Gutenberg and the History of the Printed Bible

Gutenberg and the History of the Printed Bible, A special exhibit and lecture at the Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Avenue, Haverhill, MA Saturday December 2nd, 10am–4pm The Museum of Printing in Haverhill, MA is presenting a special exhibition and program on Gutenberg and the Printed Bible. Johannes Gutenberg chose the Bible as the first product of the marvelous invention of printing in 1455. Martin Luther was the first to translate the Bible into the vernacular, in his case, German. For two centuries it was punishable by death to print the Bible in any language other than Latin, although the Old Testament existed in Hebrew and Greek. But under King James, a major effort created the translation known to most of the world, and a virtual war broke out over who would print it. Professor Emeritus Frank Romano will trace the fascinating history of the printed Bible. He has personally seen 30 of the 48 Gutenberg Bibles that remain on this planet. You will learn: • Why it took Gutenberg three attempts and several years to get the font right. • Why Gutenberg lost everything just as his Bible was being produced. • Why no two Gutenberg Bibles are the same. • How an unknown monk used print to challenge the most powerful force on earth. • How Martin Luther invented the forerunner of Twitter and Blogging. Over 15 rare Bibles will be exhibited, plus several replicas of Gutenberg Bible pages, as well as other historic materials. This event is free to clergy, military, and children. Admission for all others is $8. The 1-hour presentation is scheduled for 10am, Noon, and 2pm. Contact us at info@museumofprinting.org