In 2010 Richard Dawkins said " [..] "You can't appreciate English literature unless you know something about the Greek gods, you can't appreciate Wagner unless you know something about the Norse Gods, you cannot appreciate English Literature unless you are to some extent steeped in the King James Bible. There are phrases that come from it, people don't realise they come from it, there are proverbial phrases, phrases that echo in peoples minds, they haunt our minds because we are a Christian culture, we come from a Christian culture and not to know the King James Bible, is to be in some small way, barbarian" [..] "it is important to make the case that the [King James] Bible is part of our heritage and it doesn't have to be tied to religion. It is of historic and literary interest and it's important that religion should not be allowed to high-jack this cultural resource."
Much of the King James Bible uses the translation of William Tyndale.
ReplyDeleteRichard Dawkins is advised to read David Daniell's biography of Tyndale, so that he can properly understand the origins of the great work. It is estimated that 84% of the text in the New Testament of the 1611 Bible come from Tyndale's New Testament translation which dates to 1526 or a little earlier. 1526 is when it reached England
Many phrases used to this day, and in Shakespeare are directly from Tyndale's great work..