Present About Books The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations?
| Title | : | The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations? |
| Author | : | James R. White |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 304 pages |
| Published | : | April 1st 1995 by Bethany House Publishers (first published March 1st 1995) |
| Categories | : | Religion. Theology. Christian. Nonfiction. Christianity |
James R. White
Paperback | Pages: 304 pages Rating: 4.34 | 661 Users | 86 Reviews
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As an Independent Baptist, I have been frustrated for years by the hang up of this particular breed of church on deifying a single, extremely error-ridden and outdated translation of the Bible. Before I knew anything at all, I complained of its cumbersome text; later I found out that everything I had ever heard in defense of the KJV was an outright lie.I was told it was the first translation in English -- but that would be John Wycliffe's Bible, 1380-1400.
I was told it was the first [English] Bible to be popularly available -- but there were 11 complete English Bibles available between 1547-1553, and 31 English New Testaments between 1542-1553.
I was told it was the first [English] Bible supported by the government -- but Matthew's Bible (1537) was printed with royal license and the basis of all later Authorized Versions; Cromwell commissioned The Great Bible of 1539; even Coverdale's had a note reading, "Set forth with the Kynges moost gracious license." (Also, side note, why would the government's approval be something I want? If the American government put its stamp of approval on a translation, I'd be sure to never touch it!)
I was told there had never been another Bible like it before -- but it lifted fully ONE-THIRD of its material straight from Tyndale's 1526. It also copied straight from Coverdale (1535) and the Rheims New Testamen of 1582 (a Catholic vernacular translation).
But then I started coming up against arguments that my background in Jacobean history couldn't solve. I was told that the KJV got its authority from the Textus Receptus -- what was that? Verses and textual issues of translation that I had no background in started surfacing in these arguments, and I needed help. That's when a KJV critic who also happens to be a Baptist posted this video on my Facebook page. I watched James White's succinct argument strip away all the credibility of the "Authorized Version," of the "Textus Receptus," and explain in plain language just what the issues of this controversy are.
This warmly sarcastic bald guy with a book-stuffed office immediately won me over and I began searching for him on Goodreads. As soon as I saw The King James Only Controversy, I knew it was a must-read. I enjoyed every moment of it, and learned a great deal. He is very gentle about the KJV, not looking to offend anyone but simply to explain the truth about Bible translation. In fact, I've now given this book to my KJV-proponent mother because I know his style won't offend her.
Everyone who is interested in apologetics should definitely read this book, no matter what translation you prefer to use. You may ask, why is this even an issue? Or, why should I encourage this issue by reading up on it? White points out that many cultic offshoots such as Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses prefer the KJV, and emphasizes how difficult it is to witness to them using this error-pocked version. Unfortunately, the KJVOers have made this an issue, and a responsible student of God should definitely be acquainted with the argument and its defense.
Mention Books During The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations?
| Original Title: | The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations? |
| ISBN: | 1556615752 (ISBN13: 9781556615757) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Rating About Books The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations?
Ratings: 4.34 From 661 Users | 86 ReviewsNotice About Books The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations?
This book is a treasure for the Body of Christ. I personally come from a background involving KJV Only-ism and I can say from personal experience that the KJV only movement is cultish and the beliefs in that community, which I believe to spawn directly from the KJV only stance, are highly destructive and isolationist. James White does Christians a great service in demonstrating just how misguided and incorrect is the view that the KJV alone is the preserved word of God and all other translations
Do you have a favorite version of the Bible? If so, it may be your preference for a number of reasons: perhaps its the version you grew up reading, or you like the poetic or old-fashioned language it uses, or maybe you just find the language easier to understand than in other versions. For most people, choosing a Bible version to read and study is based on factors like these. Some people have their reasons for preferring or only using the King James (also known as the 1611 Authorized) Version of
Claims of religious exclusivity are nothing new to the church. There have been myriads of movements and sects over the years that contain the label Christian, yet promote separatism from other believers over something they alone deem essential. While orthodox Christianity has always held specific doctrines to be necessary, divisive dogmas of these sects go far beyond the foundational truths of the faith. One group might claim that they are the only true Christians based on their baptismal
Thorough and well laid out arguments against KJV onlyism. A must read for any facing these issues.
If you want to know how to respond to KJV-only adherents, this is the book to read! The author compares KJV to other new translations, debunking the errant naysayers' claims, by telling exactly what the ancient Greek texts say, most of these texts not being discovered until after 1611. After reading this book, I believe that all pastors should study the Hebrew and Greek languages to better understand what the Bible actually says. In many cases, the newer versions are more accurate than the KJV!
An interesting read. I'm a big fan of the King James Bible, but for strictly stylistic and literary reasons. It's a good translation, technically speaking, but it has its problems. That said, I have only recently run into those formally part of the "KJV Only" movement and thought this might be worth reading as it's been collecting dust on my shelf for a couple of years. White does a good job of explaining the KJV Only position. For anyone knowledgable in the fields of text criticism and church
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