Darwin brought into Bible debate again

I was very interested in the debate in the newspapers over the weekend of Education Secretary Michael Gove’s plan to send a copy of the King James Version of the Bible to every school in Britain.

Mr Gove, pictured below, who has written a foreword to the Bible gift, said it was the most important book in the English language and had major cultural significance.

The Department of Education said the Bibles would be sent to more than 20,000 schools to mark the 400^th anniversary of the translation.

Supporters say the book would help supporters of all faiths to take pride in the history and culture of Britain.

But non-religious groups have condemned it as an unacceptable waste of public money and former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott described it as Mr Gove’s ‘vanity project’.

Mr Prescott said on Twitter: “And Gove gave unto 20,000 schools a Bible that cost £10 a piece and the taxpayer wasted £200,000 on a vanity project.”

The National Secular Society suggested the Department of Education could put a message on its website and save tens of thousands of pounds.

Its president, Terry Sanderson, added: “Will he also please ensure that a copy of On the Origin of Species is sent out on Darwin day (February 12)?

“This book is murder to find in schools and would be in line with his policy of promoting science and evidence based education.”

The story of Charles Darwin, who was born in Shrewsbury and who stayed at The Lion Hotel just before and immediately after his epic journey, is told in Four Centuries at The Lion Hotel.

Richy Thompson, campaigns officer at the British Humanist Association, said: “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.”

The story raised a number of questions in my mind.

1. Surely schools in Britain already have a copy of the Bible?

2. With all the economic cutbacks going on at the moment, isn’t this the wrong time to suggest this gift?

3. I am all for pupils studying the facts and reading the evidence for themselves. But if the schools were given a Bible and a copy of the On the Origin of Species, what other books would the Government be asked to provide for free?

4. Each of these Bibles for schools would include a foreword by Michael Gove. Why? Surely he is not trying to make any political capital out of this, is he?

5. The third official translation of the Bible into English was commissioned by the Protestant King James I in 1604 so the ordinary people could read it in their everyday language. If pupils today are to get a Bible, shouldn’t it be a modern version in today’s everyday language, not in the English of 400 years ago?

What do you think? I would be interested in your views?