Review
by Carlean Ponder
A rare collection of documents tracing the development of the Bible
from ancient Egyptian manuscripts to the modern printed book is periodically
on display at the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library.
"From Papyri to King James: The Transmission of the English Bible"
includes documents spread across nations, peoples, and languages.
The Wycliffe English Bibles, the earliest complete biblical manuscripts
in English, have roots extending back to the earliest New Testament
documents and even farther back to oral tradition and prehistory for
the Old Testament.
The exhibition, located in the special collections Library, also examines
the origins of the King James Bible through direct ancestors and related
religious works. Portions from several letters of Paul, the first appearance
of Greek and Latin texts in print, and early translations of English
are all on display. Some of the older documents are written on papyrus
and parchment. For better comparison, some of the Bibles are opened
to the same passage providing an easier observation of the developments
in language, handwriting and type design.
View the Exhibit