Scottish churches attempt King James Bible reading marathon

Over the next seven days, Largo and Newburn Parish Church and Largo St David’s will attempt to read all 66 books of the Authorised Version.

The two churches are coordinating the effort as part of celebrations taking place nationwide this year to mark the 400th anniversary of the completion of the King James Bible.

Although a full reading of the King James Bible has been achieved over a long weekend in England, the two Fife churches are the first to make a similar attempt north of the border.

The reading gets underway on Wednesday morning at 7am and Minister of Largo and Newburn Parish Church, the Rev John Murdoch, estimates that it will take around 80 hours of reading to read the Bible cover to cover.

He foresees finishing “quite late” in the evenings.

“This is a massive project and I very much hope that those taking part with us will enjoy reading the Bible from beginning to end," he said.

The reading marathon is being undertaken by readers in groups of four to six who will read for an hour.

"Obviously we wish as many groups as possible to read for as long as possible," Mr Murdoch continued.

Donations being collected in support of the effort will go towards the Scottish Bible Society and an appeal fund for street children in Brazil.

Mr Murdoch said the response had been encouraging so far.

“We have already had a number of people sign up from all over the country. There’s a good mix of people outwith the Church of Scotland, including Scottish Episcopalians, Baptists and Roman Catholics."

Largo is not far from Burntisland Parish Church, where the 1601 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was held.

It is believed an outbreak of the bubonic plague prevented ministers and elders from gathering in Edinburgh for the General Assembly of that year and they instead met outside the city, with King James the Sixth of Scotland and First of England in attendance.

Largo and Newburn Parish Church is the Kirk where the man behind Robinson Crusoe once worshipped.

Alexander Selkirk’s parents are buried in the grounds of the 12th century church, where Selkirk himself attended the congregation.