Read the Bible lately? Phased shut-down gives opportunity

In these quiet weeks during the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home order, my family and I spent some time watching classic movies, including Shakespearean dramas.

When I was young, very little Shakespeare was taught in school, then as an adult other interests filled my time, so I am embarrassed to admit I had never seen or read the full story of Hamlet.

Watching the complete play at last, many iconic lines took on greater meaning. Although I was familiar with Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To be or not to be,” hearing the tortured prince’s contemplation of suicide in the context of the story brought the tragic moment to life.

Other familiar lines and characters came alive as well: I listened as Polonius advised Laertes, “To thine own self be true,” discovered the identity of poor Yorick, and heard Horatio bid his friend a final good-bye in those immortal words, “Good night, sweet prince.”

Today, much of classic education is neglected, the great books gathering dust, schoolchildren never introduced to the cast of characters within them. Most tragic of all is the virtual banishment of biblical scholarship from our schools. The Bible, which many would name as the greatest book of all time, the book on which Western civilization was built, is no longer studied or read in our schools.

Our failure to hand on the treasure contained in the Bible is a true tragedy. Without it, we risk losing the meaning of our human story, with all its drama, adventure, and romance. We need to listen anew to the ancient story, bring the characters to life, and discover the meaning and wisdom hidden within its pages.

Christianity was once the fabric of our existence. Churches were filled every Sunday and nearly every child knew both the characters and the contents of Bible stories. Popular culture helped pass on Bible stories with reverent films like “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” “The King of Kings,” and “The Ten Commandments.”

But times have changed. Even before the closure of churches during this pandemic, polling showed that 47 percent of Washingtonians and 33 percent nationwide identified as nonreligious.

With so many young families disconnected from our collective Christian heritage, Bible stories are no longer being passed on culturally. Hollywood and popular culture has largely replaced reverence for Christianity with mockery.

In this generation, it is up to faithful parents to teach their children the greatest story ever told; the story of God’s love for his people.

It is filled with epic stories of sacrifice and love, truth and beauty, grace and mercy, told alongside gritty and tragic tales of wars, betrayals, and sinfulness. It shows us our need for redemption and offers us the way to eternal life. It is a story that we should know intimately and not fail to hand on to our children.

This phased shutdown while many families are home from jobs and schools, provides a unique opportunity to explore the Bible. If you have not read it before, you can begin to bring those familiar characters and stories to life for your family and yourself.

If scripture is already your beloved companion, share it with someone you love. Meet the true Prince of Peace, Jesus, and listen to his voice in the pages of scripture, given to us so that “…you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

This is the Good News the world longs to hear. Take up the story, proclaim it from the rooftops, teach it to the next generation, and keep the Light of Life, Jesus Christ, shining bright in our dark world!