Magnolia Tribune argued that Scripture is essential for spiritual formation and warned that widespread access to the Bible has not produced corresponding engagement, according to an essay published by the outlet.
The essay cited William Tyndale, saying he was executed for translating Scripture into English so common people could read the Bible themselves. It quoted Tyndale’s aspiration that “a boy that driveth the plow” might know more of the Old and New Testaments than an ignorant pastor, the piece said.
The article invoked cultural critics to explain the modern situation. It summarized Neil Postman’s reading of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley in Postman’s book “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” saying Postman believed Huxley accurately feared that an overload of information would drown truth in irrelevance.
The essay also cited recent surveys to illustrate its point. It said a Pew Research report found 56% of respondents knew that Jesus lived in Nazareth during his youth and that about half remembered he preached the Sermon on the Mount. The piece added that Lifeway Research found 31% of Protestants have a daily habit of reading the Bible.
Concluding that Scripture must be read, memorized and experienced, the Magnolia Tribune essay urged readers to prioritize Bible reading and prayer, saying the book is not an optional extra for those who claim the name of Jesus, the piece said.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
