The Bible for the Biblically Challenged

1. The Biblefor the Biblically Challenged St. John’s in the Wilderness Episcopal Church Rally Sunday, September 10, 2006

2. 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

3. (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

4. (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

5. “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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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 readings Law codes Songs Proverbs Sagas Histories 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

11. 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 whole 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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