NPR News featured a report on the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Reporter Barbara Bradley Hagerty says the King James Bible is the poetry that inspired Handel's oratorio Messiah, as well as modern musicians:
The Byrds sang from Ecclesiastes in Turn Turn Turn: proclaiming that there is “A time to be born, a time to die, A time to plant, a time to reap, A time to kill, a time to heal.” Simon and Garfunkel echoed the Gospels when they sang, “Like a bridge over troubled waters, I will lay me down.” And when Kansas voiced its existential angst — “All we are is dust in the wind” — it was inspired by the Psalms.
Listen to and read this report in full.
A national expo is being held in Washington, DC, where a congressional resolution honoring the KJV Bible will be read. Here’s an excerpt:
Whereas the King James Bible’s relevance and contributions continue to formatively influence the United States: Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--
(1) recognizes the 400th anniversary of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible being published;
(2) recognizes its lasting influence on countless families, individuals, and institutions in the United States; and
(3) expresses its gratitude for the influence it has bestowed upon the United States.
You may want to see photos of Thomas Nelson’s (@ThomasNelson & @NelsonBibles) historic Bible exhibit shown at the NRB convention this year. The exhibit was part of KJV400.
Also see Somersault’s Infographic of 2011, the year to celebrate the significant and life-changing milestones achieved in the areas of publishing, technology, and innovation.