Acclaim for Alister McGrath'sIN THE BEGINNING
Acclaim for Alister McGrath's
IN THE BEGINNING“An absorbing narrative chronicling three centuries of cultural, religious, and political history…. McGrath's engrossing book is a necessary read for anyone interested in understanding why [the King James] Bible stands apart from any other translation.”
—The Boston Globe
“Breezy and anecdotal…. Offers a helpful and detailed overview of the process of Bible translation.”
—The Washington Post Book World
“McGrath's book condenses a library of research materials, impenetrable to anyone but a theologian and historian, to present a straight-forward, stirring, mercifully unsubtle account of a cultural icon we take for granted.”
—The Times (London)
“Rightly esteemed as a standard of literary English, the King James Version has nonetheless been perennially misunderstood. Alister McGrath sets the record straight, with a sprightly narrative of how this translation was the product of sensibilities honed by the Renaissance and the Reformation.”
—Bruce Chilton, author of Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography
“A fascinating and informative story of the translation of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible…. McGrath skillfully and interestingly constructs the historical, political, economic, social, and religious background—the tenor of the times—that provided the impetus for this version. Certainly all modern Bible translators (including this one) owe a tremendous debt to the KJV and its translators. I enthusiastically recommend this book.”
—Kenneth L. Barker, executive director, NIV Translation Center, International Bible Society (retired)
“Succeeds admirably in detailing the historical context—both religious and political—out of which the KJV grew.”
—National Review
“Alister McGrath has written a learned, witty, and fascinating tale about the history of the King James Bible—its place in the developing English Bible tradition and its recognition as the ‘noblest monument of English prose.’ For all readers and students of the Bible, this book will be an invaluable vade-mecum.”
—Fr. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J., professor emeritus, Biblical Studies, Catholic, University of America
“An engaging chronicle…. This is a tale ripe for the telling.”
—Publishers Weekly