I would like to propose to you an approach to the Bible that has as its goal both the acquisition and retention of Biblical knowledge, an approach that uses such knowledge as a foundation upon which Christians can apply the Bible's message in service to the God and Savior it portrays. It is a three-tiered approach that attempts to examine the Bible in its multiple facets, and it is applicable to clergy and laity, novice and scholar, moderate and conservative. Although it will appear at first glance to be too simple, it will ultimately demand of churches a level of diligence and persistence that few of them have demanded of themselves. If followed consistently, however, it has the potential to revolutionize church members' view of the Bible as a whole and perhaps to transform their lives as well.
The first step in our approach to the Bible is that we should read it. In saying this, I am not trying to oversimplify or state the obvious. I am instead referring to the multitude of copies of the scriptures that are hidden away within our houses in closets or drawers or are visible, lying dormant and unopened, on our nightstands and coffee tables, copies that are serving essentially no spiritual function whatsoever. Even that one copy of the Bible that each member carries to church is for the most part seldom moved from its resting place until Sunday arrives.
Yes, as strange as it sounds, many Christians tend to avoid reading the Bible and have no desire to start. Even daily Bible readers would tend to feel embarrassed if they were spotted reading the Bible by their co-workers or friends, a reaction that is nothing short of incredible when we consider that it is revered within the Church as God's Word to us. I'm not sure why this is so, but I do know that such a tendency to relegate the use of the Bible to church gatherings alone is not spiritually healthy.
Churches, therefore, must rekindle within the laity the desired to unashamedly pick up the Book and open its pages. Not periodically or intermittently but regularly and consistently. Not out of obligation or merely as a ritualistic reflex but with a sense that it is worth reading, that it just so happens to be as relevant and important during the week as we profess it to be on Sunday. "Scholars may discuss its measurements and limitations," says Bruce Barton, "the theologically-minded may battle over its 'inspiration.' Let them argue, What the world needs is fewer to argue and a whole lot more to read." And it is the job of today's Church to encourage Christians to do just that.
Yes, as strange as it sounds, many Christians tend to avoid reading the Bible and have no desire to start. Even daily Bible readers would tend to feel embarrassed if they were spotted reading the Bible by their co-workers or friends, a reaction that is nothing short of incredible when we consider that it is revered within the Church as God's Word to us. I'm not sure why this is so, but I do know that such a tendency to relegate the use of the Bible to church gatherings alone is not spiritually healthy.
Churches, therefore, must rekindle within the laity the desired to unashamedly pick up the Book and open its pages. Not periodically or intermittently but regularly and consistently. Not out of obligation or merely as a ritualistic reflex but with a sense that it is worth reading, that it just so happens to be as relevant and important during the week as we profess it to be on Sunday. "Scholars may discuss its measurements and limitations," says Bruce Barton, "the theologically-minded may battle over its 'inspiration.' Let them argue, What the world needs is fewer to argue and a whole lot more to read." And it is the job of today's Church to encourage Christians to do just that.
But just reading the Bible is not enough. It is, indeed, a necessary first step, but it usually will not produce a depth of Biblical knowledge sufficient to reverse the depression trend toward Biblical illiteracy in our churches. Nor will it ever by itself engender enough of an appreciation of the Bible's relevance to make a difference in the reader's life. This brings us to the second step in our approach to the Bible: we should study it. We should study it historically, realizing that "the Bible was written in the thought forms of the people of its time." We should study it textually, not by focusing haphazardly on isolated verses with no regard to context but by participating in organized studies of its various books in an "examine the forest before the trees" fashion. We should study it as literature, taking note of its many literary forms, such as poetry, parable, narrative, and apocalypse. It is only after such a comprehensive study that we can begin to discover the truest message within a particular passage of scripture and have it penetrate the very depths of our souls.
I believe every layperson is capable of studying the Bible in this manner. To do so, however, means that he or she must rely upon the expertise of legion of Biblical scholars, past and present, whose written works (commentaries, dictionaries, textbooks, concordances, etc.) can become the windows through which the non-scholar can view the Bible in its historical, textual, and literary dimensions. These Bible scholars have often been the target of derogatory generalizations, but their commitment to honesty and truth is relentless and their assistance to Bible students is invaluable. I encourage the reader, therefore, to avoid joining forces with any person who tends to dismiss scholars in wholesale fashion as flaming liberals or intellectual heretics.
By urging all Christians to become students of the Bible, I admit that I am placing a great deal of faith in the ability of the laity to reason for themselves. I consider the average person to possess at least average intelligence and thus would expect him or her to be able to assimilate facts and come to a forthright conclusion, even when these facts seem contradictory. I see this average Christian making similar tough decisions daily in regard to finances, family, and politics, and I see no reason to think that in the area of Biblical study he or she would be less inclined.
I firmly believe, however, that churches today do not share my faith in the laity's intellectual acumen. Instead, they often tend to treat their members as intellectually handicapped, telling them what to believe instead of giving them the facts upon which to make their own decisions. All too often subjects that are hotly debated in scholarly circles are casually mentioned in church literature or, worse yet, not mentioned at all, as if no such controversies exist. It is as if the denominational leaders fear the laity might get in over their heads, become discouraged, and dismiss the Bible as irrelevant.
The sad irony is that these denominations have by their silence transformed their fears into reality. A large number of people in churches today have become discouraged and have dismissed the Bible as worthless (although most would never gather the courage to admit it). They have done so because what they are told by their denomination about the Bible does not make sense to them and because they have not been allowed by that same denomination to weigh any reasonable alternatives. These Christians are victims of "learned helplessness," the same apathetic reaction seen in laboratory rats who have been given the unpalatable pellet so many times that they won't even try to see if the next one is pleasing to the taste. It is to these individuals' denominations that I issue a challenge to be brave enough to relay to their members the complexities and perplexities inherent in Biblical interpretation. Such faith in the common laity's ability to respond appropriately would be reminiscent of Jesus' faith in the just-as-common Twelve and would, in my opinion, yield similar dividends.
I firmly believe, however, that churches today do not share my faith in the laity's intellectual acumen. Instead, they often tend to treat their members as intellectually handicapped, telling them what to believe instead of giving them the facts upon which to make their own decisions. All too often subjects that are hotly debated in scholarly circles are casually mentioned in church literature or, worse yet, not mentioned at all, as if no such controversies exist. It is as if the denominational leaders fear the laity might get in over their heads, become discouraged, and dismiss the Bible as irrelevant.
The sad irony is that these denominations have by their silence transformed their fears into reality. A large number of people in churches today have become discouraged and have dismissed the Bible as worthless (although most would never gather the courage to admit it). They have done so because what they are told by their denomination about the Bible does not make sense to them and because they have not been allowed by that same denomination to weigh any reasonable alternatives. These Christians are victims of "learned helplessness," the same apathetic reaction seen in laboratory rats who have been given the unpalatable pellet so many times that they won't even try to see if the next one is pleasing to the taste. It is to these individuals' denominations that I issue a challenge to be brave enough to relay to their members the complexities and perplexities inherent in Biblical interpretation. Such faith in the common laity's ability to respond appropriately would be reminiscent of Jesus' faith in the just-as-common Twelve and would, in my opinion, yield similar dividends.
In review, we have briefly discussed two steps churches can take to revolutionize their congregations' outlook on the Bible. Step one: they must compel their members to read it. Step two: They must assist their members in studying it. Next week, we will discuss the third step in our approach to the Bible.
NEXT WEEK
Part 11: Bible Study (the result)
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