Does the Bible Still Matter in 2012?

After all the very visible fighting about public displays of religious symbols— from 10 Commandments plaques to graveyard crosses to faith-themed war memorials to holiday manger displays—you might have developed the impression that most Americans don’t think the Bible matters today and they like it that way. You’d be wrong.

But each year, American Bible Society puts the guessing aside and asks a sampling of Americans to tell us how they view and use the Bible and what they believe its role should be in America.

The State of the Bible in America in 2012 can be summed up in a two words: encouraging and unsettling. The research, commissioned by American Bible Society and conducted by Barna Research, found that the majority of Americans (69%) believe the Bible provides answers on how to live a meaningful life. But while 79% believe they are knowledgeable about the Bible, 54% were unable to correctly identify the first five books of the Bible.

When survey participants were asked what frustrated them most about reading the Bible, the most oft-cited response was that they “never had enough time to read it.”

Another reason I often hear from non-Bible readers is that they find the sheer size of the Bible to be overwhelming.

So where does someone start who wants to be a Bible reader but doesn’t have a lot of time? A good place to begin is with the “Essential 100.” (read description in post 1 below)

Above article is an excerpt, in compliance with the RULES around here. Article itself has additional info.

Many people are both busy and have no idea where to start with Bible Reading.

The American Bible Society has created and easy way to get started.

the Essential 100 Challenge. Each day a selected passage can be emailed to you. Please read the following description:

The Essential 100 Challenge® (The E100) is a new exciting way to read through the Bible. The Challenge is based on carefully selected short Bible passages – 50 from the Old Testament and 50 from the New Testament – that helps you get the big picture of the Bible without getting bogged down.

You can sign up at http://e100.americanbible.org/

The best way to answer that if that the Bible needs a sequel.

That is, Judaism and Christianity did not end with Revelations, but has since had many pious and brilliant thinkers, and in Christianity, saints, who contributed a vast amount of important knowledge in the Talmud, and the writings of the Catholic, the Orthodox, and even the Protestant churches.

Many of these ideas are inclusive to all and not objectionable, but are not found as such within the Bible. Yet they would revitalize and enlighten people of faith as “additional knowledge.”

Needless to say, this would not be an easy project.

Ecumenism only to the point of common ground. And since many writings are not in English, or vernacular enough to be understood by most, it would have to be rewritten to convey an accurate meaning.

It would almost certainly not be an easy read, for many such ideas are written to be pondered over time, a small piece at a time.

The Bible is the Word of God.

Because God is eternal, He transcends time and space.

Because God transcends time and space, His words come from the Bible with the breath of God still on them.

— Jane Reinheimer

John 16:7: Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John 16:8: And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: John 16:9: Of sin, because they believe not on me; John 16:10: Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

Romans 6:11: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

I Corinthians 15:1: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; I Corinthians 15:2: By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. I Corinthians 15:3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; I Corinthians 15:4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Romans 5:2: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

These Scriptures are the essential foundational truths that all Christian believer-satins should and must know and understand.

For Catholics, The Great Adventure Bible Study program developed by Jeff Cavins (biblestudyforcatholics.com) is an excellent way to study the entire Bible. The initial three main courses have 20 to 24 weekly meetings each. Each meeting covers the assigned weekly reading, an hour of discussion on responses to questions about the reading, and a one hour video presentation on the assigned reading by Jeff Cavins. It is the most widely used Bible study program in US Catholic parishes. If your parish does not have one, all you need is a meeting room, DVD player and several parishioners to get it started. Our parish has been running Great Adventure classes for 6 years, and we have a total of 6 different classes meeting this year.

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