The Archbishop of Canterbury has celebrated the impact of the King James Bible in his new year message.

Dr Rowan Williams said it had helped people see their lives within the context of the 'big picture' over the last 400 years.

He said: "When we try to make sense of our lives and of who we really are, it helps to have a strongly-defined story, a big picture of some kind in the background.

"As the King James Bible took hold of the imaginations of millions of people in the English-speaking world, it gave them just that - a big picture, a story in which their lives made sense."

He drew a comparison between the times in which the King James Bible was written and people's lives today, saying it remained "relevant for those reading the same stories today - helping them to see the value of their own lives set in the context of the 'big picture' ".

The Archbishop urged people to see that some kind of 'big picture' mattered for them to be able to make sense of their lives, regardless of their beliefs, and especially with the new language which has emerged with the 'Big Society".

He added: "Whether you're a Christian or belong to another religion or whether you have nothing you'd want to call a religion at all, some kind of big picture matters.

"If we're going to talk about a "a Big Society", that'll need a big picture, a picture of what human beings are really like and why they're so unique and precious.

"This year's anniversary is a chance to stop and think about the big picture - and to celebrate the astonishing contribution made by that book 400 years ago."