Canterbury's King James Bible
The ‘King James’ – or as it is sometimes known ‘Authorised’ – version remains the most influential Bible in the English-speaking world. The University of Canterbury possesses one of only two Australasian copies of the first printing of this publishing landmark.
Originally produced in an atmosphere of tense religious debate in the early-17th century, Canterbury's copy is now an important part of the story of the foundation and development of the city of Christchurch. How this KJB came to be on New Zealand's South Island remains at present something of a mystery, one that is the subject of continuing investigation. Today it stands as a testament to the ideals that inspired those, such as John Robert Godley, who planned the original settler community in the 19th century.
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The origins of the KJB lie in the tumultuous religious changes that took place during what has become known as the 16th-century Reformation. One legacy of those changes was the circulation of multiple versions of the Bible in English. In the opening years of the 17th century, the English king, James I, set a group of scholars at Oxford, Cambridge and Westminster to work to produce a new official version of the biblical text 'to be read in churches'. The result, in 1611, was the KJB.
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The KJB was an outstanding publishing success. The text has remained in print for 400 years, and has appeared in numerous formats. Some were large enough to be read in churches; others were much smaller and intended for personal study. Canterbury's KJB is important and distinctive because it was part of the very first print run, a fact indicated by a number of unique features. |
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While we know the date the Canterbury KJB was printed, much of our copy's history remains unclear. By the late-20th century it had come into the possession of the Dean and Chapter of Christchurch's Anglican cathedral. From their hands it entered the University collection. Efforts are now being made to trace its broader story over the past 400 years. Who owned this copy? How did it find its way to Christchurch? |
 Future Research
From 2012 the Canterbury History Department will be offering students the exciting opportunity to explore the Canterbury KJB further via the dissertation that forms a part of its Honours year and its MA programme.
Interested students should contact Dr Chris Jones. Students may also be interested in the Burstow KJB Project. |
The Making of the KJB
Why is Canterbury's KJB special?
The Provenance of the Canterbury KJB