‘The book is much better than the miniseries.’ That was the end comment in the review of The Bible in one of the UK papers. The Bible has done a good job of presenting the grand story of God’s interaction with humanity. It was, in many ways, a faithful representation of the texts it covered and, importantly for some, pulled in some big audiences. Yet, there are some critical issues we need to consider when we reflect on the type of media we communicate ‘the Bible’ through. I’m up for using a huge variety of approaches to engaging with scripture, but in order to do so well we need to think about an important question: how do we use the Bible?
The Bible has had a rich and complex history. It has come to us today in a shape that has been carved and cared for over thousands of years. It also continues to be shaped by us as we seek ways in which to receive, reflect upon and re-imagine the message. Innovation plays a big part in the way in which the Bible comes to us. In ancient times religious scriptures were kept on scrolls, in temples, synagogues and libraries. Scrolls themselves were an innovation that allowed the memories and stories important in oral cultures to be written down and passed on; though to this day Orthodox Jews require memorisation as part of religious instruction. Scrolls were revered artefacts, attended to and read by a few. When, in Matthew 4, Jesus picks up a scroll of the prophet Isaiah, the assembled crowd were expectant. You can imagine the theatre in this, the drama. The scroll being unfurled and declared, the drama of the moment as connections are made between that moment in time and that part of scripture. The public reading of scripture is a community event to shape the life of the faith community, as the Bible brings faith to life and gives life to faith.
The first technology to dramatically impact the Bible was the codex. The codex is essentially a loose leaf book that began to be more frequently used in the 1st Century. Instead of needing a whole room to hold the scrolls of sacred scriptures these could be gathered together and bound into something much more portable. As a ‘book’ you also gain a new perspective on these scriptures – the way they fit together, the way they relate. It also gives random access – flick through to one part, rather than scroll through! Only a few people possessed the skill to read, and even less had the skill to write them. The gift of the Codex was that emerging churches of the time now had access to the history of God’s people and the capacity to store current teachings. It did raise questions though - if you can bind the scriptures together in one ‘book’ what should be in it and what should be left out? All scripture is God-breathed, but what are the really important teachings, tenants and tests of faith to know? The Bible connects together what is important to know about faith, its doctrine, and the canon of scripture is the Church’s determination of what we should remember and strive for.
New media is leading us into a new dimension in our use of the Bible
Over the centuries the Bible as a book might have become more ‘scroll-like’ in relation to its use. Bibles became treasured artefacts - beautifully illustrated and lovingly handwritten. People dedicated their lives to this art – to this devotion to preserve the word of God. People who were wealthy enough to purchase such items did so, and if they couldn’t read, the pictures helped! Then it all changed. First, it moved from being preserved to being presented. Though opposed by many the Bible began to be made available in the common tongue of the ordinary person. If Shakespeare’s plays were available, why not the Bible! The word of God was presented in English thanks to Wycliffe and Tyndale and in German by Luther and others, and eventually presented by the king, James I, to the British Empire as the way the Bible should be read. That wasn’t all. In addition to the Bible being presented to the masses, the printing press provided mass production. The word was out and became a key part of personal prayer, and personal devotion.
Over the last 400 years this access accelerated with translation after translation. New languages. New versions. Word on the street and word on the web. How do we use the Bible today? In the same way as we always have done - drama, doctrine and devotion. When we draw upon film, perhaps we can engage in that drama. When we take time to walk through and work through pieces we can discuss and question what’s important to our faith. When we sing songs, say prayers, and set readings we can take God’s word to heart. Today we have hundreds of ways to access the Bible and new media – with new ways to illustrate, link and chat - is perhaps leading us into a new dimension in our use of the Bible. Let’s be part of that adventure. Let’s invent that new dimension in children’s ministry.
Further Reading: Arnold, C (2007) How We Got the Bible: A Visual Journey (Zondervan Visual Reference Series)
