“…the Bible is a gift of God, designated as a place to meet God, a place where God promises to be present for us — as in the Sacraments. We may come to the Bible for many reasons, seeking answers to our questions and longings, but what above all we meet there is God. Is it not better to know we are in relationship with the God who has the answers rather than to seek first the
answers and secondarily to seek God? When we have the God who has the answers, then God can work out the answers with us in ways that not only were right for ancient times, but are right for our time and our needs.
When we have God we have everything. When we have answers we have only some things. And to put all of the emphasis on the answers often places all of the emphasis on what we can discover. To put the emphasis on God is to make secondary what we can have, discover, produce; and to recognize that ultimately God has us rather than we have God. We have God because God has first given God’s self into relationship with us in a pure act of grace. We only have to let God give God’s self and draw us into God’s life. But for some what is so easy is so hard, for then they are not in control. To be willing not to be in control, and to be willing not to know everything, to be open to the grace and action of God, is the first and basic lesson of the spiritual life.”
-Art Freeman, Reading the Bible, Moravian Theological Seminary, April 1997.
Resources
- Silent Reflection & Journaling on Scripture (PDF)
- How to Read the Gospels as Scripture (PDF)
- A Guide to Lectio Divina – a specific spiritual practice for study of the scriptures in groups or as individuals (website)
- Moravian Guiding Principles of Biblical Interpretation (website)
- Guiding Principles of Biblical Interpretation with questions for reflection and discussion (PDF booklet – developed by MCSP)
- The complete Guiding Principles of Biblical Interpretation, including historical background and sources (PDF)
- What We Believe: A Moravian View of Biblical Interpretation – The Rev. Dr. Wayne Burkette
