Lord Melvyn Bragg discusses impact of King James Bible
Posted on 5 December 2011
“The Radical Impact of the King James Bible 1611-2011” is the University’s Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture’s first annual lecture and takes place on Thursday, 8 December. Demand for tickets has been high and the event is already fully booked.
Since its publication in 1611, the King James Bible has been the best selling book in the world, spreading the Protestant faith and profoundly enriching the English language and its literature.
Lord Bragg, an honorary graduate of the University of York, will base his lecture on his latest work The Book of Books: The Radical Impact of the King James Bible 1611-2011 published earlier this year to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.
Best known as the writer, editor and presenter of The South Bank Show for London Weekend Television (1978-2010), Lord Bragg read modern history at Wadham College, Oxford, before joining the BBC as a general trainee in 1961. Three years later, he was appointed editor of BBC2’s first arts programme First Release, and has since pursued a distinguished career as both a writer and broadcaster. He became Controller of Arts at London Weekend Television in 1990 and presented BBC Radio 4’s Start the Week for ten years until 1998.
The Chancellor of the University of Leeds and a Fellow of the Royal Society, Lord Bragg is also President of the National Campaign for the Arts and was made a life peer in 1998. He has received many awards including the Media Society Award for 2010 for his outstanding work as a journalist, broadcaster and author, and a BAFTA Academy Fellowship in recognition of his distinguished broadcasting career.
We are thrilled that Lord Bragg will be joining us to deliver the first in the Centre’s annual lecture series
Dr Dee Dyas, Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture
He is the author of several screenplays, many works of non-fiction and more than a dozen novels, including For Want of a Nail (1965) and Remember Me (2008).
Dr Dee Dyas, Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture, said: “We are thrilled that Lord Bragg will be joining us to deliver the first in the Centre’s annual lecture series. His topic has particular resonance in the year which celebrates the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible and illustrates the many ways in which Christianity has shaped our language, society and culture.”
York’s Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture was set up in 1999 to improve access to and broaden understanding of the Christian concepts and biblical themes which have shaped so much of the heritage and culture of Britain. The Centre’s research coupled with cutting-edge technology creates interactive cultural tools which help people of all ages and backgrounds appreciate literature, history, art, architecture and music shaped by Christian thought and spirituality. The books and interactive resources created by Christianity and Culture are used worldwide.
The Centre also works with important historic churches throughout the country, including York Minster, Ripon Cathedral, Wakefield Cathedral, Holy Trinity Micklegate, York and Holy Trinity Goodramgate, York. Through bringing recent research to life through interactive interpretation schemes, the Centre is helping local communities and visitors understand and enjoy these remarkable aspects of Yorkshire’s heritage and the fascinating stories they hold.
Lord Melvyn Bragg’s lecture is on Thursday, 8 December at 6pm in the Bowland Auditorium in the Berrick Saul building. The free lecture is now full.
Notes to editors:
- The University hosts a series of public lectures covering a wide variety of subjects every year. A complete list is available at www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/
Contact details
Keep up to date
Subscribe to news feeds
