The Magazine

When I sat down one day at university to write an essay on the story of King Saul and King David, I found to my surprise that I knew the text in quite precise detail. As I read through the first and second books of Samuel in the Old Testament, my mind was flooded with familiar images.

Here was the young David, harp in hand, hiding behind a pillar, to avoid the angry Saul’s spear thrown in his direction. There was David, crouching in a cave, cutting a square from Saul’s robe, when he visited the cave for what the Hebrew describes as “covering his feet” – famously translated in an American version as “to visit the bathroom”!

What I was remembering was part of a children’s picture Bible I had as a child that told the story of Saul and David in colourful cartoon form. All those years later, it was still fresh in my mind, and it certainly made writing the essay a whole lot easier.

Looking back, I feel very fortunate and thankful that I grew up reading and hearing Bible stories: some at home, some in church on the occasions when we attended services, and some in school. I am sure that mental library played a part in my own coming to faith as a teenager, and in the journey of vocation that took me first to University to study theology and then to train to be a priest.

This is why I am so heartened and encouraged when I visit benefices around the Diocese and meet the wonderful ‘Open the Book’ teams that go out from many of our churches to bring to life the stories of the Bible for the young and open minds of children in our schools. It seems to be a ministry that’s popular with the children, with the teachers and with those who take part. Any chance to raid the dressing-up box seems to be embraced enthusiastically by many in our churches, and in this case, it’s for such a good cause.

I am sure that in years to come there will be many adults in our churches who will trace their journey of faith back to learning the stories of the Bible in primary school, from those slightly eccentric, but wonderful adults who came into the school hall, with tea towels on their heads.

To have the chance to learn from the richness of the Scriptures, you do need to know the Bible. That’s why I am always happy to pray God’s blessing on our Open the Book teams.

If you’ve not heard about Open the Book, or simply wondered whether it might be worth exploring in your benefice and schools, then I would urge you to get involved. (You can find out more on page 12 of this issue.) You just never know how you might be playing a crucial part in shaping a young life for good on their journey of faith.