Listening for the Spirit in Scripture - October 6, 2023
Today’s Readings: William Tyndale Psalm 15, James 1:19-27, John 12:44-50
Up until the 16th Century, there were no English translations of the Bible. Obviously, this greatly limited the ability of nearly all English-speaking laypersons to read or study scripture. William Tyndall (1494-1536) was a priest educated at Oxford and Cambridge in England. Even though he was a man of privilege, he was passionate about making scripture available to all persons. King Henry VIII was adamant in his opposition to making scripture more readily available in this way. Tyndale was subjected to great dangers and perils for his persistence in making scripture more accessible, and for his beliefs on grace. Ultimately, he was tried for heresy and with the passive cooperation of the papal authorities, burned at the stake.
Before his death, Tyndale translated the New Testament and portions of the Hebrew Scriptures directly from the Hebrew and Greek into English. Later, Tyndale's work was completed by Miles Coverdale. Tyndale and Coverdale's courage and passion were instrumental in the Reformation of the Church in the 16th Century.
I take for granted the ability to read scripture in my native tongue. Yes, no translation is perfect and yet, I give thanks that God speaks to me through praying with and studying The Hebrew Scriptures, The Gospels, and the Epistles. All of the English Bible translations we have available to us today owe their origins to Tyndale and Coverdale in some way.
If you desire a deeper connection with Christ, I encourage you to consider how you are spending (or not) time reading and studying scripture. Perhaps you would like to try this simple practice: light a candle, slowly read aloud one of the passages from today's scripture (below), and sit in silence with God for at least five minutes. Thank God for the time together and notice how the scripture continues to speak to you throughout the day. I pray this is a fruitful time for you.
Grace and peace,
Mary Bea+