Dear folks,

I mentioned shortly before the midterm that one of the characteristics of
the religious response to the modern world was a renewed veneration of
Scripture. You may or may not know that there is a similar renewal going
on today, at about the same point in the 20th century as it occurred in
the 19th century. This may be coincidental, but it may also reflect the
fact that, for many people the first seventy years of the twentieth
century have been a very troubled time in human history. 

This example is from the Roman Catholic tradition, which is, of course, my
own religious tradition. I know that there are similar revivals of
Scripturism within the Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh traditions as
well. 

My point being (at long last): Why is it that these religious scriptures
continue to attract millions of people, despite all of the political,
economic, scientific and material developments of the modern world? What
are people looking for (or listening to), and why are they unable (or
unwilling?) to find it in those other areas of the modern world. Does the
modern world offer what these texts offer? 

Look at the reverence for scripture that is evinced here. I have seen and
heard a similarly reverential tone towards the Qur'an, towards Tanakh,
towards Granth, and towards various other scriptures within the Bhakti
traditions of India. 

Jace

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 27 Aug 1995 08:15:02 -0400
Subject: August 30, One Bread, One Body, DAILY BIBLE STUDY

                         Wednesday, August 30, 1995

  1 Thessalonians 2:9-13         Psalm 139       Matthew 23:27-32

                             DAILY BIBLE STUDY

  "You took it, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word 
   of God at work within you who believe." -- 1 Thessalonians 2:13 

  For years, many of you have been reading daily the Bible and the
  comments in _One Bread, One Body_.  Most of the people in our 
  society, even Christian people, think you are strange.  They think 
  you put too much emphasis on the Bible.  You act as if the Bible 
  is the word of God.

  That's exactly what it is.  Although the Lord worked through human 
  beings to write the Bible, He did not merely give them inspiration, 
  but divine revelation.  Consequently, the Bible is different from 
  any other book.  The Bible is "God-breathed" (2 Tm 3:16), our 
  translation).  Through the Bible, we can become "fully competent 
  and equipped for every good work" (2 Tm 3:17).  The Bible has more 
  power to change a person than does someone who has risen from the 
  dead (Lk 16:31).  It is worth more "than thousands of gold and sil-
  ver pieces" (Ps 119:72).  Jesus spent the day of His resurrection 
  from the dead opening His disciples' minds to the understanding of
  the Scriptures (Lk 24:27, 45). This shows how important the Bible is.

  You will never regret spending your time each day reading, praying, 
  studying, living, and sharing God's written word.  "We thank God 
  constantly that in receiving His message from us you took it, not as
  the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God" (1 Thes 2:13).


  Prayer:  Father, when I find Your word, may I devour it.  May it 
	   become the "joy and the happiness of my heart" (Jer 15:16).

  Promise: "For you darkness itself is not dark, and night shines as
	    the day."  --Ps 139:12

  Praise:  Jim reads the Bible each morning on the bus.  The Lord has 
	   given him many opportunities to witness because of this.

  -------
  From "One Bread, One Body, Harvest", written by Father Al Lauer 
	of Presentation Ministries, reproduced with permission.
  Nihil Obstat: Rev. Ralph J. Lawrence, January 26, 1995
  Imprimatur:  +Most Rev. Carl K. Moeddel, Auxiliary Bishop and 
		Vicar General of Cincinnati, January 30, 1995.