The following is the first lesson in a historical and faithful study
beginning at 7:00 pm on Wednesday evenings.
at the church of Christ in Carthage, Missouri, south of the Ford dealership
PLEASE JOIN US!
beginning at 7:00 pm on Wednesday evenings.
at the church of Christ in Carthage, Missouri, south of the Ford dealership
PLEASE JOIN US!
Introduction and PurposeDoes God intend for us to read His Words and accept them at face value? Or does He build in proofs that His Word is His Word? How could we possibly know that the Bible is inspired, that It is correct, and that It is complete? This study takes us there, guiding us into the knowledge that our faith does not have to be blind. Dr. Gary Crossland has put together the video below, and it happens to fit the purpose of introducing our study about the accuracy of the Bible. | Art AppreciationAnalyze the two paintings (below). Look for the details.
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What's in a Name?Jamestowne was named after the same King James who "authorized" the King James Version of the Bible. The video here (right) is a humorous presentation of the naming of new colony. The influence of a king in everyday life and in religion is an interesting topic to consider when studying the origins of our English Bible. | |
Jamestowne History, Archaeology, and Christianity in the New World
One's first vision of the Jamestowne church building does not show the original structure, but if you should venture around to the rear, the original church tower still stands. It is the only 17th Century structure still standing in Jamestowne today.
| That is not, however, intended to say that this was the original religious center of the first successful American colony. Realizing that the colony was established in 1607 and this standing structure was built some time between 1660 and 1690, how might you think the colony felt about Christianity? Actually, just to the right of the church tower, with a closer proximity to the James River, is the site of the first church structure, built in 1608. Incidentally, this was the location of the wedding between John Rolfe and Pocahontas. | |
| | In fact, the Christian religion (the English, or Anglican, church) was well known and promoted around the area much earlier than the construction of the church tower. One of the men buried in the Chancel was Robert Hunt, listed as a "reverend" and known to be the first Anglican minister to Jamestown. Another, Captain Gabriel Archer, must have also been a devout adherent to the faith as he was buried with a reliquary (See video, below), a silver box containing human bone fragments and a small container of liquid (thought to be oil, holy water, or the blood of a saint). |
| Outside of Jametowne Fort, a short way up today's modern road, is a location known as Glebe Land (above) - 100 acres of land along the river set aside for the use of the church and minister. Why do you suppose that land was reserved for this purpose? If your answer has something to do with spreading the faith to the Indians in the area, you're on the right track. This was Indian hunting ground, and if there was any chance of getting the Indians to live peaceably with the white settlers, perhaps Christianity would be key. | |
| | It would be difficult to keep the many Indians, the working laboring class, and the gentry all in line through lean and desperate times. In fact, the famous (or infamous) Captain John Smith, governor of Virginia (1608), is known to have locked up food supplies and required men of every class to work to earn it or else starve. The political slogan, "He who does not worke shall not eate," was taken was 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (which would also make for a great refrigerator magnet in any household containing a preteen boy). One point to be made is, Christianity was important to our nation, even 169 years before our independence from Britain. |
Enter, the Christian Bible
While other printed Bibles were in use, at Jamestowne and elsewhere, perhaps the most well-known date of a Bible translation is from 1611. The Bible adopted for use by the new colonists would quickly become the one endorsed by the king as the leader of the English church. In this case, it was King James, which should sound familiar to most Christians today. Sometimes called the Authorized version, the King James has definitely established itself with grit.
Many will not accept anything else in worship or study. They often cite that it is the only "authorized" version, but I wonder if they really understand who authorized it and for what purpose. Let's discuss this in person.
Many will not accept anything else in worship or study. They often cite that it is the only "authorized" version, but I wonder if they really understand who authorized it and for what purpose. Let's discuss this in person.
Begin with the Familiar
As we begin this ongoing study of How We Got the Bible, we will use the book by the same title, written by the late Neil Lightfoot. We begin in the final three chapters of the book: "The English Bible to 1611", "Recent Translations of the English Bible", and "'My Words Will Not Pass Away'". We start here rather than in the first chapters because we want to start with something more familiar. While Lightfoot kept his text approachable and readable, we would like to begin with some solid ground upon which most of us have some knowledge.
Until the next lesson, which will include information from Lightfoot's book, here are some questions to consider to establish our personal levels of understanding for this subject. Perhaps you don't know all of the answers to these questions. In fact, unless you are a scholar specializing in the subject of Biblical origins and manuscripts, you may not have accurate answers to very many of these questions at all. That's all right. In fact, that's why we enter this study.
Until the next lesson, which will include information from Lightfoot's book, here are some questions to consider to establish our personal levels of understanding for this subject. Perhaps you don't know all of the answers to these questions. In fact, unless you are a scholar specializing in the subject of Biblical origins and manuscripts, you may not have accurate answers to very many of these questions at all. That's all right. In fact, that's why we enter this study.
The Big Questions
Our focus for this study hinges on answering these two big questions. The goal is to get closer to the answers each week in our class.
How did we we get the Bible?
Is the Bible accurate and dependable?
Is the Bible accurate and dependable?
Introductory, Guiding Questions
Let's start with what we know. Write down everything you know about the Bible (not specific accounts or figures, but the Bible itself).
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Application Question
How important is it?
Is it important to you that the Bible comes from reliable sources, or is it just a collection of wise sayings and advice for living? Many atheists agree that there is wisdom in the teachings of Jesus Christ, but they do not believe that Jesus is a Messiah, that He performed miracles, that He walked out of His own grave, or that He prepares a place where His faithful disciples will be rewarded for eternity.
We contend that the Bible and everything it contains is supported by:
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So how important is it to you that the Bible can be proven true? Do you believe there is irrefutable evidence to its validity? Is proof something that strengthens your personal faith in the existence of God?
Should faith alone be enough to drive you to drive you to your knees? Is "blind" faith a stronger kind of faith? If so, then why did God provide so much evidence?
Should faith alone be enough to drive you to drive you to your knees? Is "blind" faith a stronger kind of faith? If so, then why did God provide so much evidence?
Go forward with us - or in this case, back to the beginning - as we continue our study next time.
