Prime Minister's Bible Plan: A KJV To Every School in the Country

In a move intended to help every pupil access Britain's cultural heritage, the Prime Minister plans to send a copy of the King James Bible to every state school in England.

This new copy of the 1611 translation of the Bible will contain a brief foreword by Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, to mark the 400th anniversary of its translation.

According to Number 10, the exact details of how the Government intends to commemorate the anniversary are yet to be confirmed, but every primary and secondary school should be in possession of a new copy of the KJV by next Easter.

ATHEISTS ARE ANGRY

Predictably, this proposal has been criticised by atheistic groups, which believe it is a bad use of public money.

• The National Secular Society (NSS) questioned why the Department for Education could not put a message up on its website and save the country “tens of thousands of pounds.”

“It’s not as if Bibles are in short supply in schools,” NSS president Terry Sanderson said. “But if (Mr Gove) intends to go ahead with this, will he also please ensure that a copy of On the Origin of Species is sent out on Darwin Day.

This book is much harder to find in schools and would be in line with his policy of promoting science and evidence-based education. I’m sure that he could write an excellent foreword to this, too,” Mr Sanderson added.

• And the British Humanist Association (BHA) said it was “highly unacceptable” for the Government to promote a particular religious text in every school.

“Either the Government is funding this initiative itself at a time when it is making severe cuts elsewhere, or the Church is funding it but using the Government as a vehicle through which to promote Christianity - both are unacceptable,” said BHA campaigns officer Richy Thompson.

“All state-funded schools and the Department itself should be neutral on matters of religion and belief, so that they can aim to be equally inclusive for all pupils and staff, regardless of their background,” he added.

A CRITICAL MOMENT IN THE LIFE OF THE NATION

The Government, however, is insistent that one does not have to be a Christian to believe the translation of the Bible was a “critical moment” in giving knowledge to the masses and therefore hugely important.

BEAUTIFUL

Michael Gove, who is proposing to write a two-line introduction for the bibles sent to schools, said of the 1611 translation: “It's a thing of beauty, and it's also an incredibly important historical artefact. It has helped shape and define the English language and is one of the keystones of our shared culture. And it is a work that has had international significance.”

“Some people look at certain battles, or some look at certain parliamentary acts, as hinge moments in history,” Mr Gove said. “I actually think the translation of the Bible into the vernacular is a critical moment in the life of the nation.”

He went further, adding that the King James Bible was the most important book written in the English language.

“It’s a thing of beauty, and it’s also an incredibly important historical artefact,” he added. “It has helped shape and define the English language and is one of the keystones of our shared culture. And it is a work that has had international significance.”

The Government is reportedly looking for private funding for the scheme.