BREECHES BIBLE

At school then later when studying to become a Methodist Local Preacher I heard of this unique Bible. On asking the ladies who put "SOURCE" together if they knew about it the answer was “NO”. So what about the GENEVA Bible? This, they did remember.

At the time of the persecution under Bloody Mary (1553-1558) the printing of the Scriptures in English was banned. A small group of reformers fled to Switzerland. There they translated into English this unique Bible from the Latin but corrected strictly speaking from the Greek and Hebrew. Hence the title ”The Geneva Bible”. The entire Bible appeared in 1560 and was well received. It was small and handy with concise, sensible notes without the controversial bitterness. Queen Elizabeth was cautious as she desired to be Queen without being partisan. Backed by the names of the great reformers The Geneva Bible was a success with an amazing 160 editions printed before its printing finally ceased in 1644. This was 33 years after the first King James version of 1611. Among the translators were Protestant scholars of the day. Calvin, Myles Coverdale, John Foxe and others all dedicated to this enormous task. It became very popular in England, especially among the common people.

These were brave steps in the new order that was sweeping Europe. The ordinary people of these islands now had access to the Word. Literacy among our population was obviously poor but everyone who could read now had the opportunity to read the Word of God. The first step had been taken. This was the cutting edge of the Christian message being made available for all people.

Do we live in a parallel age? Today with the advent of web sites, email, text messages, Ipods, DVD and HD broadcasts, etc. our world has again taken immense steps into another age. Pretending this is not so is burying our heads in the sands of time. Many Christians are now involved in the new technologies of Communication just as that group of scholars were who fled England long ago.

At Ponteland URC we are already involved albeit in a small way. But where did the name Breeches Bible come from? The Geneva Bible was frequently known by this title. Perhaps from Genesis 3 v 7 "Then the eyes of them were opened, and they knew they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves Breeches”.

Raymond Tipping