Written by James White
Published at Bethany House
About the book
Modern Bible translations still come under attack from the King James Only camp. In this revision of a book continually in print for more than ten years, James R. White traces the development of Bible translations old and new, investigating the differences between versions like the NIV, NASB, and NKJV and the Authorized Version of 1611. Written with the layperson in mind, The King James Only Controversy leads the reader through the basic issues of the debate and into the more complex issues of textual criticism. Enlightening reading for all Christians.
"Why a second edition? Fourteen years since the writing of the original has seen not only developments in the textual critical field, but the King James Only advocates have been writing books in that time as well, most of which seek to respond to my work. Some key examples, plus an expanded bibliography, bring the work up to date on that level. Further, those advocates have attempted to raise counter examples, and so the number of passages addressed in the work is expanded. During that time I have addressed this topic so many times that I have developed a number of useful illustrations to help the layperson understand the key issues, and these are included in the work as well. Finally, the explosion onto the scene of Bart Ehrman and his works on the New Testament are noted as well. As a result, the next edition of The King James Only Controversy will provide a valuable addition to the library of anyone seeking to understand the trustworthiness of the New Testament today."
—James R. White, explaining his reasoning for a revision of this book
Who is James White?
James R. White is the author of several acclaimed books, including The King James Only Controversy and The Forgotten Trinity. He is an elder of the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church, director of Alpha and Omega Ministries--a Christian apologetics organization, an adjunct professor with Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and a professor of apologetics with Columbia Evangelical Seminary. He and his family live in Phoenix. Visit http://www.aomin.org/
My Thoughts
I was curious about this title because I have heard often that the King James version of the Bible is so more trustworthy than anything else. Obviously it is a touchy subject amidst the Christian circles. I respect the Christians who love the King James version. I am also relieved that I never experienced the comments about KJV being better than the other versions of the Bible.
The author takes the time to explain where the thinking of the KJV being better comes from. He also demonstrates the difference in a variety of scriptures and details the reasons of these differences. Mr. White has a gift of explaining and digging through the history of how the Bible was copied over time. He presents the various reasons why some versions of the KJV contains some errors and clearly illustrates his examples. Mind you I am not saying that the current version of the KJV contains errors.
I appreciate his effort to demonstrate the reasons why the KJV is not necessary the best version out there. But honestly, the author lost me a couple of times with his explanations. I wish that this book would have been a little bit easier to read and digest on the long run. It does feel as though the debate has been existent since numerous years and people are still fighting over this.
I’m sure that this book would be a pleasure to read for scholars and people interested in this debate. Personally, I can understand why some people hold to their tradition and their preferences. If you can respect that I prefer reading a lighter version of the Bible, I thank you. If not, get over it. The Bible is God’s Word after all whether it is NIV or KJV. The important is that we follow what He tells us and that we develop a relationship with Him. Don’t you think?
This review was possible because I received a copy of King James Only Controversy from Bethany House.
King James Only Controversy is available everywhere even on amazon.ca and indigo.ca.
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