Actually I agree with you, MDOC, about the need for study aids in any case. I suppose I went overboard trying to agree with George about how the new versions have imposed an unnecessary burden on Christians and got us relying on secondary sources that sometimes are more harm than help. However, I'm also thinking of a time when Christians had only the Bible, if that, and nothing else, which I think was the case for the majority of Christians at least since the Reformation. Of course illiteracy was also a problem for a lot of that time. They did have preachers, and if preachers were more reliable than they are today, that was their study aid.

Originally Posted by Connie

Actually I agree with you, MDOC, about the need for study aids in any case. I suppose I went overboard trying to agree with George about how the new versions have imposed an unnecessary burden on Christians and got us relying on secondary sources that sometimes are more harm than help. However, I'm also thinking of a time when Christians had only the Bible, if that, and nothing else, which I think was the case for the majority of Christians at least since the Reformation. Of course illiteracy was also a problem for a lot of that time. They did have preachers, and if preachers were more reliable than they are today, that was their study aid.

There was a time when the Patriarchs had nothing to study. They had only the relationship with God. But the study aids do help... and we do have the Word here. Makes you think: what are we missing here? Yeah, study aids might help, but it ain't to be equated with the scriptures as far as inspired. Good point.