logging in or signing up Understanding Scripture nerd759 Download Post to : URL : Related Presentations : Share Add to Flag Embed Email Send to Blogs and Networks Add to Channel Uploaded from authorPOINT lite Insert YouTube videos in PowerPont slides with aS Desktop Copy embed code: (To copy code, click on the text box) Embed: URL: Thumbnail: WordPress Embed Customize Embed The presentation is successfully added In Your Favorites. Views: 18 Category: Spiritual/ Ins.. License: All Rights Reserved Like it (0) Dislike it (0) Added: November 01, 2009 This Presentation is Public Favorites: 0 Presentation Description No description available. Comments Posting comment... Premium member Presentation Transcript An Anglican Hermeneutic : An Anglican Hermeneutic Prepared by The Rev. C. Andrew Doyle How we Understand Scripture Part One What is a Hermeneutic? : What is a Hermeneutic? The word hermeneutic is defined as the governing principles of how one will read, study, and investigate the meaning of scripture. An Anglican Hermeneutic means simply the governing principles of how Anglicans “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” scripture (Collect, 2nd Sunday in Advent, 1662 Book of Common Prayer) Therefore this presentation is about how Anglicans read and study the bible. The governing principles I have prepared for you are based upon the Windsor Report. Prayer : Prayer Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. Book of Common Prayer (1662), Collects. 2nd Sunday in Advent Contents Part One : Contents Part One Our Anglican Discipline Centrality of Scripture Scripture within our Tradition The Authority of Scripture What does Authority Mean? Apostolic Authority Scripture as Authority Contents Part Two : Contents Part Two Teaching Scripture Interpretation of Scripture Covenant for Respectful Conversation African Bible Study Method Instructions Our Anglican Discipline : Our Anglican Discipline Anglicanism has a number of normative practices These disciplines give Anglicanism its distinct way for a Christian to follow Jesus. Our Anglican Discipline : Our Anglican Discipline Our unifying disciplines are: We read scripture We have a received and living tradition Sacramental worship is practiced The historic character of apostolic leadership Centrality of Scripture : Centrality of Scripture Scripture is central to the bonds shared by Anglicans globally Scripture has long been understood as the living and supreme authority Read daily Central to our worship It is an essential bond making us Christians and making us Anglicans Scripture is something that unifies us as followers of Jesus and Anglicans Scripture in our Tradition : Scripture in our Tradition Scripture was essential to Anglican reformers For the reformers the early church Father’s writings on scripture were essential in interpreting the scripture For the reformers and Anglicans through the centuries, scripture is central to our faith and unifies us to the first followers of Jesus The Windsor Report reminds us: The seventeenth and eighteenth century divines hammered out their foundations of “scripture, tradition and reason”; in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries we have seen the 'Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral', in which scripture takes first place. An icon of the centrality of scripture for Anglicans is its presence in worship: readings, hymnody, psalms, canticles and collects. What does Authority Mean? : What does Authority Mean? On the one hand we claim scripture as central to our practice On the other hand we don’t spend much time seeking to understand or be in conversation with scripture While scripture is central to our communion as Anglicans the common phrase “the authority of scripture” can be misleading and a divisive phrase in our churches Our lack of engagement with the scripture makes these divides all the more difficult to navigate People read and interpret scripture in many different ways What does Authority Mean? : What does Authority Mean? What do Anglicans say about the scriptures: “The Scriptures speak to us and remind us that God is the supreme authority. When Jesus speaks of ‘all authority in heaven and earth’ (Matthew 28.18), he declares that this authority is given, not to the books that his followers will write, but to himself. Jesus, The living Word, is the one to whom the written Word bears witness as God's ultimate and personal self-expression.” (WR) What does Authority Mean? : What does Authority Mean? The New Testament is full of similar ascriptions of authority to the “Father, to Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit” “Thus the phrase ‘the authority of scripture’, if it is to be based on what scripture itself says, must be regarded as a shorthand, and a potentially misleading one at that, for the longer and more complex notion of ‘the authority of the triune God, exercised through scripture’”. (WR) Authority is given to God. The scripture is nothing less than a sacramental vessel of God’s authority. 3 Questions : 3 Questions How do we then understand that God, as Trinity, exercises and communicates authority through scripture? A second question that follows is: How is the authority of scripture used in practice within the church and within the individual life of a follower of Jesus? When one member of the church uses scripture against another member of the church we can see the destructive and non unifying human abuse of scriptures authority. A third question then emerges. How can we have a respectful conversation about scripture and its authority? Understanding Authority : Understanding Authority Authority for the early Christians was not understood as a “static source of information or the giving of orders (as the word 'authority' has sometimes implied)” This is probably how most Christians across every spectrum of theological and political mindset think about the authority of scripture: information or rules to follow The followers of Jesus and the early Christians understood that authority was active and “dynamic” Authority is an in breaking of the Holy Spirit into the life of the disciple Authority is the realized Kingdom of God Authority is, “God's sovereign, saving, redeeming and reconciling rule over all creation” It is to say that for us Jesus lives in Scripture as Sacrament and that by reading, marking, learning, and digesting it Jesus and the Scriptures live in us. Understanding Authority : Understanding Authority We might parse this understanding out like this: God’s saving rule is born in the Authority of Jesus Jesus offers us this transformative authority Jesus’ death and resurrection are a part of this revelation The Holy Spirit’s continues to reveal this authority and the continuing work of redemption And, as follower of Jesus, our part in this work Understanding Authority : Understanding Authority The idea that scripture exists to: supply true information prescribe matters of belief and conduct, act as a court of appeal for our debates Is not consistent with the beliefs and practices of the earliest Christians or the reformers Scripture was understood to be, and Anglicans believe scripture is: A part of the dynamic life of the Spirit A sacramental vessel by which and through which God the Father is making the victory, won by Jesus' death and resurrection, operative within the world A sacramental vessel by which human beings are to know their role in salvation history and their partnership with Jesus in redeeming creation Scripture is thus part of the means by which God directs the Church in its mission, energizes it for that task, and shapes and unites it so that it may be both equipped for this work and itself part of the message When the Church’s work is founded upon scripture in this way, the church itself becomes a sacramental vessel of the Gospel Apostolic as Authority : Apostolic as Authority The Windsor Report provides a very concise history of the development of authority and how it moved from the follower of Jesus to the Church and then to scripture: The early Christians understood themselves to be both beneficiaries and agents of the saving sovereignty of God, the 'kingdom' which had been accomplished in Jesus Christ The 'authority' of the apostles - a concept worked out with great pain and paradox by Paul in 2 Corinthians - was their God-given and Spirit-driven vocation as witnesses of the resurrection The disciple’s announcement of the good news of God was powerfully at work to call men and women to salvation (Romans 1.16-17) The Church then became the sign and foretaste of new creation of the kingdom of God (Ephesians 1-3) It is within this context of apostolic witness, drawing its 'authority' from the victory of Jesus Christ and the power of the Spirit (Matthew 28.18-20; 2 Corinthians 3.1-4.6, 13.3-4), that the writings we call the New Testament came to be written, precisely to be vehicles of the Spirit's work in energizing the Church in its mission and shaping it in the holiness of new creation (WR) Scripture is Authority : Scripture is Authority Despite all the obvious differences between the authors of the Gospels and the sources they used to write the gospels – and the diverse representation of the church which chose them as essential – each was intentional of telling the “story of Jesus in such a way as to demonstrate its fulfillment of the story of Israel and its foundational character for the mission and life of the Church.” (WR) The New Testament was not intended to be a repository of various suggestions for developing one's private spirituality It was intended and is a collection of books through which the Spirit who was working so powerfully through the apostles would continue to work through the reader to develop and continue that work of the Gospel in the church This is why scripture has been an essential ingredient in worship since the very beginning Early followers of Jesus found fresh strength from God for mission and holiness “This, rather than a quasi-legal process of 'appeal', is the primary and dynamic context within which the shorthand phrase ‘authority of scripture’ finds its deepest meaning.” (WR) Scripture as Authority : Scripture as Authority “This means that for scripture to 'work' as the vehicle of God's authority it is vital that it be read at the heart of worship in a way which (through appropriate lectionaries, and the use of scripture in canticles etc.) allows it to be heard, understood and reflected upon, not as a pleasing and religious background noise, but as God's living and active word.” (WR) It is the responsibility of the whole Church to engage with the Bible together in worship Each individual Christian disciple has to engage in the discipline, work, and study of scripture When we don’t work this practice of our Christian and Anglican discipline, in a very real, it become very difficult for us to understand our role and play our role in redemption history This means our churches and people must be praying scripture, reading scripture, learning from scripture, and studying scripture Such a practice, within community, is the Anglican way Questions for Discussion : Questions for Discussion What is the first bible story you remember hearing? How did you get your first bible? Did some one give it to you? Have you ever tried to read the scripture on your own? Have you ever been in a situation when the scripture really came alive for you? An Anglican Hermeneutic : An Anglican Hermeneutic Prepared by The Rev. C. Andrew Doyle How we Understand Scripture Part Two Contents Part Two : Contents Part Two Teaching Scripture Interpretation of Scripture Covenant for Respectful Conversation African Bible Study Method Instructions Teaching Scripture : Teaching Scripture It is the responsibility of leaders (Bishops, priests, deacons, teachers, and lay people) to preach and teach scripture in such a way as to instruct people towards a mature understanding of the Gospel Our leaders have the responsibility to help prepare us for ministry, conversations and decisions making in our lives They do this by tapping into the sacrament of scripture and helping us to understand our work in the kingdom of God They help us to discover the sacramental reality of scripture for ourselves Within our Anglican tradition Bishops are the chief teachers of scripture “The 'authority' of bishops cannot reside solely or primarily in legal structures, but, as in Acts 6.4, in their ministry of ‘prayer and the word of God’” (WR) Teaching Scripture : Teaching Scripture Bishops as the primary teachers When we do not have the apostolic teaching of bishops the authority of scripture as it has been handed down is failing to function as intended by the first followers of Jesus The authoritative teaching of scripture cannot be left to academia The bishop within the diocese must be a prayerful teacher of the authority of scripture This prayerful teaching is always in the service of God’s mission within the world and in order to build up the church, of which healthy spiritually lived lives are essential Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture When we have conversations about scripture we immediately have questions about interpretation Interpretation is important because it helps us to hear its authority and not just an “echo of our own voices” or “the memory of earlier Christian interpretations.” As Anglicans we understand that it is both important to listen to scripture within our own context, and to understand the living traditions of the past Both are necessary ingredients to our conversations “Historical interpretation, from ongoing lexicographical work (to make sure the nuances of ancient words are properly and precisely heard) to large-scale historical reconstruction (to ensure we are not making anachronistic assumptions), remains vital.” (WR) If there is not a sense of apostolic interpretation the scripture is not taught within a community people are unwilling to understand the complexity of context, language, and history Then both the authority and centrality of scripture erodes within the Christian Community Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture We live in a context where individuals hold a variety of world views Enlightenment World View Modern World View (critical) Post-Modern World View (post-critical) Scholarship within the seminary and secular university is free to explore different meanings So how do Anglicans engage with scholars? When a fresh wave of scholarship generates ideas which are contrary or challenging to the Church’s received tradition Anglicans expect: Scholars to explain how their teaching is in accord with and how it enhances the central core of the Church’s Faith That scholars will be faithful believers and faithful to the inherited teachings of the church That scholars will make room within their studies for the Holy Spirit Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture Anglicans also expect that it is up to the “Church not to reject new proposals out of hand, but to listen carefully, to test everything, and to be prepared to change its mind if and when a convincing case is made.” (WR) Globally such changes are made by the Bishop’s who are the chief teachers of scripture. In several Anglican churches, like the Episcopal Church, the priests, deacons, and laity are expected to be a part of this process of discernment However, a problem arrives if the bishops are not fulfilling their role as chief tieachers Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture This is to say that Anglicans expect that it is the church which will determine the apostolic teaching of the Gospel We must as an Anglican Church re-evaluate the ways in which we read, hear, study and digest scripture In point of fact we may need to evaluate how we have not been reading, hearing, and studying the scripture An Anglican understanding of scripture does not drop random texts into arguments, imagining that the point is thereby proved Anglicans do not sweep away sections of the New Testament as irrelevant to today's world, imagining that problems are thereby solved Today the church needs mature study wise and prayerful discussion a joint commitment to hearing and obeying God as he speaks in scripture to discovering more of the Jesus Christ to whom all authority is committed to being open to the fresh wind of the Spirit who inspired scripture in the first place. Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture Sometimes a discussion about the bible can be divisive This is due to the variety and “bewildering” range of interpretations This is in large part due to the lack of time we spend with the scriptures Working with scripture and talking about scripture is actually a unifying act of the Holy Spirit “In fact, our shared reading of scripture across boundaries of culture, region and tradition ought to be the central feature of our common life, guiding us together into an appropriately rich and diverse unity by leading us forward from entrenched positions into fresh appreciation of the riches of the gospel as articulated in the scriptures.” (WR) Purpose : Purpose The purpose of the Hitchhiking guide series is to offer an opportunity to introduce scripture, bible study, interpretation, and authority to the people of the church This guide is just a beginning Deeper scriptural study and the praying of scripture is an essential ingredient to the disciple as they journey along the way of Jesus Christ Conversation Covenant : Conversation Covenant The Conversation covenant was developed on the campus of the Seminary of the Southwest and is a helpful tool for beginning a conversation about scripture. It might be helpful to discuss and use as a basis of engaging in bible study prior to using the African Bible Study Method. The Conversation Covenant is adapted here for congregational work. Introduction to the Conversation Covenant Together we seek to prayerfully inquire into the mystery of God in Jesus Christ and interpretation, in both action and reflection, of God’s creative and redemptive love. Frank, confident, and trustful conversation is an essential part of our common learning. Often, though, we are lead into difficult, even disturbing, conversations as we bring the length and breadth of our assumptions, hopes, opinions, and certainties, into the formative power of Christian faith. Avoiding the issues around which passion and disagreement reside might well be an easier path, but commitment to remaining in conversation with one another despite our differences is part of our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. Conversation Covenant : Conversation Covenant In order to mark both our commitment to conversation and our recognition of the challenges, we affirm... that we are all made in the image of God and must, therefore, treat one another with respect and dignity; that we are free to explore different ideas and beliefs as well as to grow and change in our theological convictions and practices of faith; that we share a common sinfulness and, therefore, will understand only partially and be mistaken frequently; that we do not have to agree in order to love one another; that our conversations. even our most passionate disagreements, take place in the Spirit whom we seek not to grieve. Conversation Covenant : Conversation Covenant and we strive... to approach conversation with a willingness to listen and learn, acknowledging the value of opposing views; to treat one another as honest inquirers, attempting to discern God’s truth in a complex world; to engage ideas without attacking or dismissing those that hold them; to acknowledge the limited perspective of our own experience and opinions, and be open to the possibility of changing our views; to consider the possibility that we might be mistaken, secure in the knowledge of the love and forgiveness we have all received in Christ; to challenge one another while seeking not to give offense; to consider challenges from others while striving not to take offense too readily; to serve reconciliation by sharing when we have been offended ; to acknowledge stereotypes, to ask for clarification in order to avoid misunderstandings, and to make room for complexity. Lambeth Bible Study Method : Lambeth Bible Study Method This Bible study method was introduced by the African Delegation to the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Church. It is known by both names: "Lambeth" and "African." This method is derived from the practice of Lectio Divina. The entire process should take about 30 minutes. Opening Prayer: O Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our savior Jesus Christ. Amen. One person reads passage. This person then invites a member of the group to begin the process Lambeth Bible Study : Lambeth Bible Study Each person briefly identifies the word or phrase that catches their attention then invites another person to share. Each shares the word or phrase until all have shared or passed using the same invitation method. The passage is read a second time, preferably from a different translation. The reader then invites a person in the group to begin the process. Each person briefly identifies where this passage touches their life today, and then invites someone who has not shared yet. The passage is read a third time, also from another translation, and the reader invites a person to start the process. Lambeth Bible Study : Lambeth Bible Study Each person responds to the questions "What does God want me to do, to be or to change?" The group stands up in a circle and holds hands. One person initiates the prayer “I thank God today for …” and “I ask God today for…” The prayer goes around the circle by squeezing the hand to your right. When the circle is fulfilled, the person who initiated the prayer starts the Lord’s Prayer, “Our father…” Questions for Discussion : Questions for Discussion What would you like to know about regarding the scripture? What are you hoping for when you read the scripture? Have you ever read the scripture daily? Prayed the scripture daily? You do not have the permission to view this presentation. In order to view it, please contact the author of the presentation.
Understanding Scripture nerd759 Download Post to : URL : Related Presentations : Share Add to Flag Embed Email Send to Blogs and Networks Add to Channel Uploaded from authorPOINT lite Insert YouTube videos in PowerPont slides with aS Desktop Copy embed code: (To copy code, click on the text box) Embed: URL: Thumbnail: WordPress Embed Customize Embed The presentation is successfully added In Your Favorites. Views: 18 Category: Spiritual/ Ins.. License: All Rights Reserved Like it (0) Dislike it (0) Added: November 01, 2009 This Presentation is Public Favorites: 0 Presentation Description No description available. Comments Posting comment... Premium member Presentation Transcript An Anglican Hermeneutic : An Anglican Hermeneutic Prepared by The Rev. C. Andrew Doyle How we Understand Scripture Part One What is a Hermeneutic? : What is a Hermeneutic? The word hermeneutic is defined as the governing principles of how one will read, study, and investigate the meaning of scripture. An Anglican Hermeneutic means simply the governing principles of how Anglicans “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” scripture (Collect, 2nd Sunday in Advent, 1662 Book of Common Prayer) Therefore this presentation is about how Anglicans read and study the bible. The governing principles I have prepared for you are based upon the Windsor Report. Prayer : Prayer Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. Book of Common Prayer (1662), Collects. 2nd Sunday in Advent Contents Part One : Contents Part One Our Anglican Discipline Centrality of Scripture Scripture within our Tradition The Authority of Scripture What does Authority Mean? Apostolic Authority Scripture as Authority Contents Part Two : Contents Part Two Teaching Scripture Interpretation of Scripture Covenant for Respectful Conversation African Bible Study Method Instructions Our Anglican Discipline : Our Anglican Discipline Anglicanism has a number of normative practices These disciplines give Anglicanism its distinct way for a Christian to follow Jesus. Our Anglican Discipline : Our Anglican Discipline Our unifying disciplines are: We read scripture We have a received and living tradition Sacramental worship is practiced The historic character of apostolic leadership Centrality of Scripture : Centrality of Scripture Scripture is central to the bonds shared by Anglicans globally Scripture has long been understood as the living and supreme authority Read daily Central to our worship It is an essential bond making us Christians and making us Anglicans Scripture is something that unifies us as followers of Jesus and Anglicans Scripture in our Tradition : Scripture in our Tradition Scripture was essential to Anglican reformers For the reformers the early church Father’s writings on scripture were essential in interpreting the scripture For the reformers and Anglicans through the centuries, scripture is central to our faith and unifies us to the first followers of Jesus The Windsor Report reminds us: The seventeenth and eighteenth century divines hammered out their foundations of “scripture, tradition and reason”; in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries we have seen the 'Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral', in which scripture takes first place. An icon of the centrality of scripture for Anglicans is its presence in worship: readings, hymnody, psalms, canticles and collects. What does Authority Mean? : What does Authority Mean? On the one hand we claim scripture as central to our practice On the other hand we don’t spend much time seeking to understand or be in conversation with scripture While scripture is central to our communion as Anglicans the common phrase “the authority of scripture” can be misleading and a divisive phrase in our churches Our lack of engagement with the scripture makes these divides all the more difficult to navigate People read and interpret scripture in many different ways What does Authority Mean? : What does Authority Mean? What do Anglicans say about the scriptures: “The Scriptures speak to us and remind us that God is the supreme authority. When Jesus speaks of ‘all authority in heaven and earth’ (Matthew 28.18), he declares that this authority is given, not to the books that his followers will write, but to himself. Jesus, The living Word, is the one to whom the written Word bears witness as God's ultimate and personal self-expression.” (WR) What does Authority Mean? : What does Authority Mean? The New Testament is full of similar ascriptions of authority to the “Father, to Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit” “Thus the phrase ‘the authority of scripture’, if it is to be based on what scripture itself says, must be regarded as a shorthand, and a potentially misleading one at that, for the longer and more complex notion of ‘the authority of the triune God, exercised through scripture’”. (WR) Authority is given to God. The scripture is nothing less than a sacramental vessel of God’s authority. 3 Questions : 3 Questions How do we then understand that God, as Trinity, exercises and communicates authority through scripture? A second question that follows is: How is the authority of scripture used in practice within the church and within the individual life of a follower of Jesus? When one member of the church uses scripture against another member of the church we can see the destructive and non unifying human abuse of scriptures authority. A third question then emerges. How can we have a respectful conversation about scripture and its authority? Understanding Authority : Understanding Authority Authority for the early Christians was not understood as a “static source of information or the giving of orders (as the word 'authority' has sometimes implied)” This is probably how most Christians across every spectrum of theological and political mindset think about the authority of scripture: information or rules to follow The followers of Jesus and the early Christians understood that authority was active and “dynamic” Authority is an in breaking of the Holy Spirit into the life of the disciple Authority is the realized Kingdom of God Authority is, “God's sovereign, saving, redeeming and reconciling rule over all creation” It is to say that for us Jesus lives in Scripture as Sacrament and that by reading, marking, learning, and digesting it Jesus and the Scriptures live in us. Understanding Authority : Understanding Authority We might parse this understanding out like this: God’s saving rule is born in the Authority of Jesus Jesus offers us this transformative authority Jesus’ death and resurrection are a part of this revelation The Holy Spirit’s continues to reveal this authority and the continuing work of redemption And, as follower of Jesus, our part in this work Understanding Authority : Understanding Authority The idea that scripture exists to: supply true information prescribe matters of belief and conduct, act as a court of appeal for our debates Is not consistent with the beliefs and practices of the earliest Christians or the reformers Scripture was understood to be, and Anglicans believe scripture is: A part of the dynamic life of the Spirit A sacramental vessel by which and through which God the Father is making the victory, won by Jesus' death and resurrection, operative within the world A sacramental vessel by which human beings are to know their role in salvation history and their partnership with Jesus in redeeming creation Scripture is thus part of the means by which God directs the Church in its mission, energizes it for that task, and shapes and unites it so that it may be both equipped for this work and itself part of the message When the Church’s work is founded upon scripture in this way, the church itself becomes a sacramental vessel of the Gospel Apostolic as Authority : Apostolic as Authority The Windsor Report provides a very concise history of the development of authority and how it moved from the follower of Jesus to the Church and then to scripture: The early Christians understood themselves to be both beneficiaries and agents of the saving sovereignty of God, the 'kingdom' which had been accomplished in Jesus Christ The 'authority' of the apostles - a concept worked out with great pain and paradox by Paul in 2 Corinthians - was their God-given and Spirit-driven vocation as witnesses of the resurrection The disciple’s announcement of the good news of God was powerfully at work to call men and women to salvation (Romans 1.16-17) The Church then became the sign and foretaste of new creation of the kingdom of God (Ephesians 1-3) It is within this context of apostolic witness, drawing its 'authority' from the victory of Jesus Christ and the power of the Spirit (Matthew 28.18-20; 2 Corinthians 3.1-4.6, 13.3-4), that the writings we call the New Testament came to be written, precisely to be vehicles of the Spirit's work in energizing the Church in its mission and shaping it in the holiness of new creation (WR) Scripture is Authority : Scripture is Authority Despite all the obvious differences between the authors of the Gospels and the sources they used to write the gospels – and the diverse representation of the church which chose them as essential – each was intentional of telling the “story of Jesus in such a way as to demonstrate its fulfillment of the story of Israel and its foundational character for the mission and life of the Church.” (WR) The New Testament was not intended to be a repository of various suggestions for developing one's private spirituality It was intended and is a collection of books through which the Spirit who was working so powerfully through the apostles would continue to work through the reader to develop and continue that work of the Gospel in the church This is why scripture has been an essential ingredient in worship since the very beginning Early followers of Jesus found fresh strength from God for mission and holiness “This, rather than a quasi-legal process of 'appeal', is the primary and dynamic context within which the shorthand phrase ‘authority of scripture’ finds its deepest meaning.” (WR) Scripture as Authority : Scripture as Authority “This means that for scripture to 'work' as the vehicle of God's authority it is vital that it be read at the heart of worship in a way which (through appropriate lectionaries, and the use of scripture in canticles etc.) allows it to be heard, understood and reflected upon, not as a pleasing and religious background noise, but as God's living and active word.” (WR) It is the responsibility of the whole Church to engage with the Bible together in worship Each individual Christian disciple has to engage in the discipline, work, and study of scripture When we don’t work this practice of our Christian and Anglican discipline, in a very real, it become very difficult for us to understand our role and play our role in redemption history This means our churches and people must be praying scripture, reading scripture, learning from scripture, and studying scripture Such a practice, within community, is the Anglican way Questions for Discussion : Questions for Discussion What is the first bible story you remember hearing? How did you get your first bible? Did some one give it to you? Have you ever tried to read the scripture on your own? Have you ever been in a situation when the scripture really came alive for you? An Anglican Hermeneutic : An Anglican Hermeneutic Prepared by The Rev. C. Andrew Doyle How we Understand Scripture Part Two Contents Part Two : Contents Part Two Teaching Scripture Interpretation of Scripture Covenant for Respectful Conversation African Bible Study Method Instructions Teaching Scripture : Teaching Scripture It is the responsibility of leaders (Bishops, priests, deacons, teachers, and lay people) to preach and teach scripture in such a way as to instruct people towards a mature understanding of the Gospel Our leaders have the responsibility to help prepare us for ministry, conversations and decisions making in our lives They do this by tapping into the sacrament of scripture and helping us to understand our work in the kingdom of God They help us to discover the sacramental reality of scripture for ourselves Within our Anglican tradition Bishops are the chief teachers of scripture “The 'authority' of bishops cannot reside solely or primarily in legal structures, but, as in Acts 6.4, in their ministry of ‘prayer and the word of God’” (WR) Teaching Scripture : Teaching Scripture Bishops as the primary teachers When we do not have the apostolic teaching of bishops the authority of scripture as it has been handed down is failing to function as intended by the first followers of Jesus The authoritative teaching of scripture cannot be left to academia The bishop within the diocese must be a prayerful teacher of the authority of scripture This prayerful teaching is always in the service of God’s mission within the world and in order to build up the church, of which healthy spiritually lived lives are essential Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture When we have conversations about scripture we immediately have questions about interpretation Interpretation is important because it helps us to hear its authority and not just an “echo of our own voices” or “the memory of earlier Christian interpretations.” As Anglicans we understand that it is both important to listen to scripture within our own context, and to understand the living traditions of the past Both are necessary ingredients to our conversations “Historical interpretation, from ongoing lexicographical work (to make sure the nuances of ancient words are properly and precisely heard) to large-scale historical reconstruction (to ensure we are not making anachronistic assumptions), remains vital.” (WR) If there is not a sense of apostolic interpretation the scripture is not taught within a community people are unwilling to understand the complexity of context, language, and history Then both the authority and centrality of scripture erodes within the Christian Community Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture We live in a context where individuals hold a variety of world views Enlightenment World View Modern World View (critical) Post-Modern World View (post-critical) Scholarship within the seminary and secular university is free to explore different meanings So how do Anglicans engage with scholars? When a fresh wave of scholarship generates ideas which are contrary or challenging to the Church’s received tradition Anglicans expect: Scholars to explain how their teaching is in accord with and how it enhances the central core of the Church’s Faith That scholars will be faithful believers and faithful to the inherited teachings of the church That scholars will make room within their studies for the Holy Spirit Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture Anglicans also expect that it is up to the “Church not to reject new proposals out of hand, but to listen carefully, to test everything, and to be prepared to change its mind if and when a convincing case is made.” (WR) Globally such changes are made by the Bishop’s who are the chief teachers of scripture. In several Anglican churches, like the Episcopal Church, the priests, deacons, and laity are expected to be a part of this process of discernment However, a problem arrives if the bishops are not fulfilling their role as chief tieachers Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture This is to say that Anglicans expect that it is the church which will determine the apostolic teaching of the Gospel We must as an Anglican Church re-evaluate the ways in which we read, hear, study and digest scripture In point of fact we may need to evaluate how we have not been reading, hearing, and studying the scripture An Anglican understanding of scripture does not drop random texts into arguments, imagining that the point is thereby proved Anglicans do not sweep away sections of the New Testament as irrelevant to today's world, imagining that problems are thereby solved Today the church needs mature study wise and prayerful discussion a joint commitment to hearing and obeying God as he speaks in scripture to discovering more of the Jesus Christ to whom all authority is committed to being open to the fresh wind of the Spirit who inspired scripture in the first place. Interpretation of Scripture : Interpretation of Scripture Sometimes a discussion about the bible can be divisive This is due to the variety and “bewildering” range of interpretations This is in large part due to the lack of time we spend with the scriptures Working with scripture and talking about scripture is actually a unifying act of the Holy Spirit “In fact, our shared reading of scripture across boundaries of culture, region and tradition ought to be the central feature of our common life, guiding us together into an appropriately rich and diverse unity by leading us forward from entrenched positions into fresh appreciation of the riches of the gospel as articulated in the scriptures.” (WR) Purpose : Purpose The purpose of the Hitchhiking guide series is to offer an opportunity to introduce scripture, bible study, interpretation, and authority to the people of the church This guide is just a beginning Deeper scriptural study and the praying of scripture is an essential ingredient to the disciple as they journey along the way of Jesus Christ Conversation Covenant : Conversation Covenant The Conversation covenant was developed on the campus of the Seminary of the Southwest and is a helpful tool for beginning a conversation about scripture. It might be helpful to discuss and use as a basis of engaging in bible study prior to using the African Bible Study Method. The Conversation Covenant is adapted here for congregational work. Introduction to the Conversation Covenant Together we seek to prayerfully inquire into the mystery of God in Jesus Christ and interpretation, in both action and reflection, of God’s creative and redemptive love. Frank, confident, and trustful conversation is an essential part of our common learning. Often, though, we are lead into difficult, even disturbing, conversations as we bring the length and breadth of our assumptions, hopes, opinions, and certainties, into the formative power of Christian faith. Avoiding the issues around which passion and disagreement reside might well be an easier path, but commitment to remaining in conversation with one another despite our differences is part of our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. Conversation Covenant : Conversation Covenant In order to mark both our commitment to conversation and our recognition of the challenges, we affirm... that we are all made in the image of God and must, therefore, treat one another with respect and dignity; that we are free to explore different ideas and beliefs as well as to grow and change in our theological convictions and practices of faith; that we share a common sinfulness and, therefore, will understand only partially and be mistaken frequently; that we do not have to agree in order to love one another; that our conversations. even our most passionate disagreements, take place in the Spirit whom we seek not to grieve. Conversation Covenant : Conversation Covenant and we strive... to approach conversation with a willingness to listen and learn, acknowledging the value of opposing views; to treat one another as honest inquirers, attempting to discern God’s truth in a complex world; to engage ideas without attacking or dismissing those that hold them; to acknowledge the limited perspective of our own experience and opinions, and be open to the possibility of changing our views; to consider the possibility that we might be mistaken, secure in the knowledge of the love and forgiveness we have all received in Christ; to challenge one another while seeking not to give offense; to consider challenges from others while striving not to take offense too readily; to serve reconciliation by sharing when we have been offended ; to acknowledge stereotypes, to ask for clarification in order to avoid misunderstandings, and to make room for complexity. Lambeth Bible Study Method : Lambeth Bible Study Method This Bible study method was introduced by the African Delegation to the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Church. It is known by both names: "Lambeth" and "African." This method is derived from the practice of Lectio Divina. The entire process should take about 30 minutes. Opening Prayer: O Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our savior Jesus Christ. Amen. One person reads passage. This person then invites a member of the group to begin the process Lambeth Bible Study : Lambeth Bible Study Each person briefly identifies the word or phrase that catches their attention then invites another person to share. Each shares the word or phrase until all have shared or passed using the same invitation method. The passage is read a second time, preferably from a different translation. The reader then invites a person in the group to begin the process. Each person briefly identifies where this passage touches their life today, and then invites someone who has not shared yet. The passage is read a third time, also from another translation, and the reader invites a person to start the process. Lambeth Bible Study : Lambeth Bible Study Each person responds to the questions "What does God want me to do, to be or to change?" The group stands up in a circle and holds hands. One person initiates the prayer “I thank God today for …” and “I ask God today for…” The prayer goes around the circle by squeezing the hand to your right. When the circle is fulfilled, the person who initiated the prayer starts the Lord’s Prayer, “Our father…” Questions for Discussion : Questions for Discussion What would you like to know about regarding the scripture? What are you hoping for when you read the scripture? Have you ever read the scripture daily? Prayed the scripture daily?