Part I Part II

Beginnings: Sacred Stories Become Scripture

Each generation of Christians discovers the Bible as Scripture. The English word Scripture comes from the Latin word which means "to write." Scripture is a collection of documents that speaks to the relationship between God and humanity and is shaped by a religious community.

In the case of the Bible, these documents have been preserved and interpreted within the ongoing life of the religious community for thousands of years.

The First Sacred Stories

Before the Bible was written, it was spoken. The stories were told and passed on within the community.

Even after the earliest Scriptures were written down, they were still read out loud in community. Individuals were encouraged to memorize large portions of scriptures as a means of creating a strong sense of identity and preserving the traditions.

"We are the inheritors of both the ancient Scriptures and the centuries of interpretation they have inspired.

¹ Maxine Clarke Beach, The Bible: The Book That Bridges the Millennia, p. 14.

Biblical Reflection

1. The Old Testament was formed over a long time.

• What does this say about the role of the community in this long process?
• What role do our faith communities play in the formation of our sacred story?

2. Can you imagine a world without a printed Bible?

• What if it was still communicated orally?
• What if it evolves into only an electronic version?
• What will this do to the Bible as sacred text?

3. Does your family have a family Bible? How many generations are recorded in it? Do you remember your first Bible? Did you purchase it or did a person(s) give it to you? How old were you when you received it? What did the Bible mean to you then and now?

Next: From Stories to Scrolls to One Sacred Book (Option: No Frames)