The Sacred Scriptures
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The Book of Common Prayer
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Nearly 80 percent of all Americans think the Bible is either literally true or is the inspired word of God. And yet, most Americans have no idea what is actually in the Bible. So we have the paradoxical situation in which we as a culture "have invested the words of this book with amazing authority even when we don't know what these words are and what they mean."
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We have been culturally conditioned to think of the Bible as if it were written by a single author. Using another compelling example from Genesis, he demonstrates that there are many voices speaking, each with a valid observation of human experience.
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Who Wrote the Bible?
This is the first of a series of videos about authorship of the various books of the Bible on the UsefulCharts YouTube channel. The presenter, Matt Baker, holds a degree in Religious Studies. He uses charts and graphs to add clarity to his presentations. The series continues with six more presentations which cover various blocks of the Biblical writings from the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha. |
A Daily Bible Reading Plan
Reading the Bible is one of the best ways to learn about God and His desire to have a relationship with you. You can start now by downloading A Year with the Bible, a guide that will walk you through daily passages, help you engage with God’s word and deepen your walk of faith. When you download the guide, you will also be able to access Bible study resources, memorization apps and search tools that will help expand and deepen your Scripture journey.
The Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/
Dozens of versions of the Holy Bible are included free of charge on this website so you can cross reference them. One can type in a reference chapter or verse and click, and it will appear in the version of your choice. It is easy to copy a selection and then insert it into a document of your choice. One can also find the references for a single word, like Bethlehem or temple, and all the biblical books in which it occurs will be listed. Some additional resources are available for a fee. | ||
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In this video, a young adult describes how the Book of Common Prayer has become an essential part of his spiritual life.
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This interesting video give you a "quick tour" of the Book of Common Prayer - in "four minutes or less!"
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The file below is the Book of Common Prayer in PDF format so that you can access the BCP on your computer.
You can also access a purely online version here: www.bcponline.org/
Books of Common Prayer – Anglican Communion
For those who are interested in the BCP as it was published in the past, here is a website that includes a comprehensive list going back to the 1549 Book in England and progressing through to the most recent publications. It also includes a wide range of BCPs from English speaking countries and from non-English speaking countries across the Anglican Communion. http://anglicansonline.org/resources/bcp.html “Know the Creeds and Councils Video Study-Apostles’ Creed.”
Dr. Justin S. Holcomb is Professor of Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. In this video he describes the basis for this ancient creed and explains some of the phrases which can be confusing. |
American Commemorations
Besides the Book of Common Prayer in our pew racks, the Episcopal Church has provided a variety of other resources to aid in our devotional life. Here is a sampling of Americans, and people who labored for the faith in America, who are commemorated in the supplement Holy Women, Holy Men.
Book of Occasional Services – 2018
One of many additional resources which are approved for use in our church. It includes various blessings and services which are important as a supplement to our BCP.
“Why the Nicene Creed matters today.”
A continuation of Dr. Holcomb’s presentations on the Creeds. The Nicene Creed is one of the most famous and influential creeds in the history of the church, because it settled the question of how Christians can worship one God and also claim that this God is three persons. “I believe: Athanasian Creed.”
A brief video on the essence of this historic creed presented by members of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. You can find the text of the creed on page 864 pf the Book of Common Prayer. | ||||||||
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