January & February

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In the training for ministry given at one theological college about which we have heard, it is significant how great a part the Bible plays. In our last issue, the Introduction to Christian Theology was referred to. Alongside this, to quote, was "an Old Testament Studies module, which was followed by a New Testament Studies module. Over the course of these modules an outline of the history and content of the Old and New Testaments was studied. The quality of teaching is important and for both modules we were fortunate to have tutors who were absolutely passionate about their subject, and brought to it much academic research and learning, knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, and many texts from wider sources than those encompassed in the canon of scripture. Their knowledge and teaching enhanced what we already knew and helped place scripture into the context in which it was written.

"The module on Pastoral Theology was to do with honing people skills and did not focus on biblical study. This was followed by a module called Liturgical Theology and Practice which demonstrated how much of the content of set services used in all of the Christian traditions is closely based on scripture, and often is lifted straight from it. Much of what is used today had its roots in the early church as seen in the New Testament and in practice dating from the years following.

"While much of our weekend study in the first year was about understanding congregations and relationships, we also received passionate teaching on the issue of preaching much of which was directly from scripture, both old testament and new, including the power of the spoken word, its uses and how the written Word of God is an enduring witness to God in our midst. We were encouraged to preach the text rather than our own ideas about it, to discern what was the main point of the text and make that the main point of the sermon. We were also told to adopt the acronym KISS which stands for 'Keep It Simple, Stupid', and to keep out of God's way by preaching as a servant of the Word not its master.

"In the second year the Pastoral Liturgy module was concerned with baptism, marriage and funerals. It included looking at accounts of celebrations and mourning in the Bible, both in old and new testaments. But perhaps the biggest challenge to applying biblical truths in today's contexts came in the Christian Ethics module. Some of the cutting edge issues in scientific development and moral dilemmas of today's society, such as genetic engineering, embryo research and global warming, which were unheard of in the Bible times. Other ethical issues such as war, sexuality and euthanasia can be debated in the light of biblical texts, but they are often open to different interpretations depending upon your point of view, or which part of the Bible you refer to. Cultural influences came into play in the writing of much of the Bible and we were encouraged to look at the Father as a creator, covenant maker and redeemer, understood through the life and teaching of Jesus. This gives us a plumb line for making moral judgements. The module entitled Cross and Salvation was obviously very centred on the message of the Bible. It focused however, on a range of ways in which the theologians down the centuries have understood this message and we looked at the range of views that have, and still do, exist within the scope of Christian thought.

"Different understandings of biblical passages have led to different approaches to the spread of the gospel, and church life has been established differently in different places in consequence. In some cases, cultural models of being the church, based on the interpretation of scripture in one culture, have been imposed on a different culture by missionaries, as they only knew one way to be church It would have been better to read those same scriptures in the context of the new culture, and apply them fresh to the new believers. Our study of this was greatly enriched by the presence at the college of mission students from many countries across the world, and their willingness to share an understanding of their own cultures, their faith, and how faith had been established in their native lands.

"Use of the Bible for Preaching looked at the nature of preaching. The spirituality of the preacher, and the authority of the Bible are vital. Methods and principles of biblical exegesis and interpretation were examined and applied to a variety of biblical passages. The intention was to give us the tools for individual research and study, to go deeper into understanding the bible and thereby enhance preparation for the task of preaching. The Bible and Liberation module was about issues surrounding race, disability, gender, poverty, etc and how this would affect our understanding of biblical passages. Understanding the context in which passages are written affect our understanding of stories coming from outside our culture, and there are cultures within society today, both in this country and abroad, who will read scripture differently because of their particular context. The cultural context we come from will provide a particular lens through which we read the bible and apply it in our belief and service to God. The module God through Human Eyes explored ways that people speak and think of God in society today, looking at the range of modern perceptions of Christianity in which our life of service to Christ is worked out. This will include attitudes towards scripture ranging from total disregard, to highly revering the written word of God.

"One module looked specifically at the subject of Holy Week and Easter. Another covered Slavery and how different understandings of biblical passages affected the actions of those who fought for the abolition of slavery ‑ both sides of the argument found supporting themes and passages from the Bible to debate. A module on Understanding Conflict led by the Quakers addressed biblical themes of forgiveness and reconciliation, applying them in our 21^st Century culture. A module on Prayer and Peacemaking looked at Jesus as a model to follow. The module on Christianity and Interfaith Relationships aimed at increasing our understanding of other faiths in order to live in harmony alongside those who follow them. It had the effect of affirming the importance of our holy book, the Bible. Other faiths place higher reverence on their holy writings than some Christians do the Bible.

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