Our passage for this Sunday, our Monthly Healing Service, is Mark 1: 32-39
This is the link to hear our Scripture Lesson for Sunday read in the King James, the Pirate, the New Revised Standard Version, and the Message, a Contemporary version of the Scriptures.
It seems to surprise people to hear that the passage is read "with funny voices". Is this somehow unorthodox or, even worse, disorderly? Maybe. But they work. What does that even mean?
I was a lot younger and less foolish than I am now when I stumbled on this. I was reading the King James Version. Someone had hooked me with a historic conspiracy that not only does this version come from the time of Shakespeare (and King James), but he-Shakespeare (not King James) actually did the translation. Which is why the King James Version sounds like Shakespeare... (or the other way around).
My default "British", more British Isles adjacent, accent comes from Monty Python, the 'pepperpot' accents they would do when they dressed as more mature English ladies of a certain status. It works way too well to read the King James in that fashion. I would commend this for you to try. It brings together two of my favorite things, the Bible and Monty Python.
But we are Presbyterian, so after more than a few really bad attempts at an accent, I won't say that I am any good at it, but I find consistency in attempting a Scottish brogue-adjacent accent. Thank you Sean Connery and Peter Capaldi for being my vocal inspirations. Thank you David Tennant for being a spiritual inspiration, being the son of a Scottish clergyman to remind me that the good ones are often Presbyterian.
When I was younger, I was less foolish. I might 'do an accent' in a moment, but never be the fool to put it up on YouTube forever. But in our house, you will hear quotes thrown around from our favorite movies and television shows. And it is not really the line that sticks, it is how it's said.
I rather enjoy being a fool for Christ. If doing a 'funny accent' helps one more bit of God's Word to stick with the listener; if simply sharing God's Word for the sake of God's Word brings a little more of the Bible into the heart and mind of the person whose given me their time in watching this bit; if a bit of humor makes God's Word more human, then I have been blessed.
Pastor Pete
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