Why My Gen Z Students Are Fascinated by the King James Bible

By Pasquale S. Toscano

Dr. Toscano is an assistant professor of English at Vassar College.

At the liberal arts college where I teach Renaissance literature, few of my students seem to practice any organized religion. For some, even the names Adam and Eve prompt only vague recognition. So when I assigned bits of the King James Bible last spring, I was surprised by the fascination it inspired.

My students marveled at how its language was used by 17th-century writers, appearing in daring poetry and polemics against retrograde social norms. They were perhaps even more impressed by the history........

© The New York Times