The society aims to enhance the English-Learning experience by promoting the study of an important origin of English Literature-the Bible.
For centuries, the Bible has been a source of inspirations to numerous renowned scholars, writers and poets who shaped the world of English literature, the most notable amongst them is William Shakespeare. However, such origins are now seldom discussed, partly due to the complexities of the Bible and of the traditional literary works which it inspired centuries back. Yet its many influences can still be felt nowadays, which made their way in the many idioms which we currently use in modern language, such as “turn the other cheek”, “go the extra mile” etc. Bible-reading has long been adopted and championed by professors and lay people, Christians and non-Christians as an effective way of learning English, given its treasure trove of idioms and rhetorical devices in the book. In fact, it is found that learners who read the bible show significant improvements in the language as shown in their increased use of parallel structures and increase in vocabulary without themselves even knowing it.
This vision is increasingly recognized worldwide whereby English professors surveyed at leading universities–including Yale, Harvard, Princeton and Stanford–agreed that “regardless of a person’s faith, an educated person needs to know about the Bible.”, according to the Bible literacy report released on June 1, 2006. The report surveyed 39 English professors at 34 top U.S. colleges and universities, who said that knowledge of the Bible is a deeply important part of a good education.
| A) | Enhance the English-Learning experience of English learners and raise their English proficiency by promoting the study of Bible; |
| B) | Inspire language teachers and trainers on campuses and workplace to promote English-learning via literature to the general public; |
| C) | Raise people’s level of appreciation for Western art, literature, culture and history by making them aware of the Bible and its influence on Western civilization; |
| D) | Promote the Bible as an academically stimulating and engaging subject. |
The Society (known as SELBL in short), is formed in 2008 by a group of professionals and university lecturers. What essentially links us together is the vision and passion of promoting English literacy through the study of an important origin of English literature – the Bible.
Since 2010, SELBL Limited has become a charitable institution exempt from tax under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance, Hong Kong.
For more details regarding the work of SELBL, please download our corporate brochure.
A lot of phrases, such as "two-edged sword" and " an eye for an eye", are taken from the English Bible. Learning the stories behind these idioms is fun, and can help boost your vocabulary. Click here to find out now!