On Scripture

Ahhhh!! Scripture is disappearing!! No one reads the Bible anymore!

This is the battle cry of the latest essay that I have read. Although I heartily agree with some of his assessments on the effects of post-modernism and the horrendous state of education (yeah, I've witnessed that one as a school teacher), I find that I'm attentive to his fears but I see some solutions.

Having lived in Asheville, I can testify that there is a world out there that likes reading and even thrives on religion and spirituality texts (though it isn't always the Bible). Reading Rick Richardson's Evangelism Outside the Box in addition to being tutored under InterVarsity's style of evangelism and teaching, I'm also very aware that post-modernism does open doors for us to share the Gospel with people and help them to find life in the Bible.

I'll be honest. I grew up in a church that was liturgy-based, meaning that set Scriptures are read at the same time every year. I was actually quite outraged when I heard about it because it leaves out large chunks of the Bible. I have not finished reading the Bible in its entirety, but after this year in Seminary, I probably will have done so in a year. Yet the most productive way to read is slowly. There is nothing quite like ten verses or so at a time. The slowness that I've read certain books of the Bible, topical books that use exegesis and small group Bible Studies, all have made me into a person who knows their way around the Bible pretty well.

So my question is why are we not teaching these tools to people? You don't have to be a brilliant person to have the Holy Spirit reveal good stuff. But a college education helps. And this probably explains why these tools work really well for InterVarsity, a ministry that is focused on college students. But I have even taught my students the most basic skills for reading religious texts. I do also believe that if someone can read (or hear) that if they ask the right questions and wrestle with them, Scripture opens itself to interpretation. It may not always be the perfect, right or historic interpretation, but it is one that will foster growth.

I agree that we do need "experts." I'm thankful that some people get to live out their dreams studying the Bible all day and wrestling with the hard questions so that they can pass down that knowledge to those of us who are called to different things. And that is also the role of the pastor and teacher, to pass down good knowledge that God has entrusted to them.

So, I have hope for the Bible. It isn't going anywhere. We as the Church just need to use our God-given brains and the Holy Spirit to help us minister to people. Do you really think God is just going to let the Bible disappear?