Welcome to Bishop's Year of the Bible for today, May 27, and to the latest book chosen by Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing for us to read, chapter by chapter, on a daily basis: The Book of Genesis.
The Year of the Bible subscribers, over 11,000 of them, will now be reading Genesis from May 27 through until July 15. Here's why Bishop Boyea has chosen to embark upon Genesis as we move into the second half of his Year of the Bible. He says:
"Hello, I am Bishop Earl Boyea of the Diocese of Lansing. As we begin this time after the great feast of Pentecost, a time we call Ordinary Time, I invite you to join me in reading through the very first book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis (May 27- July 15)."
"This book was written by many different hands over many centuries and long after the events being described. These authors used traditions from their own Jewish heritage as well as accounts from the general Mesopotamian region. They presented as their cultural history what we would challenge today with our more scientific understanding of history. There are many things that today we might find objectionable: creation in seven days, the violence of some of the patriarchs, the violence of God, and other cultural practices."
"Especially regarding certain actions which we find reprehensible, we must remember that at the time, everything was seen to be an act of God. In a sense, there is truth to this as we understand the difference between God’s positive will and his permissive will. God positively wills the good, the true, and the beautiful. God may permit other things to happen, but only because he knows that he can draw great good from them. The climax of that approach is found in his Son’s death on the cross, which won our salvation."
"Yet, this is the Word of God, inspired not so much to be a series of facts but as an account of God’s salvation of humanity. We must start from the aim of the original authors. It was to show the difference between One God and the many gods in the cultures around these authors. This One God is unchallenged and unmatched and therefore makes everything and everything he makes is good. Humanity is one and good and in God’s image, yet we bring sin into this world. And ever after, God is calling us back to himself, a program of fits and starts which is only fulfilled in Jesus Christ."
"There are four major sections to this book: the origin accounts of humanity in chapters one through eleven; the call and covenant with Abraham, the Father in Faith of Israel (chapters 12 through 25); Jacob and his sons (chapters 25 through 36); and, finally, Joseph and his brothers and the move to Egypt (chapters 27 through 50). This ending provides the setting for the account of Moses and the formation of the people of Israel in the Book of Exodus."
"As we read and meditate on these various chapters, let us imitate our Father in Faith, Abraham. Let us be at God’s beck and call, willing to do God’s will because we know he is supreme and good and loving. We can do no better than to follow him."
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