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  Northwest Christian University Library
  Phone: (541) 684-7237
  E-Mail: ssilver@nwcu.edu

  
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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

NCU Celebrates 400 Years of the King James Bible

Northwest Christian University will host a traveling exhibition, Sept. 29 - Oct. 28, on the origins, creation and impact of the King James Bible

EUGENE, Ore. - Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible, a national traveling exhibition opening at Northwest Christian University's Kellenberger Library on Sept. 29, celebrates the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Bible in 1611 and examines its fascinating and complex history. The exhibition runs through Oct. 28.
 
In conjunction with the exhibit, Northwest Christian University is proud to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of its Bushnell Rare Bible Collection, one of the largest in the western United States. On display will be a King James Bible from 1613 and several other rare Bibles.
 
NCU opens the exhibition's first stop of its national tour with a free public lecture by Donald Brake, Ph.D., author of A Visual History of the English Bible: The Tumultuous Tale of the World's Bestselling Book. Brake's presentation will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, in the B. Ross Evans Chapel at NCU, 828 E. 11th Ave., Eugene.
 
"We are delighted to have been selected as a site for this exhibition," said Steve Silver, NCU library director. "The captivating history and influence of the King James Bible will interest many viewers. This exhibition shows how important this book has been in history and helps audiences to develop a new understanding of its social, cultural, literary and religious influence over four centuries right up to the present."
 
The exhibition highlights the dramatic tale behind the making of the book, as well as its influence on English and American literature. It examines the book's impact on culture and society, from the past to the present day. Translated over several years by six committees of England's top scholars, the King James Bible is the most influential English translation of the Bible and one of the most widely read books in the world.
 
The traveling exhibit for libraries was organized by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. It is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library and Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, with assistance from the Harry Ransom Center of the University of Texas, to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. The traveling exhibition was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
 
Forty prestigious universities and libraries will host the exhibit along its national route, including: Columbia University, Pepperdine University and Loyola Marymount University. A full itinerary and list of selected sites can be found online.
 
The NCU library is sponsoring free lectures, tours and other events for the public in connection with the exhibition and the anniversary. For more information on the exhibit, NCU's rare Bible collection, and related events, contact Steve Silver, director of the Kellenberger Library, at (541) 684-7237 or visit www.nwcu.edu.
 
About Northwest Christian University
Northwest Christian University is a liberal arts institution dedicated to developing competent, ethical leaders for service in the workplace, community, Church and world. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the University was founded in 1895 and is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. Northwest Christian University offers 15 traditional undergraduate degree programs, four master's degree programs, and a professional studies program for working adults. More information about the University is available at www.nwcu.edu. 
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