Kenneth Taylor

Thoughts on Kenneth Taylor's Passing last week:

When I was 11, a Columbia Bible College professors' family (previously missionaries to the Philippines) moved in 3 doors down from us here in Columbia. This was early 70's, and their daughter closest to my age was quick to tell anyone that they had been neighbors of the Taylors while living in Wheaton. This gave her amazing cache' in the circles in which we moved.

Despite concerns of some regarding about translations vs. paraphrases, I know that I certainly benefited from the Living Bible. My copy from 1973 has tons of underlining, highlighting, and comments written about faith, truth, character, etc. in the changing penmanship of my adolescence. It was just SO COOL to be able to read the Bible at length, and so I did.

I also received a good foundation in Bible stories from Dr. Taylor, whose "The Bible in Picture for Little Eyes" is simple, but not at all condescending (nor sparing!) in its presentations of Bible history and teaching. Many of the images I "see" when reading various passages of scripture are the paintings I first saw as my parents read to me from this book.