email:  whitpresby@mindspring.com

Class I, Fall 2001            “Our Father, Who Art in Heaven”

Introduction to the Bible

Keywords:  Father, covenant, bread

I. Introductions:  nametags,  go around circle to introduce each other.

II. Brief description of course:  Whole Bible, OT, NT, modern issues of interpretation, praying with the Bible

 III. Prayer for Illumination

 IV. What do you already know or think of when you think about the Bible?

V. Open to Table of Contents in whatever Bible you have.  What do you notice?  Questions?

 --Read aloud entire list of 66 books.  What impression do you have at this reading?  Brief comment on the 66 books shared by all major Christian expressions.  Additional books used by Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches.

 --written by different people, different times, different places; over 1000 years to put together.  Ask for comments on the unity, diversity found here.  Unity:  I will be your God, you will be my people.  (Lev. 26:12,13)   The Bible is the covenant (agreement) between God, our Father, and his people.  How do we know what our Father wants?  We go to the covenant

 VI. What kind of Bible should I use?

 --OT was originally in Hebrew

--NT was originally in everyday Greek.  In Jesus’ day, everyone spoke a common Greek language because Alexander the Great had pretty much conquered the then known world.  So the OT was translated into Greek at that time also.

 --We have had the Bible in English for about 600 years.

--There are lots of English translations to pick from.  Comment on difference between a translation and paraphrase.  Suggest using paraphrase as a supplement.

 Talk about NIV, NRSV, NAS, TEV, Living Bible, Message, any others in their hands or answer questions. 

 VII. Supplemental tools: What kind of tools might we use to help understand our covenant with our Father?

     --concordance

  --Book of Confessions:   Conf of 1967   P. about Bible

  --Handbooks

 VIII. Integrating activity:  Eat “Covenant bread”    3 strands: God, You, Scripture

 IX. Reflection Question:  What does it mean to you that God has chosen to reveal Godself to you?

 X. Close with Lord’s prayer.

What about?  What does a good father do?  What if your “father experience” isn’t good?  Mother image?