Church, Monarch and Bible in Sixteenth Century England: The Political Context of Biblical Translation [Paperback]

Roland H., Jr. Worth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000

The King James Version of the Bible is seldom viewed as a radical text, yet the history of English Bible translation in the sixteenth century, culminating in the now-familiar King James Version, is a complex one, revealing that Bible translation did not occur in a vacuum but within a web of politics, shifting religious pressures and repressions. The struggle to translate the Bible into English is here examined within the political context of the age. Emphasis is placed upon the varying royal policies and how these resulted in policy swings and the subsequent encouragement or discouragement of religious change and new Bible translations. The book is arranged chronologically, spanning the changing environments for Bible translation under Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, Elizabeth I, and James, who varied from forbidding such translations to encouraging them. A bibliography and index are included.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Roland H. Worth, Jr. is also the author of Bible Translations: A History Through Source Documents (1992, $38.50, "interesting"-Library Journal; "fascinating"-Notes on Translation; "significant"-AB Bookman's Weekly; "useful"-The Bible Translator). He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 202 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786407468
• ISBN-13: 978-0786407460
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,774,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Hence., September 2, 2011

By 

Suzanne Cole (New Orleans, LA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Church, Monarch and Bible in Sixteenth Century England: The Political Context of Biblical Translation (Paperback)

The facts are interesting (and well-documented) in this short text, but the author is not the most adept. His careful timeline of Henry VIII's shifting opinion is one thing, but the limited vocabulary doesn't augment the reader's experience. Wait, maybe I should break this up into pro/con time.

Pro:
- There are a number of small political foibles detailed in Mr. Worth's book that are meticulously documented and carefully explained, with context and implications graciously supplied. All of this is done without plodding or other mucking about.
- The most clear-cut parts of history (King James' life is written about elsewhere, often) are left out in favor of the more unusual notes and pieces.
- Mr. Worth has a lot of passion for this work.

Con:
- The book could be a lot longer with more time devoted to unpacking each time period.
- The author is quite fond of the word "hence" and over-uses it.
- The transition from Mary, Queen of Scots to James, King of England was so rushed I didn't quite catch it.
- It feels a little like a hobbyist wrote this book.
- Why didn't the editor catch the increasing number of typos in the second half of the book?

It's a good read, although perhaps not a scholarly one.