Friday 23rd October 11.58am

w/c Sunday 25^th October 2026

Dear Friends,

Thought for the week:  

This Sunday (October 25^th) is Bible Sunday.
Clearly the Bible is extremely important, and we frequently quote from it.
But sometimes it is good to step back, as it were, and think about what sort of thing the Bible is.

For us, it is very convenient having it bound as a book, where one page looks much like another, whereas in fact it is more like a mini-library.
If we had a great pile of scrolls and a lot of parchments it would give a much more realistic picture, even if it would be much more difficult to use!

There is also the huge variety of the sort of writings it contains.
We all know instinctively that different books have to be read in different ways.
So, a novel is read purely for enjoyment, but a history book, or a recipe book, is read in a totally different way, as is a dictionary, or a travel guide to some exotic location.
But because the pages of our Bibles look much the same it has the effect of flattening out these differences, and leads to the mistake of reading some parts in the wrong way.
As happened for example with the early chapters of Genesis, producing the quite false supposed clash between Christianity and science.

Also we need to think about the origin of scripture.
There are two contrasting passages in the New Testament that speak about the scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:16 talks about all scripture being inspired or God-breathed, which makes clear the Bible is far more than simply a wonderful human book, though it is noticeable that this verse does not define what exactly is meant by inspiration or how it works.

The contrasting passage, 1 Peter 1:10-12, speaks about the prophets doing lots of hard thinking in order to understand what the Spirit of God was saying, and how they should explain and proclaim that.

So, the Bible is both divinely inspired and the product of human thought, prayer, debate, etc.
Our task then is to take this wonderful gift of God and make sure we use and interpret it rightly.
That can lead to questioning and disagreement – do you ever disagree with a sermon you hear?!
But such questioning should lead us to a deeper understanding of God’s truth, and a deeper understanding of Jesus, who is of course at the heart of scripture.

George Day

Lectionary Readings for 25^th October (Proper 25)

• Deuteronomy 34:1-12
• Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
• Matthew 22:34-end

Notices and Diary

• Petroc’s Shoe Box Appeal – leaflets at the back of the church, the Village Shop & the Toll House, more information available at https://linktohope.co.uk/.
  All boxes to be handed in by 6^th November. Any questions to Liz Rider.

Wed 28^th October           St Petroc’s Morning Prayer at 8.30am and

Thought for the week at 10am by zoom and telephone

St Petroc’s Parish Lunch 12.30-1.30pm

Fri 30^th Oct                            St Petroc’s Morning Prayer at 9am by zoom and telephone

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