Freedom and the Bible

In the build up to the SCM/Taize event Prayers of Freedom in Manchester next weekend (!) I've been doing a bit of Bible study. (Well, if Bible study counts as typing "free" into the search bar of an online Bible and reading through the passages that come up...)

I thought some of these might be useful for people who want to get in the zone a bit before the weekend. So - here is a wee selection of various passages of different sizes.

First off, if you're anything like me, you might enjoy reading straight through the epistles - like the letters that they are - rather than splitting them up into smaller chunks. In which case, Galatians would be a good place to start for this theme. If you want a smaller section to think about, try 5:11-14.

You might also want to look at :
- 2 Corinthians 3, (verses 12-18)
- 1 Peter 2:11-21 (verses 16-17 for the shortened version)
- John 8 (verses 31-34)
- 2 Peter 2 (verses 14-19) and not just because the NRSV translation of this includes the word 'bombastic'...

There is also the motif that runs through, about justice, freeing the captive, feeding the hungry, etc. You can find that in various places, including Psalm 146 and Isaiah 58 (which Jesus reads aloud in synagogue in Luke 4).

Just a little bit to be getting along with anyway... I'm sure someone who does Bible study in a slightly less haphazard way might have some other sensible suggestions (hint, hint)

I'm looking forward to the weekend! I hope to see lots of you there.