Old Bibles

[Herald]

As a matter of preference, how do you dispose of old bibles that have reached the end of their life? With pages falling out, stained, water damaged etc., how do you dispose of the scriptures? It has never sat well with me to just throw them in the trash. Should they be burned? Just curious....

 

[Me Died Blue]

Personally, I would simply dispose of it in the trash like anything else. The reason I wouldn't have any unease (even in feeling) in doing that is the same reason I wouldn't have a problem treating the left-over bread and wine used for communion, and the water used for baptism, as normal water, bread and wine for any purpose after the sacraments were administered. The reason for that is because any and all value of the sacraments are not in the elements themselves, but the Spirit's work in the lawful administration and partaking of them; likewise, any and all value of the Word is non-existent in a "Bible" that no one will use for its content. Thus, it actually seems to me that doing anything with a completely worn Bible any differently from what we would do with a completely worn other book would give a false impression regarding the nature and attached power of the Word.

 

[Herald]

Originally posted by Me Died Blue
Personally, I would simply dispose of it in the trash like anything else. The reason I wouldn't have any unease (even in feeling) in doing that is the same reason I wouldn't have a problem treating the left-over bread and wine used for communion, and the water used for baptism, as normal water, bread and wine for any purpose after the sacraments were administered. The reason for that is because any and all value of the sacraments are not in the elements themselves, but the Spirit's work in the lawful administration and partaking of them; likewise, any and all value of the Word is non-existent in a "Bible" that no one will use for its content. Thus, it actually seems to me that doing anything with a completely worn Bible any differently from what we would do with a completely worn other book would give a false impression regarding the nature and attached power of the Word.

Chris - makes sense. I certainly do not believe the actual pages, binding or cover of the book has any spiritual value. My question had more to do with the respect for the fact that the bible is God's word. If I understand correctly, the American flag is supposed to be burned when it is no longer useful. I was equating the two in that regard.

[Edited on 12-29-2005 by BaptistInCrisis]

 

[jfschultz]

From Pewsitters.com archive.

 

[Mike]

The American flag code has us treat the flag with reverence. This is because the flag has nothing real to offer, so we add value through showing reverence to the object. With Scripture, it has something real to offer, so we should show reverence to the content.

Don't feel guilty about trashin' it.

 

[Me Died Blue]

Originally posted by Mike
The American flag code has us treat the flag with reverence. This is because the flag has nothing real to offer, so we add value through showing reverence to the object. With Scripture, it has something real to offer, so we should show reverence to the content.

Exactly. Bill, I'm pretty sure I understand where you're coming from, but as Mike expressed, the reason I think my initial post here fully applies to the flag analogy is that the reveren burning of the flag is rooted in a reverence to it as a symbol, and purely that. The flag is no more than a symbol of the real life and liberties it represents being lived out in our country. But I do not think of the Word as having any such symbolic worth whatsoever, as it is simply an actual means of grace that truly plays part in the real life and liberties being lived out in the Church.

For clarification, I realize that just because the Word's chief and prime value is in its content, it does not automatically follow from that it has no symbolic value at all. The reason I prefer not to think of it as having any is that, given that it certainly does not biblically need to be assigned symbolic value as such, the only thing that treating it with some such value can potentially do is distract from what does biblically need to be gained from it, namely its content.

I would also add that this is certainly far from a cut-and-dry, definite yes-or-no question biblically, and in fact is one of Christian liberty. If you prefer to burn it, burn away. It is just like I would say to someone that if they prefer not to eat or drink the elements of baptism and communion after their use, they are certainly at liberty to dispose of them in a more simple manner, or even to save them for the next sacramental administration. But in both cases (the physical Bible and the sacramental elements), I would strongly caution anyone to check his heart and discern how he understands his decision and what his motives are for doing it, so as to ensure a wrong view of the Word or sacraments is not at heart, and that even if it is not so in him, to consider the possibility that his actions may give a wrong impression of that nature to others observing who are either weaker in the faith or prone to certain stumbling blocks.

 

[Herald]

Chris - my intent was not to attribute (whether direct or indirect) some iconic stature to the bible. That being said, I would not have a problem if someone chose to burn their old bible as a sign of respect or reverence for the content of the book. I leave that to personal conviction. Me? I'll probably opt for the trash.

 

[Romans922]

Originally posted by jfschultz
From Pewsitters.com archive.

^
|
|

Idol worship?

 

[Steve Owen]

Prison Chaplains are often pleased to receive used Bibles if the conditionof them is not too bad.

Martin

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Originally posted by Martin Marprelate
Prison Chaplains are often pleased to receive used Bibles if the conditionof them is not too bad.

Martin

That is a very good suggestion.