Fr. Curt here.
In a recent post, I mentioned the two Bible studies I will host beginning this fall. What a daunting task. It’s enough to host just one.
Let’s be real: the Bible is difficult to read. Despite the fact I have a Master of Divinity, I am not an “expert” on the Bible. Each time I read Scripture, I either learn a new fact, gain a fresh perspective on something I already knew, or admit again there’s something I simply don’t understand (yet).
Why is reading the Bible one of the first things I do each day? It is foundational to our identity as followers of Jesus in the Episcopal Church, even though some too easily dismiss Scripture, questioning its relevance for 21st Century Americans. Some contend we are more educated than those of biblical times, thus, the Bible has nothing to teach us today. But the more I read Scripture, the more vapid that claim becomes.
Of course, I need help reading the Bible. As I stated in a recent sermon, I’m currently making my way through Grace for the Moment Daily Bible. Each day I read a portion from the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and the New Testament. After one year, I will have (again) read the entire Bible.
When I read the Bible, I like to keep in mind the “satellite picture” of what takes place in each book; I need a “Cliff’s Notes” type of resource to help me dig-in to the text. In addition, I’m a visual learner and prefer resources along those lines. Lucky for me, there are tons of resources in the worlds of podcasts and YouTube.
As we prepare for the Bible studies at St. John’s, may I humbly recommend one website (complete with podcasts and YouTube videos) I find helpful and invigorating. It’s called, simply enough, The Bible Project. There, one can find animated videos on each book of the Bible, biblical words and concepts, as well as some like the one included below.
I’ve not yet watch all the videos, but the ones I have viewed I find helpful. I hope they help you, too.