Diocesan News
‘The Bible Comes to Life’ in Ballyholme
This week, Ballyholme Parish is hosting a unique interactive exhibition exploring the life and culture of the world’s bestselling book.
‘The Bible Comes to Life’ boasts a rich collection of historic artefacts including Torah (Bible) scrolls, Middle Eastern clothes, models of the Tabernacle and Temple and items of Biblical religious and daily life. People will be able see, touch and smell the world of the Bible.
The exhibition is a pre–Christmas treat for all ages and offers an opportunity to learn about Jewish life, culture and religion from the Hebrew Scriptures. It also places the roots of Christianity in their original and spiritual context.
The Rector of Ballyholme, Canon Simon Doogan, said: “If you think of the Jesus of Easter as a solitary, lonely, rejected, abandoned figure, the Jesus of Christmas has a family and has a community. That family and that community were first century Near Eastern Jews, so faith and festivals, home and Temple were the centre of gravity. The exhibition takes us back to that time and reminds us of those fixed points in Jesus’ life.
“It also takes us back to before the Reformation, before the division in East and West to the prehistory that gave birth to Christianity. The Hebrew Scriptures were the Bible Jesus read so understanding the world of the Old Testament – Jesus’ world – is vital to our understanding of the New Testament.”
Members of the public can enjoy the experience free of charge from Wednesday 28 – Friday 30 November from 6.30pm–9.30pm and on Saturday 1 December from 1.30pm–5.00pm.
The exhibition may be found in St Columbanus Church of Ireland, 68 Groomsport Road, Bangor, BT20 5NE.
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Down & Dromore
07840 006899
Mrs Annette McGrath
dco@downdromorediocese.org