April 24, 2008

CHICAGO – Dr. Diane L. Jacobson likes the analogy, but she doesn't take credit for it. She heard "Opening the Book of Faith: Lutheran Insights for Bible Study" described as the GPS (global positioning system) of the "Book of Faith" initiative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Jacobson, professor of Old Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., is director of the ELCA initiative. She said Dr. Robert A. Bendiksen, retired professor of sociology and archaeology, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, called the new publication the GPS of the initiative during a recent "faith forum" in the ELCA La Crosse Area Synod.

Transmissions from a series of orbiting satellites enable a GPS receiver to determine its location on Earth. Bendiksen said "Opening the Book of Faith" shows where Lutherans are as Christians studying the Bible.

The ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted the "Book of Faith" initiative in August 2007, and the new publication is one of several resources being developed to help Lutherans as they read the Bible in private and in groups.

The 65 synods of the ELCA meet in assemblies across the United States and Caribbean through the end of June. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, sent a report to each assembly and included an update on the initiative, Jacobson said.

"Many synod assemblies are having workshops or speakers, talking about the initiative and galvanizing enthusiasm," she said. Those who attend assemblies can arrange to receive free copies of "Opening the Book of Faith" from Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the ELCA, Minneapolis.

Augsburg Fortress is also developing an "introducing the Bible" curriculum for fall 2008; a "Lutheran Study Bible" will be published in March 2009; and an adult Bible study curriculum will be issued in spring 2009 is support the initiative.

Jacobson said "Book of Faith" is an initiative and not a step-by-step program for Bible study. "There's some real strength to (such a program), but that's neither the world nor the church we live in any more. Instead, what we have is a vision and a calling to read Scripture together, to have Scripture be more central to our life as church and in our individual lives." Each congregation, camp and campus ministry might approach that calling in a different way, she said.

Each ELCA synod will have a "Book of Faith" advocate, Jacobson said. The advocate may work with a committee to create networks of lifelong learning centers, seminaries, universities, colleges, campus ministries, camps and other theological education sources in the synod to plan teaching events for 2009.

"The teaching events will build on local strengths and use local advocates," Jacobson said. "It won't be a cookie-cutter thing." She said a direction of the initiative is to identify those who do well in teaching leaders to teach the Bible and to learn from them through the teaching events.

In the true sense of an initiative, Jacobson said the members of the ELCA are not "waiting for the church to do something." They're asking: "What can we do to make this come alive in our setting?"

Information about the "Book of Faith" initiative is at http://www.ELCA.org/bookoffaith/ on the ELCA Web site. Details about "Opening the Book of Faith: Lutheran Insights for Bible Study" are there under "Resources."

ELCA News Service