the language of the bible

jeanette winterson wrote recently about the english in the king james bible. she makes the point that the elegant language of the pre-1970's version created a foundation of good english for the working classes and the uneducated. she credits it with helping her get a place at oxford university. winterson does allow that language will change:

"Of course language changes; it has to for life’s sake, but its riches come out of a collision of past and present usage — which is why we need literature. The more familiar we are with the whole stretch of language, the less likely are we to think and talk in clichés. If politicians read more poetry, they might spout less garbage."

i don't think i am necessarily questioning the importance of reading well-written prose and poetry as a tool for one's own reading and writing development. she does say that "It’s about literature, not literacy. It is why reading is not a hobby nor a luxury, but fundamental to a civilised life."

i just don't think that church services in particular, and the bible in general are as much of a central educational source as once they were.

i also believe strongly from experience that for worship services and scriptural readings to have contemporary relevance, they also need contemporary contexts. i have always seen that as part of my role as a rabbi and teacher, i.e., to seek such connections and offer them for contemplation.

finally, while i used to say with great pomposity that i liked the victorian patriarchal language of our prayerbook and surely god knew what i meant anyway so why mess with the pronouns ... well ... these days, especially if you know any hebrew (i.e., even if the english is gender-neutralised), i feel invisible when reading and speaking the constant stream of male language that may still be found in many prayerbooks.

so - yes jeanette we should all read a lot more, but i'm just not happy making the kids read a prayer that says something like 'wondrous fashioner and sustainer of life we give thee thanks and praise' unless we have figured out together what on earth that means!