Introduction
The Christian churches in India are blessed with a rich diversity of traditions, denominations, and expressions of faith. Yet, this diversity has often led to division, with each group producing its own study materials and Vacation Bible School (VBS) programs. While these efforts serve their respective communities, they also highlight our separation.
In today’s world, where the challenges of living a meaningful Christian life are immense, the churches in India need a united approach to Bible study—one that emphasizes our shared faith and mission rather than our differences.
Purpose of the Proposal
This proposal seeks to bring together the churches in India to develop a common Bible study program that will:
- Focus on the content and context of the Bible rather than denominational agendas.
- Provide a biblical foundation for Christian living in the contemporary world.
- Promote unity among Christians in India by offering a shared curriculum, especially for children and young people through VBS.
The Challenge
The central difficulty in developing a common Bible study is that there is no “pure” Bible apart from interpretation. Every teacher and denomination carries historical and theological baggage that shapes how Scripture is read. Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians emphasize different aspects of the same text, and neutrality is almost impossible.
The Approach
Rather than ignoring these differences, a responsible ecumenical program should acknowledge them honestly and provide space for multiple voices. The program will:
- Begin with the historical and literary context of the Bible, creating a shared foundation.
- Present interpretations from different traditions side by side, encouraging respectful dialogue.
- Emphasize common biblical themes such as love, justice, forgiveness, discipleship, and hope in Christ.
- Equip participants to read the Bible faithfully without being bound by denominational divisions.
Proposal Details
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Develop a Common Curriculum
- A national-level Bible study and VBS curriculum.
- Collaboratively designed by representatives from different denominations.
- Grounded in Scripture, balancing historical context with present-day application.
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Leadership and Coordination
- The Council of Christian Churches and the Bible Society of India can take primary leadership.
- A committee of biblical scholars, pastors, and Christian educators from diverse traditions should be formed to design the curriculum.
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Implementation Process
- Pilot programs in selected regions and denominations.
- Collect feedback from teachers, churches, and participants.
- Revise and finalize the curriculum for wider use across India.
Expected Outcomes
- A richer and more holistic understanding of the Bible by appreciating multiple perspectives.
- Greater unity among denominations through a shared biblical foundation.
- Stronger Christian witness in Indian society by demonstrating unity in diversity.
- A generation of children and youth equipped with a clear, meaningful, and ecumenical understanding of the Bible.
Conclusion
This initiative has the potential to transform the way we study the Bible in India. It can help us move from division toward unity, from custom-based teaching toward Scripture-based living, and from isolated denominational efforts toward a collective Christian witness.
We invite the Council of Christian Churches and the Bible Society of India to prayerfully consider this proposal and take the lead in making it a reality.
4 comments:
Bringing this mission into practice will pave way for a great wave of blessings among the Christians as a whole and will surely open the eyes of the prejudiced.
Let it be a great opportunity before the world to accept Christ as their saviour in the true sense, irrespective of divisions.My prayers , brother.
The approaches of the traditional churches, Catholic and Orthodox, to the Bible are different from those of the Protestant Churches. It is very difficult to synchronise the two. Roy Paul
A good idea. It will be good if we can bring Catholics, Jacobites, Orthodox, Protestant churches together in that endeavor.
In fact there will be 90 Per cent unity and 10 Per cent divergence. But those divergences were blown out of proportion.
I wish and pray the attempt all success.
The only problem seems to be that we may not find a “pure” Bible apart from the interpretation of historical denominations and their confessional positions. Since teaching the Bible itself is interpretation of the Bible the moment one begins to teach his or her traditional baggage might interfere with the interpretation. How do we overcome this problem? Sure, we need to teach the Bible as objectively as possible though it is not an easy task.
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