The first exhibition of 2012 in Ballymoney Museum is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a collection of rare and remarkable Holy Bibles which date from as early as the 16th century.  “The Authorised Word of God” is open Monday, 9 January – Saturday, 28 January and the display includes many of the volumes seen in the recent exhibition held at Garvagh Presbyterian Church which attracted hundreds of visitors and widespread media interest.

In the months since May 2011, the Christian world has been celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Holy Bible.  Commonly known as ‘The Authorised Version’, it was not the first time that the Bible had been published in the English language.  However, the advent of modern printing and the style and structure of the verse has meant that it has endured for four centuries as the chosen text for millions of Christians in the English speaking world.

The King James Version was the culmination of a century of debate and research.  In 1604, King James I convened the Hampton Court Conference to discuss an approach for an entirely new translation of the scriptures from the original languages.  It was intended that this new volume would improve the traditional Bible by reflecting recent theological scholarship. Following a series of revisions, the final text was published in 1611 and it became so popular that it was not completely revised until 1881.

The exhibition contains a series of Bibles of varying ages, sizes and languages.  The oldest example on display is a Geneva Bible, dating from 1584, while other fascinating volumes include an 1827 edition of the Bible in Irish, a 1707 Bible printed with the cypher of King William III and another modern edition transcribed in shorthand.  Visitors can also see facsimiles of important scriptures, such as the Codex Sinaiticus, the earliest Christian Bible, which was written in Greek c.350 AD.

“The Authorised Word of God” is at Ballymoney Museum, Ballymoney Town Hall, from 9 January – 28 January.  Admission is free.  Opening hours are Monday-Thursday & Saturday 9am-5pm and Friday 9am-4.30pm.  For further information, please contact Ballymoney Tourist Information Centre, Ballymoney Town Hall, Townhead Street, Ballymoney, BT53 6BE, Tel: 028 2766 0230 or Email: museum@ballymoney.gov.uk.