Church keeps grip over believers
Reporter Megan Masters caught up with theologian George Helon about his incredible collection of rare Bible reproductions and the story behind how our modern Bible came to be.
[The Codex Sinaiticus] is actually made up of codexes that exist in different countries.
— George Helon
THROUGHOUT the Dark Ages (or early Middle Ages for the scholars) the Bible was almost exclusively in Latin.
Not only that, but it was also a capital crime to hang on to a copy in any other language.
It was nicknamed the Dark Ages for a reason, with the Roman Catholic Church wielding such great power as the only custodians of the Word of God that corruption became rife.
The Roman Empire had fallen, but the grip of the Roman Church over the people was kept strong through the control of Heaven, Hell, and everything in between as far as believers were concerned.
Sins were forgiven through a healthy donation to the church coffers, the concept of purgatory emerged (easily escaped with a monetary donation from a concerned family member), and dissenters were exiled or executed.
It was also a time of great upheaval within the church, which was still firming up doctrine through a string of important councils.
But all the while the Bible was completely inaccessible to the average person, with any changes, not to mention discrepancies between church rule and the Bible, not apparent to the masses.
And Toowoomba theologian George Helon has a few examples of some fascinating versions at his gloved fingertips.
The really exciting part is he’s prepared to share, with a special exhibition at Koorong Books in Ruthven St during March and April.
Mr Helon said throughout the centuries, theologians and men of God have added their own interpretations, nuances and refinements, and had changed some passages fairly liberally.
He cited some famous examples including the “breeches Bible”, in which Adam and Eve apparently sewed themselves breeches from fig leaves and the “wicked Bible, in which the very important “not” was left out of the seventh commandment, causing it to read “Thou shalt commit adultery”.
While the wicked Bibles were immediately recalled and destroyed, apart from 11 that still exist, the breeches version was used for hundreds of years.
A quick search on Bible errata would give you more examples of these kinds of editions than could ever be abridged to fit here.
There were changes to Jesus’ genealogy, footnotes suggesting disobedient wives should have the fear of God beaten into their heads and a huge range of small mistakes that rendered passages incorrect, if not downright amusing.
Mr Helon took an interest in collecting some of these versions, but discovered the only way to really find them wasn’t through re-prints, but reproductions.
These rare and beautiful reproductions in some cases are the only way to see the complete text.
The first Bible to go on show at Koorong is the Codex Sinaiticus and Mr Helon said it was a feat to be able to see all of its sections in the same place.
“This is actually made up of codexes that exist in different countries,” he said.
“That’s how it is with these old Bibles. Every now and then a folio will surface that had been in a private collection because some people don’t know what they have in their own home.
“It is quite fortunate that the British Library coordinated a publishing program to bring together all surviving pages and fragments of the Codex, which are split between the British Library (347 pages), the Leipzig University Library in Germany (43 leaves), the Russian National Library in Saint Petersberg (3 leaves), and St Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt (12 leaves and 14 fragments).”
Mr Helon said each week a new Bible would go on show, accompanied by a brief explanation of each on a leaflet people can take home.
One of the highlights, due to be shown for one day only in April, is a stunning and very rare reproduction of the Hereford Mappa Mundi, which was created by a group of gifted craftsmen and artists around 1285.
It is a spiritual and historical map, which conveys the teachings of the Bible and depicts the wonders of history and legend.
It contains more than 500 drawings, depicting 420 cities and towns, 15 Biblical events, 33 plants, animals, birds and strange creatures, 32 images of the peoples of the world and eight pictures from classical mythology.
Other Bibles to be displayed throughout the seven week exhibition include the Aleppo Codex starting from next week, followed by the Codex Leningradis, The Holkham Bible, The Gutenberg/Mazarin Bible, The Luther Bible and the English Hexapla.
Each is highly significant to Bible history in its own way. For instance the Gutenberg Bible is well known as the first major book printed in the West using movable type.
The Aleppo Codex has a fascinating and mysterious history which you can read about on its accompanying leaflets.
The Holkham Bible is one of the most stunning illuminated texts ever produced, comprising incredible illustrations complimented by words, rather than the other way around.