Introduction Of Biblical Culture To College English Teaching In Chinese Context

The Bible is an essential part of western culture and fundamentally a foundation in many aspects throughout the western world. Biblical culture has exerted profound influence in the shaping of western people's values, way of life and development of the English language. But the value of the Bible and Biblical culture hasn't earned much attention in the English language teaching in Chinese context. In response to this situation, and based on the close relationship between language and culture and the requirements of college English teaching in the new period, this thesis attempts to propose the idea of introduction of Biblical culture to college English teaching in Chinese context.Language is a special system reflecting a special culture. This thesis emphasizes particularly on the impact of Biblical culture upon the English language as an international tool of communication. The spread and standardization of the English language could be traced back to the English translation and publication of the book Bible. The Authorized Version of the Bible (KJV) marked the real transition from Middle English to Early Modern English. Until now large amounts of Biblical names, idioms, allusions, proverbs, literary forms and themes still find their expressions in Modern English, through which the impact of the Bible and its culture on the English language can be readily seen and sensed. For Chinese English learners, a decent mastery of Biblical culture is likely to be of significance and help to their English study.Seen from the perspective of the college English teaching in Chinese context, Biblical culture learning may also finds its reason and necessity. The new College English Curriculum Requirements (2004 version) have emphasized again the development of college students' cultural quality so as to improve their English learning efficacy; meanwhile, China's rapid social and economic development put higher requirements on college students' intercultural communicative competence. All these strengthen and further prove the importance and necessity of culture teaching in college English teaching. Based on the theoretical relationship of language and culture and the practical needs of college English teaching, the proposed idea of this thesis—introduction of Biblical culture to college English teaching, as a more concrete or specific culture teaching project is expected to be of benefit in developing Chinese college students' all-round English language competence.As for how to introduce Biblical culture to college English teaching, the thesis tries to put forward five approaches through which the proposed idea may be put into practice. In order to see the feasibility and popularity of the suggested methods, a small-scale tentative survey is conducted among 200 freshmen and sophomores in the author's university, Shandong University at Weihai, with the following results being analyzed and discussed in an exploratory way.Admittedly, up to the present, the proposed idea—introduction of Biblical culture to college English teaching, as a specific culture teaching project, is still on the threshold. Its feasibility and validity still needs further research and study by more scholars and researchers. The author hopes that due attention will be given to the cultural fact reflected in the proposed idea that Biblical culture has impacted greatly upon the English language, and whenever possible it can be reflected in college English teaching. All these efforts may find their significance if they can be of great help to develop college students' keen cultural awareness, improve their English learning efficacy and develop their language skills in an all-round way.