|
|
 |
1.
Introduction |
|
11.
Vestments |
|
|
2.
Work |
|
12.
Continued formation |
|
|
3.
Being part of the One Church |
|
13.
Holy Orders |
|
|
4.
Working in the community |
|
14.
Membership of the Order |
|
|
5.
Liturgy |
|
15.
Overseas Provinces |
|
|
6.
Prayer |
|
16.
Resignation from the Order |
|
|
7.
The Bible |
|
17. |
|
|
8.
The place of ‘the traditions of the church’. |
|
18. |
|
|
9.
Language usage |
|
19. |
|
|
10.
Authority within the Order |
|
20. |
The
Bible.
1.
The Bible contains the Word of God. Although written by man and
translated into many languages, it is both inspired and interpreted
by the Holy Spirit according to the Will of God and can be relied upon.
2.
The Bible is more than the printed word. It becomes the Living Word
of God when it is read in humility and with open heart and mind. It
convicts, challenges, encourages and empowers through a renewed and
awakened understanding of God’s Word and leads us into the very
presence of God.
3.
The Holy Spirit is the primary source of inspiration and
interpretation as Holy Scripture is read. Without the presence of the
Holy Spirit, the words of Holy Scripture, however noble, are
powerless and without life.
4.
We should be open-minded and follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit
when reading Holy Scripture but we would be unwise to ignore the
understanding found in traditional interpretations of the Word of God.
5.
However, the understanding or interpretation of God’s Word we
have been given may seem to challenge or be in conflict with what has
gone before. It does not mean that either is in error, just that they
are different answers to different needs in different times.
6.
Every care in interpreting the Word of God should therefore be made
that it is both consistent with the Will of God and follows the
leading of the Holy Spirit.
7.
Prayer for proper understanding and interpretation before reading
the Bible and the giving of thanks for the Living Word after reading
are appropriate.
8.
We should always approach Holy Scripture without any preconceived
ideas. The principle is to come empty before God, ready to be filled
spiritually. There is a sense in which ‘theology’ can get
in the way in this respect if care is not taken – theology is
simply man’s way of trying to understand, explain, order and
rationalise what is truly beyond his comprehension. It can sometimes
present great difficulty for the Holy Spirit as it tries to lead,
encourage and prompt us. Theological training importantly has its
place, but it shouldn’t get in the way of God.
9.
A closed mind is not the Servant of God where understanding Holy
Scripture is concerned, but neither is ‘the open mind’
which is deaf to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, perverts the
truth to its own ends and essentially only hears the desires of a self-seeking
heart.
10.
The Bible, whilst containing the Word of God and being important
benchmark sources of spiritual wisdom, understanding and knowledge,
is no substitute for spending time with God (in just the same way
that reading a biography is no substitute for spending quality time
with the real person).
11.
The Bible should be treated reverently and with due respect.
12.
The Bible should never be or become an object of worship in itself.
It is ‘of God’, but it is not God.
13.
The Bible is not the only source of spiritual wisdom, understanding
and knowledge – God speaks to us in many different ways. Holy
Scripture does not therefore have a monopoly on the Word of God but
it remains the trusted primary source of spiritual agreement in all things.
14.
In all matters of discernment, there should be prayerful collective
consensus in properly interpreting the Word of God.
|
