King James version - Church Executive

By Ronald E. Keener

King James version of the Bible remains most influential English translation

The King James Version of the Bible (KJV), whose 400th anniversary we observe this year, was never authorized by either the king whose name it bears or an ecclesiastical body.

But in another sense the KJV was authorized, says professor of English Leland Ryken; it was authorized by the people.

“So one answer is to say that the KJV has persisted through the centuries because the bible-reading public preferred it over other translations,” he says.

Ryken teaches at Wheaton College in Illinois and is the author of The Legacy of the King James Bible: Celebrating 400 Years of the Most Influential English Translation (Crossway, 2011). He responded to questions on the translation and the anniversary for Church Executive:

What qualities make the KJV a superior translation?

If I were to say that the thing that makes one English Bible better than another is that it has better words, my guess is the immediate response of most people would be that this trivializes the issue. But the answer is accurate. What do we see when we open our Bible? We see words. The best translation is the one that has the best words.

All right, but what makes the words of a translation good?

The words are not good if they are not an accurate rendition of what the original authors of the Bible wrote. The KJV is an essentially literal translation that aims at accuracy above all. Secondly, the words of the KJV have proven better than the words of other translations because they are beautiful, aphoristic or memorable, and elegant. I think that we need to acknowledge that the excellence of the KJV is not fully explainable. We can experience the superiority of the KJV but not fully explain it.

How do translations today line up in regard to the KJV?

The KJV set the standard for what an English Bible should be from the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 20th century. Starting in the middle of the 20th century, all Bible translators have faced a basic decision — whether to perpetuate the translation philosophy and style of the KJV or repudiate it. Today we have two categories of English Bibles: (1) those that align themselves with the King James tradition, and (2) dynamic equivalent and colloquial translations that distance themselves from the KVJ tradition.

What do you mean when you say that modern colloquializing Bibles are flat and lacking in affective power when read in public? How should a Bible sound when read?

To answer your second question first, a sacred book should sound like a sacred book, not like a conversation with the checkout clerk at a grocery store. It should elevate the soul and stir the emotions. As for what I call the flatness of colloquial translations, just compare the following two versions of 1 Timothy 6:6: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (KJV; seven words and unforgettable); “and of course religion does yield high dividends, but only to those who are content with what they have” (a modern translation; 19 words, eminently forgettable).

What is the case against the KJV today, and is it a valid and compelling case?

Let me note in passing that the KJV remains second on the list of sales of English Bibles. The only serious case to be made against the KJV is the archaism of its language and grammar. The archaism is extreme for most people today, though of course if an individual or family or church never abandoned the KJV, the archaic quality is not even experienced as archaic. The archaic language of the KJV is a valid reason why a person might legitimately choose a modern translation that perpetuates the stylistic excellence of the KJV rather than using the KJV itself.

What would such a translation be?

Either the New King James Version or the English Standard Version. For me personally, the first of those is a makeover KJV that does not sound like a modern translation. The ESV perpetuates the qualities of the KJV in updated language and scholarship.

How did the KJV come about?

In 1604, the newly crowned King of England, James I, held a conference at Hampton Court to listen to a slate of Puritan requests. He dismissed all of the requests except a last-minute request for a new Bible translation. The king granted the request with a sneering statement that he had never seen a Bible well translated into English. But surprise of surprises:

When the process of translation began, everyone rose above party spirit, and the 47 translators were chosen solely on the basis of their expertise in Hebrew, Greek and biblical scholarship.

What is most essential for us to know as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the KJV?

The KJV is a book of superlatives—among English language books the best-selling book of all time, the most influential, the most quoted, the most widely read, the most printed. It is the most influential book of English-speaking Christendom.

In view of this, we have a right to be genuinely pained and indignant when Christians and advocates of modernizing Bible translations make sneering and debunking comments about the KJV.

What do you like about the KJV?

Everything! Its elegant and beautiful language. The translation philosophy that underlies it, which today would go by such names as verbal equivalence and “essentially literal.” Its ability to move us (affective power). The influence that it has had through the centuries.

What can we expect by way of commemoration of the KJV during 2011?

New books and articles on the KJV are appearing nearly every week. Conferences celebrating the anniversary number in the dozens. Some of these are professional conferences, while others are church conferences. I have also heard of musical performances celebrating the anniversary, as well as special exhibits at museums and art galleries. Commemorative editions of the KJV are also starting to appear. 2011 is definitely the year of the King James Bible.

For an extended version of this article click here.

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C.S. Lewis writings added to new NRSV edition

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) even today is “arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day,” and made his name in literary criticism, children’s literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology. He became a Christian only at the age of nearly 33.

So it is no wonder that HarperOne brought out the C.S. Lewis Bible, using the New Revised Standard Version, that carries more than 600 selections from his contemplation and devotional readings.

Jerry Root was a member of the advisory board, wrote his master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation on Lewis, and has been teaching college and graduate courses on Lewis for more than 30 years. He currently teaches at Wheaton College in Illinois. He generously responded to Church Executive’s questions on C.S. Lewis and the new bible:

What Bible translation did Lewis himself use?

Lewis primarily used the Greek text for New Testament study as well as the Authorized Version (King James, his preferred English translation) and the Moffat translation. There is nothing in his letters or other books to suggest he used the Hebrew texts and thus relied on English translations in his reading of the Old Testament (again, primarily, KJV and Moffat).

How does the NRSV differ from what Lewis used?

There is no substantive difference between the NRSV and the English texts Lewis used. Most of the English translations (with very few exceptions) give a fair rendering of the original translations. It is a mistake to suggest to people that they cannot grasp the text without having the benefit of the original languages. Certainly there are benefits to knowing the

Greek and the Hebrew and it is wise for professionals such as theologians and pastors to learn these languages. Nevertheless, the lay person can manage well with the various English translations available.

Did Lewis’ writings explain much about how he viewed the Bible?

There are passages throughout his writing revealing that he had a high view of Biblical Revelation and its authority. His letters also reveal his deep respect for the Scriptures and he often used the Bible as a source of encouragement and comfort as he wrote to others. He only wrote one book on Scripture and that was his Reflections on the Psalms. It may be the most concentrated place to discover his views of Scripture and his high value of the Word of God.

Would Lewis have considered the bible literally or would he have interpreted it?

Lewis was not an inerrantist. He believed there were some very isolated texts where errors crept into the English translations but these appear to be minor to him and do not affect his strong belief that the Bible is a book that reveals the Word of God and therefore it was the responsibility of Christians to obey it. Furthermore, there is a passage where Lewis observes a discrepancy between Pascal and the Bible, Lewis simply says that Pascal must be wrong. He uses the Bible often in his own writing as conclusive in matters of controversy with the confidence that where it is properly understood it settles controversy for true Christians. His respect for biblical authority is unequivocal.

Do we know how influential the Bible was in Lewis’ life, especially early in his Christian life?

Before Lewis actually became a Christian he already knew his Bible. There are references to the Scriptures in his many pre-Christian letters. He was, after all, an honest scholar who knew the importance of the Bible and its influence on culture; how could an academic neglect to have read this book?

But, after he converted to Theism and before he converted to Christianity he mentions in his letters that he is attending chapel at his college at Oxford University and that he is reading his Bible. So, in fact, his Bible reading preceded his conversion. He was a faithful Bible reader. Each day he would read from the Authorized Version, or the Moffat translation and he would usually spend some time in the Greek text.

What myths might Lewis have challenged about the Bible and God and Jesus that arise in our modern understanding of Christianity?

Lewis was a thorough going Supernaturalist, that is he believed in God and that God was active in our world. He believed in the atoning efficacy of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He believed in miracles.

I suppose the myths he would challenge most are those myths that assume the bible is not a supernatural book, that Jesus did not raise from the dead, and the myth that miracles do not happen. In other words, Lewis would challenge the myth of materialism and those forms of Christianity that were compromised towards materialism.

Lewis passed through atheism to materialism to agnosticism to idealism to theism. Do we have a sense of his discipleship and how he would have explained it?

Lewis became a Christian on September 28, 1931, when he was almost 33 years old and he had been teaching at Oxford University for five years at the time of his conversion. As with anyone, many things contributed to his coming to faith, but Lewis acknowledged in his autobiography that Hugo Dyson and J. R. R. Tolkien were the human causes of his conversion.

Lewis already had several Christian friends at the time he came to faith so one could say that his nurture in the faith came from his wide range of reading and from discussions with his friends. In fact, virtually all, save one, of the Inklings (his literary group at Oxford) were Christians. Furthermore, he attended church regularly on the weekends and was a regular at the daily chapels in his college at Oxford.

All of these things contributed to his growth and nurture as a Christian. For many years after his conversion Lewis also sought weekly spiritual direction from Frank Adams, one of the “Cowley Fathers” (an Anglican, monastic order formally called The Society of St. John the Evangelist).

What is it that makes CS Lewis of such importance to us today, after all these years?

I am not exactly sure how to explain the ongoing interest in Lewis; it is really remarkable, however, when you consider that he thought his books would be out of print three years after his death. In fact, almost all of the 73 Lewis titles are still in print today and are being sold widely.

The phenomenon is noteworthy but I can only provide guesses as to why rather than an explanation. First, Lewis was a master of logic and his skill with language (he knew just the right word to use in order to avoid ambiguity of expression) makes him a very clear writer. Second, Lewis was brilliant at depiction which makes him an imaginative writer. He was incredibly skilled at crafting metaphors and analogies; these allow his readers to visualize, with the mind’s eye, exactly what he meant. Furthermore, his power of depiction makes his writing pleasurable to read. Third, he read widely and therefore wrote things that were informed, measured, and wise, which made him write with depth.

Fourth, he had a winsome personality full of good humor which made him fun to read. Fifth, because Lewis writes with such penetrating honesty and humility his works speak to the heart as profoundly as they do to the mind. This has given him holding power. His words and images are unforgettable and they begin to shape the world view of his readers in a very positive way. Lastly, he was a writer with devoted followers who have not let his legacy die. Many names could be listed here but a few stand out.

Perhaps Walter Hooper, his literary executor, is most note-worthy among this group; also his son, Douglas Gresham has done much to keep his legacy alive. Furthermore, the wisdom of Professor Kilby who started the Marion Wade Center (the world’s largest collection of Lewis material) must be noted, and with him the curators who followed Kilby and maintained the vision of the Wade Center: Lyle Dorsett, Marge Mead, and Chris Mitchell. The hard work of these people kept Lewis’s work in circulation. Now, I think, the writings, beloved by so many, by virtue of their own merit and availability have sealed Lewis’s reputation for a long time to come.

What other important information about this Bible is it important to know?

Regarding Lewis, it is important to see how much the Scriptures meant to him and how highly he valued the Bible in his own life. Lewis’s commitment to study the Bible, as a sincere Christian, is noteworthy and an example to all. Regarding the editors, their earnest desire is that everyone read the bible with habitual devotion to its words and wisdom. They will be pleased if this particular edition encourages people to do just that.

Click here for an extended version of this interview with the editors of the C.S. Lewis Bible. Also visit www.cslewis.com.

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Phrases still with us from the KJV translation

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