Library showcases milestones in the history of the Bible

ANN ARBOR—From ancient manuscripts to early printed books, the history of the Bible’s text spans nations, peoples and languages. This history is the showcase of “From Papyri to King James: The Evolution of the English Bible,” an exhibit prepared by the Special Collections Library at the University of Michigan, running through Jan. 31.

Illustration from the Gospel of Luke in the Bishop’s Bible (London, 1574).

Courtesy of the Michigan Papyri Digitization Project.

Bibles and other religious works dating to the year 119, including the earliest known copy of the letters of St. Paul, demonstrate the evolution of works on papyrus, parchment, and paper that led to the English translation of 1611 known as the King James Bible.

Fragments on papyri from Deuteronomy and Matthew, portions from several of the letters of Paul, and writings of early church leaders such as Melito, the Bishop of Sarids; and Hermas of Rome are part of the exhibit. Also included are medieval versions of Jerome’s Latin translation of the Bible of 404, first appearances in print of the Greek and Latin biblical texts, and early translations into English.

Many of the Bibles on display are opened to the same passage, providing an opportunity to compare translations and to observe developments in languages, handwriting, and type designs. The exhibit illustrates the development of the codex and presents a brief study of 16th-century English political history through the inclusion of the Tyndale, Coverdale, Geneva, Douay, Great and Bishops’ Bibles.

The exhibit is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday on the seventh floor of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library on U-M’s Central Campus. (The exhibit and the Library will be closed Dec. 23-Jan. 1.) Guided group tours are available by arranging an appointment. To do so, call (734) 764-9377. Admission is free.

300 dpi .JPG file of the Illustration seen above