Understanding Scripture
Enfys Thomas considers the importance of Bible study groups
Like many of you, I'm sure, I was brought up in the world and life of the Church. My father was a vicar in a rural Welsh-speaking parish and we as children were used to attending morning and evening prayer every Sunday with Sunday School in the afternoon.
Once a month, on the first Sunday, there would be a Communion service.
Even though we probably knew most of these services by heart and heard readings from the Bible every Sunday, as well as listening fairly carefully to my father’s sermons, I knew very little about the meaning of the Scriptures.
Possibly being so familiar with the liturgy resulted in my reciting it without paying much attention to its contents. Also, God and Jesus play a large role in our lives, but as for the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost as he was known then), we knew very little about him, and even less did we actually know him. After speaking with others of a similar age to myself, their experience was much the same.
Over the last few years, I have been attending a Bible Studies class led by the Revd Dr Peter Bement and his wife Anna. There are about 12 of us in the group and we meet weekly to discuss parts of the Bible. It is so easy to read passages from the Bible on a fairly superficial level, especially the more well-known passages, without understanding the true significance of the words and their message.
Being a part of the Bible studies group has opened my eyes and mind to much that, up until now, I had only partially understood. Not that I understand it all now by any means! But this experience has strengthened my faith because I understand better the life and teaching of Jesus. And what of the Holy Spirit? Well, I'm beginning to understand his input to our lives and that he is our help here on earth in our everyday lives
Being a part of a small group like this also gives me and other members the opportunity to discuss our faith, the strengths and, possibly more importantly, the weaknesses. Discussing it helps to understand that it is not only me who has periods where my faith is not as strong as it should be. It is also an inspiration to try and do better, and, even more importantly, to put faith in God rather than trying to depend on ourselves.
Enfys Thomas