My Thoughts On Apps and The Good Book

It all began about two years ago, on a Sunday morning, in New Jersey, at an evangelical church.  During the morning worship service, a congregant was invited to read the scripture.  The gentlemen walking to the platform, pulled from his pocket an iphone, swiped it a couple of times and read the scripture.  I couldn't believe my eyes and ears.  It was scripture that I was familiar with but I was nonplus at what seemed to be the irreverence with this form of presenting the Word of God in worship. I stewed, but “let it go” the following Sunday when sitting at my home church reading from my worn, underlined, marked up, margin filled notes, bound Bible, following in authentic reverence with the one leading the worship. At least I thought I had; until recently when I became emotionally detonated over the suggestion that by the time my youngest granddaughter became an older teenager, she and millions of her generation would not own a hardbound Bible.  What she will have is an app on her devise.  Asking myself; (using a phrase my father used) what is this world coming too? After settling my passions down, straitening my raised eyebrows, taking a tongue lashing lecture from Bettyann, listening to the support given, and criticisms leveled, I can't help thinking that there is something a little flat about reading scripture from an app in devotion or worship.  For the past few of weeks, I have been searching and learning what others are saying or predicting on the subject of the obsolescence of a hand held Bible. 

I hadn't gotten far in my research before discovering A. C. Grayling’s godless Bible for those with not faith.  After studying this “religious Bible” (as he calls the Christian original) I am astonished to discover that there has not been more controversy since it’s publication in 2011.  It’s entitled The Good Book and perhaps there's not been so much cross fire is because the King James translation of the Bible is celebrating the 404^th year anniversary with its majestic impact on the English language.  That’s one reason I am committed, from now on to not mobilize any strong emotions toward others either reading from biblical apps or books such as this one.

One of the repeated observations I found made about Grayling's moral guide for atheists is that the Bible just doesn't seem to be as good or interesting.  A couple of observations made by champions of reading from the Bible app is that it can be carried everywhere ( always have my iphone or ipad with me) and of it’s instant access, abdicating memorization. Before I go further and lest I am misunderstood, there is no parity between reading from a Bible app and The Good Book. 

Regarding the Good Book, Jeannette Winterson, author of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, had this to say: “I do not believe in a sky god but the religious impulse in us is more than primitive superstition. We are meaning-seeking creatures and materialism plus good works and good behavior does not seem to be enough to provide meaning. We shall have to go on asking questions but I would rather that philosophers like Grayling asked them without the formula of answers. As for the Bible, it remains a remarkable book.”

I'm thinking that I need to be careful and not mis-characterize what seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding on Grayling's part: the Bible being merely a book containing moral guidance. A history of a people and a grand narrative of redemption of all people.  

At its heart, I find the Bible a story of a relationship, and not a collection of platitudes. As the New Testament opens with God coming in human form, I have the privilege of encountering Jesus walking the earth, not simply to restate a moral code, but to offer me peace with God through himself. It's about a personal God to encounter, not a set of propositions to understand or laws to follow. This is drama with a capital D.  Frankly I have never been able to experience such an encounter by reading from a Bible app on my iphone. 

The Bible also contains narrative history, at its most fascinating with well-preserved accounts recording personal perspectives on historical events. Whether it be a prophet like Jeremiah, writing in the 7th century BC, or the gospel writer Mark in the 1st century AD, this is compelling writing whatever one’s religious convictions. Who could not notice the honesty and detail of Mark's turn of phrase when he recounts that "Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion, the disciples woke him and said to him 'Teacher don't you care if we drown?'" Mark 4:38. As history alone the Bible is compelling.

In as much as Grayling's Good Book cobbles together some of the finest moral teaching from human history, it will surely be useful to some. But from an atheist perspective is this really a legitimate task? I wonder: without God what does morality mean to me other than my own personal perspective or social contract? Do I need Grayling's personal perspective any more than my own? And is he really in a position to tell me what a socially agreed set of morals should be? Great atheists of the past, like Bertrand Russell, rejected religious moral values arguing against overarching morality—and again I have to wonder if they really want Grayling to reconstruct one? "I don't think there is a line in the whole thing that hasn't been modified or touched by me," he says. While his own confidence in his wisdom is clearly abundant, will other folks feel the same way? I might add I have noted that from the 21st century, his is the only voice to make the cut and be included in the work.

In calling his worthy tome (new word for me: book) The Good Book, Grayling, perhaps unwittingly, references the story about a rich young ruler found in the Gospel of Mark. The man approaches Jesus and addresses him as "Good teacher." "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone." Jesus preempts centuries of philosophical debate about the nature of morality and locates goodness as an absolute in the being of God. Here I am challenged to question: "Without God, what is goodness?"  I haven’t discovered yet, but I am intrigued to find out how Grayling knows his godless Bible to be a benchmark of "goodness."

I believe the jury is still out also on the many Bible apps available for my convince, arthritic hands, and near-sighted eyes.  In the meantime, no doubt the hand held Bible will continue to appear on top best-seller lists, and engage audiences spanning all ages, backgrounds, and cultures. I for one will keep carrying, reading and studying it.