Context Matters
If you are familiar with our BtO lesson plans, you know we typically start off with a fun trivia game or other icebreaker that somehow ties into the lesson of the day.
One such game involved emoji charades. We were recently informed by one of our users that one such emoji had an unintended double entendre where an emoji meant something different to the younger generation as opposed to the adult generation. Oops. (I’d insert a face-palm or a red-faced embarrassed emoji, but I am forever scarred from using them).
Of course, we promptly made the necessary change, but it was a painful lesson:
Context matters
We know this to be true in our mainstream conversation, but for some reason the second we bring this up in the context of the Bible – a different argument arises.
This school year, I want to highlight two crucial units that will be in our rotation for all Orthodox Christians:
You are What You Eat (A Unit on How to Study the Bible); and
An Ancient Faith (Understanding the Origin and Richness of the Orthodox Faith)
In both units, something that is emphasized is context. You cannot understand the Bible without the context of the Church, and you cannot understand the Church without the context of the Ancient Roots of our Faith.
What Christ taught, the Apostles preached, and the Fathers preserved.
St. Athanasius of Alexandria
Said another way, it is the ancient roots, the tradition of our faith that brings the Body of Christ alive, which is where the context of the scripture comes from. It is impossible to fully realize the meaning of the words on the pages without putting said words into context, seeing them alive through the works of the Church.
And He (Christ) is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Colossians 1:18
We are transported back to the wilderness with Moses and the Israelites in Exodus Chapter 15 each Pascha when the Church chants, “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation…” remembering how He keeps us safe in all things.
We can have confidence in the Messiah prophecy when the context of the Prophet Simeon’s words in Luke chapter 2 is brought to life in Church tradition understanding that he translated those Old Testament prophecies and knew Whom he was waiting for before his servant would “depart in peace.”
And the Church brings alive Christ’s words to the apostles during the Last Supper as He commanded us to remember Him through the partaking of His Body and Blood each week through the Eucharist.
“From utter ignorance, certain of those who were being taught by Christ the Savior, were offended at His words…. For they knew not the beauty of the Mystery, and that fairest economy devised for it.” St. Cyril of Alexandria
Reading the Bible as if it is merely a book without context not only leads to misunderstanding but genuinely misses the point.
For that reason, we created these two units as the “back-bone” of the year. We have great Bible-study topics (such as our study of David this year), and we have wonderful social topics that teens and parents want to hear (such as our social media dilemma topic), but these two will give the context- they are integral for understanding the “emoji” of it all.
As you all have no doubt started the school year, we at BtO wish you a blessed one. If you are looking for good and meaningful content for your Church school, retreats, or fellowship events, please take a look at our collections HERE.