Shakespeare
heard readings from the Bishops Bible (1568) every Sunday
when he attended Holy Trinity Church in his home town
of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Many
families kept editions like this 'Geneva version' (1576)
at home.
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The Bible was crucial to Shakespeare's
culture. The Church in the past is often shown as severe
or even brutal. But faith and the Church were simply central
to the lives of Elizabethans.
Faith was guided by the Bible. It could
help to explain life, death and events taking place in the
world.
At the very least, the church was a focus
for local communities. Church courts also dealt with social
issues - sometimes severely, but often with
sympathy.
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