James woke up Monday morning with things on his mind, James being King James I of England and the date January 16, 1604. He had called a conference to deal with religious strife in England and Monday was his day to hear from Puritans complaining about the Church of England. They had written, "We, to the number of more than a thousand, of your Majesty’s subjects and ministers, all groaning as under a common burden of human rites and ceremonies, do with one joint consent humble ourselves at your Majesty’s feet to be eased and relieved in this behalf." So they proposed improving the clergy, eliminating some ceremonies, more strictly keeping the Sabbath and writing a new catechism. Of course, the establishment bishops thought differently and James was in the middle of it all.
Many people dismiss the church because they see how Christians squabble. Many in the church disdain theological disagreement, I certainly do, but read the Gospels and we see Jesus Himself at odds with the religious establishment. Often it's out of controversy that truth becomes clearer. It certainly did when James presided that Monday long ago. When the flustered Puritans off-handedly mentioned a new translation of the Bible, James seized on the suggestion. The result was the King James Bible.
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