Few of us can honestly claim that we know the Bible as well as we ought to or that we find enough time to give the Christian Scriptures the attention they deserve.
Yet even after a century or more in which the influence of the Bible in our national life has been eroded, biblical ideas and images still lie at the heart of our national culture, morality and system of law.
For this reason at the very least, we all owe it to ourselves to get to know the Bible better. And then there is the question of faith.
Faith is a gift from God to those whom he is calling into the Christian fellowship. But it is a gift which requires nurture and nourishment.
The nurture is provided within the Christian Church; the nourishment through prayer, Christian teaching and the study of the Bible. But this assumes that we have access to the Bible.
Access? The Bible as a book is in most homes. But is it ever opened and read? Do we find or make enough time to immerse ourselves in the words of the Bible?
The Bible Society has made recordings of the whole of the New Testament in a variety of styles and Bible translations ('versions'). These are offered to us on cassette tape or CD through the 'Faith Comes By Hearing' programme. The suggestion is that over the summer we should immerse ourselves in the world of the New Testament, listening to the recordings at home or in the car or wherever we find it convenient.
We can expect to be surprised and challenged by what we hear. Stories and ideas that we never thought were connected may fall into place as we explore the atlas of faith. And if we come across things which perplex or puzzle us, we can always share our queries with one another (or ask the Vicar).
If you would like to join in the Faith Comes By Hearing programme, please complete the order form below and return it to the Vicar as soon as possible. Note that some recordings offer a dramatised reading, others are read by a single voice. The voices are mainly English, but a couple have American accents. Some recordings include music to colour the dramatic effect, others have no music. If you have any queries, please ask.
I trust that Faith Comes By Hearing will provide a valuable experience for all who participate and the recordings themselves be a valued resource for years to come.
John-David Yule
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