The Bible, from start to finish

By 
  • January 11, 2014

TORONTO - Catholics in the archdiocese of Toronto can learn generations worth of Scripture — all in one day.

The first Bible Timeline Seminar to be held in the archdiocese will launch a multi-year plan to make sacred Scripture accessible to the faithful. It will be held at Oshawa’s St. Gertrude’s Church Jan. 25, running from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The seminar is an overview of the Bible from Genesis to the Acts of the Apostles and is an introduction to Bible study, said Elizabeth Cook of the adult faith formation program at St. Gertrude’s. Calling it unique, she describes a colour-coded system used to guide participants through the central narrative.

“Bible study for Catholics can be intimidating... because we’re not comfortable reading the Bible,” said Cook.

“We’re presenting that overview in a way that Catholics can start to appreciate the context of many aspects of the salvation story that they may not be aware of,” she said. “Students learn the key people, the places, the events, how that fits with secular history... (and) the world power at the time. It’s a comfortable, easy method for people to understand and find the narrative story in the Bible.”

The seminar will be presented by American Thomas Smith, an international speaker, author and frequent guest on EWTN and Catholic radio. Smith, a former Mormon and former Protestant minister, was received into the Catholic Church in 1996. He co-founded the Philippine Catholic Biblical Mission Foundation, which trains lay people and catechists and provides scriptural materials to dioceses, parishes and adult faith formation programs in the Philippines.

As a follow up to the seminar, there will be a more in-depth Bible study using the complete Bible Timeline program. It begins mid-February and will last two hours once a week for three eight-week sessions.

Cook hopes participants in the Bible Timeline seminar will gain “a desire to read more and to study more.”

The cost to attend the seminar is $45 and includes seminar materials and a light lunch for the first 200 people who register. St. Gertrude’s Church is located at 690 King St. E., Oshawa. For information, e-mail stgertrudes@bellnet.ca or call (905) 433-0828.

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