Bible literacy
Would not a more biblically literate population be a good thing for believers and non-believers alike? Even a cursory survey of American history reveals that in earlier times almost everyone was familiar with the language of the Bible and it’s imagery. Just read the letters to written by soldiers engaged in the Civil War. They were full of biblical allusions, whether from the perspective of faith or not. The writings of the day assumed some familiarity with the Bible. Since then Biblical literacy of the population has decreased, and most of today’s literature and the press get along quite well, thank you, without the Bible.
Does it matter?
Those holding a biblical worldview say that it matters a lot if we are to achieve our potential as caring human beings, let alone Christians. Secularists answer with a shrug, assuming that the milk of human kindness springs from the innate goodness of their fellow man and only needs more encouragement. These are dichotomistic views; they cannot both be true.
What do you think?
Either way, I am convinced that a Bible Literacy Project might be worthwhile, on the Orlop and at church. Stay tuned.
Dave, which he might be a bit more literate hisself.
I’m not a Christian, but I do believe that the King James Bible offers everyone a vast fund of literary of literary images and allusions. American literature is imbued with biblical images.
The professors at Seminary noticed that people coming in to the school now have much less biblical knowledge than 40 or even 20 years ago. It’s interesting that pre-literate early Christianity was far more intimate with Scriptures than we are, hearing it read and memorizing large portions more easily without the deluge of novels and magazines that we consume today. Larry, the fact that so much of American Lit has imbibed biblical imagery was a big instigator for me to start reading the Old Testament.