• HOME
  • SHARE TO FRIEND
  • 登入
slider

The Bible has been the most influential text in all of Western culture. It's difficult to understand medieval or early modern or much of modern literature without knowing it...

Prof. Barbara Newman, Northwestern University
from 2006 Bible Literary project

slider

It's not that it's impossible to read some writers without a Biblical background, but that you would miss a whole dimension to their work.

Prof. Steven Goldsmith, University of California at Berkeley
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

slider

I can only say that if a student doesn't know any Bible literature, he or she will simply not understand whole elements of Shakespeare, Sidney, Spenser, Milton, Pope, Wordsworth

Prof. Robert Kiely, Harvard University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

slider

...there is truth in the remark. "without Tyndale[Bible translator], no Shakespeare"...

Prof. David Daniell, University College London
from The Bible in English

slider

You can't really study Western literature intelligently or coherently without starting with the Bible.

Prof. Gerald L. Bruns, University of Notre Dame
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

slider

...a familiar understanding of Christian doctrine in historical perspective thus contributes to a fuller appreciation of Shakespeare's art, but Shakespeare's art

Prof. Roland M. Frye
from Shakespeare and the Christian Doctrine

slider

In English tradition and also for an American tradition begun by Puritan writers, a knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is even more crucial than classical references.

Prof. Ulrich Knoefplmacher, Princeton University
from 2006 Bible Literary Project

slider

There is no book more important for our culture than the Bible, and it is fundametal to the study of English literature and language.

Prof. David Jasper and Prof. Stephen Prickett
from the Bible and literature

學者之言

一眾教授和學者除了研讀聖經,也建議英語老師在授課時引用聖經


 讓我們來看看他們在說什麼

“聖經是所有西方文明裏最具影響力的。如果沒有聖經的知識,在理解中世紀或近代西方文學上會有困難。無論我們教授Chaucer還是 Toni Morrison,都會遇上這情況,很明顯對聖經的認識理解是不可缺少的。” *

西北大學的Barbara Newman教授

“清教徒作家寫了不少作品,影響著英國傳統文化,甚至是美國傳統文化。要認識這些文化,對希伯來聖經和新約聖經的認識比經典文獻更加重要。作為學生,沒有讀過這些文獻,那幾乎是削弱他們的閱讀能力。” *

普林斯頓大學教授Ulrich Knoefplmacher

 “我只能說,如果壹個學生不認識任何聖經文學,他或她就不懂得莎士比亞(Shakespeare),西德尼(Sidney),斯賓塞(Spenser),彌爾頓(Milton)、華茲華斯(Wordsworth)的全部精髓”。 ” *

哈佛大學教授Robert Kiely

 “不先學習聖經,妳無法真正的學習到西方文學的精美和巧妙之處。”” *

聖母院大學教授Gerald Bruns

 “我不是說如果沒有聖經的背景知識就無法讀懂壹些文學作品。但妳會錯過了構成作品的整個角度。當讀者讀到William Blake的作品而沒有聖經知識做背景時,這作家像是壹個古怪的天馬行空的作者,寫的文字也變得晦澀難懂…如果妳有聖經的背景知識,妳就能明白他的思維和想象空間如何根植於這些文學作品,妳將更明白他的文化背景,而不只是讀到他獨特的語言。”” *

美國加州大學柏克萊分校Steven Goldsmith教授

 “從歷史的角度對基督教教義有所掌握有助於更充分欣賞莎士比亞的藝術,但莎士比亞的藝術並非用來神化舞臺劇。”” **

賓西法尼亞大學英文文學名譽教授Roland M. Frye教授

 註

* 發表於2006年6月1日的《2006聖經文化水平計劃》。報告調查包括了39個英語教授和美國34所名學院和大學。想知道更多的細節,可以上網站 
www.bibleliteracy.org

** 引自 Frye, Roland Mushat. Shakespeare and Christian Doctrine. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1963.

Search idiom or name
FIND THE ORIGIN OF IDIOMS

A lot of phrases, such as "two-edged sword" and " an eye for an eye", are taken from the English Bible. Learning the stories behind these idioms is fun, and can help boost your vocabulary. Click here to find out now!

What's in a name?

Common names such as Joseph and Rachel have their origins in the Bible. Want to know their stories before picking the right name for yourself? Click here to find out.