The Biblefor the

Biblically Challenged

St. John’s in the Wilderness Episcopal ChurchRally Sunday, September 10, 2006

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Why Read the Bible?• More than just a book• Part of our heritage as Christians/Anglicans• Christian roots in Hebrew Bible• Anglicans insisted on right to read the Bible in

our own language• Many prayers, words, phrases in the BCP are

from the Bible

• Contemporary attitudes toward Bible reading are complicated• We are less biblically literate than our forebears• Anglicans hesitate to read it

• “Don’t know enough” about it• Uncomfortable about belief in biblical authority

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(Very) Brief History of the Bible

• Originally oral traditions, later written and collected• Ancient Jewish scrolls kept in

temples (now our Older Testament)• Still use scrolls in their worship today

• Codex volumes in use within first half century after Christ, often in Greek• Christian letters and writings

collected in what we call New Testament• Both together became our Bible

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(Very) Brief History of the Bible(continued)

• Latin Vulgate in large, expensive volumes after 5th C. in churches, universities• Unavailable to common person – huge, expensive

• Generally couldn’t read or write anyway• “Knowledge is power” – became property of clergy, learned

• Gutenberg Bible (1456) similar, but a watershed• First portable book in 1490; two decades till Bible printed this

way

• Reformers (early 16th C.) insisted on vernacular Bibles• Word available to all• Early publishers (Tyndale, others) put to death because of

vernacular bibles• End of 16th C.: Bibles cheap, easy to purchase and read

• More people literate because of available Bibles• Often the only book available to most of population

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“First, do no harm”

• Bible not meant to be used as a weapon of destruction, but a guide for life

• Recounts salvation history along with human history• Messy, puzzling, contradictory

• No “one right way” to read or interpret• Many perspectives• Many interpretations• Best in community, aloud, in regular reading

sessions• Changes the reader as well as the listener

• Worship (Eucharist, Daily Office)• Bible study• Meditation/Lectio Divina

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What Is Needed?

• Conviction that God speaks to us through the Bible

• Prayerful attitude toward learning• Open heart, open mind• Respect for other’s views and

opinions• Curiosity, and a love of surprises!• A Bible – almost any version will do• A few tools

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Open the Book• References by book, chapter, and

verse• Page numbers vary by version (ignore

them)• May be numbered by OT and NT• Nothing sacred about numbering! Not

written this way!

• “Running head” = book or letter • Place in history, attribution, description• May vary by Jewish, Roman Catholic, other• Some may contain more or fewer books

• Apocrypha = “things hidden” – extra canonical books

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How Does It Look?• Traditional, study Bibles in columns with

extensive notes• Encourage study, rereading in context

• Contemporary language, full-page text• Ease of reading, like modern story

• Understand that there are many translations from many languages of ancient texts – no two alike• Helpful to have two or more translations of one

text to reveal larger meaning• Bible commentaries helpful to understand

different views, possible meanings

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Ways of Reading• Historical• Allegory – one thing represents another• Pesher – interpreting current events as

foretold in Scripture• Midrash – use one verse to illuminate

another• Often a conversation over generations• Meaning open and expanding

• New Testament sometimes described as a commentary on the Older Testament• Places Jesus as fulfillment of OT

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Later Understandings

• Began as oral tradition• “Family stories around campfires”

• Many “authors,” traditions before written down• Many writings not included in canon

• Many kinds of writings – different readingsLaw codes Songs Proverbs SagasHistories Genealogies Allegories Poems

Apocalypses Prophecies Letters Oracles

• Larger pattern of truth seen in an overview• Read study notes if available to understand

context• Read different kinds of texts • Observe differences in mood

• Song of Solomon vs. Lamentations vs. Numbers

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Different Translations

• 20+ in English alone; FIND ONE FOR YOU!• Varied emphasis, wording, ease of reading• Some more conservative, others less

• Newer versions with updated, expansive language

• None are exact!• Importance is in the wholewhole story

• Episcopalians look toward both catholic and reformed Bible traditions• Word shared by community, not one person• Preaching important, but not sole means of life• No specific requirements for which

translations we may read in private or in study

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Fourfold Method

• Medieval way of reading in levels• Primary – what does it say in words?• Allegorical – what could it mean?• Moral – what is it telling us about life/God?• Mystical – what is the Spirit saying?

• What does it say to me?• All contribute to the spiritual sense of total meaning

• Contemporary readers tend to be much more “realistic” and miss the larger point• What the Spirit is saying/doing in history and

our story

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Bible Study/Interpretation

• Originally intended to be read orally• Not just reader, but speaker and hearer• “Active reading” experience

• Created community, spread the Gospel• Each person new at some time to reading/hearing it

• Medieval practice of lectio divina – holy reading – involved whole person

• Reformation, printing led to individual emphasis, sola scriptura – scripture alone• Scriptural literalism vs. biblical criticism

• Most feel they have to take sides or avoid the fray

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Helpful Tools• Commentaries: Many available/many viewpoints

• Liberal, conservative, fundamentalist, feminist, ethnic, etc. – All give their own viewpoints• None is “correct”• Most are helpful• Know where your commentary comes from! Okay to

disagree!

• Concordance (word/phrase finder)• Strong’s is standard; others available

• Bible dictionary – definitions, pronunciations• Online/other technical tools

• Software – many have multiple versions, concordance, etc. • Available for pc’s and Palm-type devices

• Websites (Google “bible”)• Find multiple versions; concordance, often history and

help pronouncing• Some will email every day with a reading/meditation

• http://www.forwardmovement.org/todaysreading.cfm = Episcopal source

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Remember…• We are people of TWO books• The Bible contains beliefs and heritage central

to all of Christianity• The Book of Common Prayer important to

Anglicans/Episcopalians• Followed Christian Bible by more than 1000 years

• The best way to learn is to just do it!• Get involved; make it part of your life

• Family reading, especially during Advent/Lent• Bible study/discussion groups

• Consider EFM or other bible study

• Sign up to lector at church• Reading words aloud make them real

• Challenge us to learn their meaning in our lives

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Resources• Ferlo, Roger, Opening the Bible. (The New Church’s

Teaching Series.) Cowley: Boston, 1997.• www.forwardmovement.org (Episcopal) • http://www.netministries.org/bbasics/bbasics.html

(pronunciation)• http://www.io.com/~kellywp/index.html (Episcopal

lectionary page)• http://www.genesis.net.au/~bible/ (download various

versions)• http://demo.lutherproductions.coaucorrm/bibletutor/

(very basic Bible information)• http://www.crosswalk.com