How did we get the Bible?
Can we trust it? What does it mean that the Bible is the inspired Word of God? These questions are common for both Christians and non-Christians, and they get to the heart of Christian beliefs. This class will explore the role of the Holy Spirit in writing the Bible that we have today, and it will address topics like the relationship between human authors and the Spirit, the history of the Scriptures’ textual tradition, the differences between modern translations, and more. The goal of the class is to teach learners how God has spoken to us through the Bible so that we can believe all that it teaches, obey all it requires, and trust all that it promises.
Lesson 1: Overview, the Role of the Holy Spirit, and Dual Authorship
Guiding Question: How is the Holy Spirit the author of Scripture?
Lesson 2: Human Authorship of the Scriptures
Guiding Question: How are humans the authors of Scripture?
Lesson 3: Compilation and Canonization of the Bible
Guiding Question: How can we trust that the books of the Bible are the right ones?
Lesson 4: Formation and Preservation of the Scriptures
Guiding Question: How can we trust that the words on the pages of my Bible are the right ones?
Note: Due to technical difficulties, the second part of the video is unavailable. However, the textual criticism activity is still a valuable exercise for you and your City Group!
Lesson 5: Illumination and Interpretation
Guiding Question: How is the Spirit involved as we read to discover the meaning of a text?
Lesson 6: Illumination, Application, and Review
Guiding Question: How is the Spirit involved as we aim to apply the Scriptures?