permeating everything from art and literature to politics and morality, here and around the world. "All societies need a common fund of stories and sayings," says the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. "Not just to help them get along but to help them agree about their goals and ideals. For several hundred years, the King James Bible was probably the most important bit of that common fund for most English-speaking people." However, 400 years on it’s arguably less of a cultural force than it once was. Britain is becoming increasingly multi-faith and, at the same time, the numbers of atheists and agnostics have risen. [link]
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