Between 'scholarly' and 'personal'
by Mitchell Brown, Evanston, Ill.I would like to thank The Mennonite for the beautiful article by Marion Deckert ("How to Read the Bible," Dec. 1, 2009). He has pointed to a serious problem in our churches today. We seem to be lost in a no man’s land between the "scholarly" word and the strictly personal word ("That's what the Bible means to me."). Deckert calls for "an authentic, nontechnical, serious way to read the Bible." I would suggest that this is the job of the sermon and the community's response to the sermon. We need to devote more time in our services to such communal acts of discernment.
Associated Issue: Jordan: An oasis of peace - Dec. 1, 2009
Associated Article: How to read the Bible
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