THEOLOGY SELECT SHOP / LEGACY COURSES
The King James Bible: A Barrier or a Bridge to Faith? (1 lecture)
Professor John Barton
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This is an English guide to our Korean-focused course catalog. Audio languages and available subtitles vary by course; please check the YouTube video before joining.
If two or more of these sound like you, this course may be a good fit.
- You have wondered why the King James Version has such a devoted following.
- You want to know whether a perfectly faithful translation of the original text is possible.
- You are unsure how to choose between more literal and more meaning-oriented Bible translations.
- You would like a leading biblical scholar's account of what goes on behind Bible translation.
About the course
In this special lecture marking the 400th anniversary of Berwick Bridge, John Barton places the history of the King James Bible alongside the bridge's story. He reminds us that reading the Bible often means reading a translation, and describes translation as building a bridge between the banks of two languages.
The lecture explores the unavoidable tension between “formal equivalence” (more literal translation) and “functional equivalence” (translation focused on meaning). Barton explains how the King James Bible helped reshape the English language itself, and how different modern translations serve distinct theological and practical purposes.
Difficulty: ★★
Provocativeness: ★★
Editor's note: Although the examples focus on English Bible translations, many insights apply equally to Korean versions. A clear introduction to why biblical translation is difficult and to the reasoning behind literal and meaning-oriented approaches.
Instructor
Professor John Barton
Emeritus Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford
Member of the editorial board of Oxford University Press
Former president of the Society for Old Testament Study
Books include A History of the Bible and Ethics and the Old Testament
A leading scholar of biblical criticism, studying the formation, canonization and interpretation of the Bible
Presented in connection with the Berwick Literary Festival, this special lecture commemorated the legacy of the King James Bible and the 400th anniversary of Berwick Bridge.
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