Bury St Edmunds Christadelphians

In a multi-faith society there is confusion and uncertainty. Are all faiths equally valid? Is there only one right way based on one set of beliefs?

The Christadelphians are convinced that the Bible is the one true revelation from the one true God and that only by reading, understanding, believing and obeying that Word can anyone have a hope beyond the grave. All statements on religious topics should be assessed in the light of Bible teaching, a practice commended in the days of the apostle Paul.

We invite you to search the Scriptures with us.

For much more information and news visit our regularly updated website at www.christadelphiansuffolk.org.uk. There you will find out what we believe, what we are doing, why we believe that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ will be in the near future and what he will do when he comes.

We recognise that all our arrangements are subject to God's will.

Bible talks on Sunday afternoons

Public Bible talks have been resumed. Additionally the Bible talks can be heard on the website by clicking here.

For the latest news see the website -

www.christadelphiansuffolk.org.uk

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Two series of locally produced presentations have been uploaded to this site -

The Bible in our own tongue

tells how we came to have the Bible in English

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Let's open the Bible

is an overview of the Bible content

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It began 500 years ago and continues today

In the beginning

Five hundred years ago this year, a few brave men defied the authorities and began to print a translation of the New Testament into English. William Tyndale had just completed his translation from the Greek text, but having been banned from publishing it in England he had moved to Europe to translate and publish it.

Prior to this the only Bibles available in English had been copied by hand from the translation from the Latin Vulgate at the instigation of John Wycliffe, completed about 1382, or from the revision of it by his associates after his death in 1384.

Wycliffe's translation was banned under threat of execution by burning. Despite this there were copies being made commercially, and prosecution was averted by ascribing to them dates earlier than that specified in the ban. More manuscript copies of the Wycliffite translations survive than of all of Chaucer's works - not bad for a forbidden book! Queen Elizabeth I was presented with a copy of their New Testament translation on the way to her coronation.

The Bible was written originally in three languages, with the Old Testament mainly in Hebrew with some Aramaic, and the New Testament entirely in Greek. The whole Bible was translated into Latin by Jerome, by about 405 CE, becoming known as the Vulgate, or common language version, and this was the only version permitted throughout much of Europe for many years, although earlier Latin versions persisted in a few areas, particularly in mountainous northern Italy and in Wales.

Both Wycliffe and Tyndale intended the results of their work to be available in the common tongue, and worked tirelessly to that end. Wycliffe's life ended peacefully in his own bed at home in Lutterworth. Tyndale was ensnared, imprisoned and executed by strangling before being burned.

Surely such a book merits careful reading and understanding to learn what these brave, dedicated men saw in it, sufficient to make them risk their lives.

For a free postal course, Learn to Read the Bible Effectively, email mailbox@christadelphiansuffolk.org.uk

For a free online course visit https://thisisyourbible.com

For local information visit https://www.christadelphiansuffolk.org.uk

Further installments of this fascinating and inspiring story will be coming soon