January 16, 1604: Puritan John Rainolds suggests ” . . . that there might be a new translation of the Bible, as consonant as can be to the original Hebrew and Greek.” England’s King James I granted his approval the following day, leading to the 1611 publication of the Authorized (King James) version of the Bible
In addition to its importance as a sacred text, the King James Version exerted significant cultural influence as a “treasure house of English prose,” providing quotes and allusions infused throughout subsequent English literature. Even those who deny the religious aspect of the Bible, praise its literary value.
In the United States and elsewhere, the King James Bible was used as a textbook. Many people learned to read in its pages. For three hundred years, it was virtually the only Bible used in the English-speaking world. Eventually, it became the most widely printed book in history.
The text of the King James Bible informed the voices of generations of English speakers. The King James Bible is cited as one of the greatest influences on the development of modern English. Publicly and privately, the King James Bible was read, heard, and studied by countless individuals in English-speaking countries and territories, and its language and style shaped their own thoughts and writings.
The year 2011 marked the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James translation of the Bible, one of the landmark events in the history of Christianity – on a global scale.
January 16, 1959: Juanita Bynum, an American gospel singer, author, and pastor was born. In 2007, she released an album titled Piece of My Passion, and The New York Times described her as “the most prominent black female television evangelist in the country”. She is the author of The Threshing Floor.
January 16, 1890: Moody Bible Institute in Chicago is dedicated, 17 years after Evangelist D.L. Moody and college administrator Emma Dryer first discussed the idea.
#ChurchGist
