17.01.2014
BACI Launch 2014 Lenten Bible Study
Church and Culture is the theme of BACI’s 2014 Lent Bible study resource which was launched in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, last night (January 16). The Biblical Association for the Church of Ireland has designed the five part Lenten series to promote thoughtful discussion of Christian attitudes to our surrounding culture at parish level.
Speaking at the launch, the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, said it was a joy that BACI had produced a biblically based resource that was relevant to the Church of Ireland. He added that it was scripturally based and brought up questions rather than giving answers. He urged all parishes in the dioceses to use the studies.
Chairman of BACI, the Revd Dr William Olhausen, paid tribute to the Revd Dr Ron Elsdon who wrote the study and to Canon Dr Ginnie Kennerley of BACI who helped in creating the resource. He also praised Dr David Hutchinson Edgar for his input.
He said that BACI was set up four years ago with the vision of bridging the gap between the academy and the Church, recognising that there were a lot of people who would like to go deeper into the Bible but that resources did not appear to be available.
Dr Olhausen said that culture was a notoriously difficult concept to define and church was also quite a difficult concept, therefore the interface between church and culture was a source of ongoing reflection.
The five areas focused on by the studies are: Affirmation and Celebration, Definition and Separation, Understanding and Compassion, Faithfulness and Service and Lifestyle and Proclamation.
“The invitation is to do business with the individual texts offered but there is freedom to focus on others,” he stated. “Our desire is that this resources the Church, inspires the Church and invites the Church to reflect seriously on what kind of Church we need to be.”
Dr Kennerley said that the tendency was to say that the Church was against culture. However, she added that there were all sorts of ways that the Church addresses culture and that we have to be aware that culture feeds into our Christian faith.
The resource is available from the Bible Society shop on Dawson Street, Dublin, or the gift shop at Christ Church Cathedral at a cost of €2.50. It will also be available to buy in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. Alternatively it can be downloaded for free from BACI’s website www.bibliahibernica.wordpress.com.