(BOOKS OF JOSHUA, JUDGES AND RUTH)
Report
The fifth online class for the students of Online Bible Correspondence Course was conducted on 25th October, 2020, Sunday from 4 p. m to 6 p.m. After reading the word of God and prayer by Rev. Sr. Keba, Italy, Most Rev. Antonysamy Peter Abir, Chairman of CCBI Commission for Bible, introduced and welcomed the guest of honor Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, President of CCBI and the professor of the day, Rev. Fr. A. John Baptist, Executive Secretary, CCBI Commission for Bible.
The Archbishop in his message to the students spoke about the newness of the Word of God. According to him when we experience God, we experience something radically new. For our God is God of newness, making everything new (cf. Rev 21:5). In Him we become new creation (cf. 2 Cor 5:17). The Lord renews us when we meet Him. Walking in the newness begins on the day of our Baptism. One way of experiencing His newness is to listen to Him speaking to us in the Sacred Scripture. He wished that the students encounter our God in the Scriptures and that it will lead them to total transformation of life. This will enable them to be a power filled witnesses of peace. They have to become witnesses and proclaimers of Good News of peace. He wished that the students not only study the word of God but pray deeply about it and allow it to transform them into a new creation.
Then he also introduced the new book to be released in that function, Faith Working through Love: Evangelization and Its Horizons, which is the edited volume of the papers presented at the All India Biblical Consultation cum Seminar, Kolkata, 21-24 November, 2018. He wished that the rich inputs that are contained in this book will help us to be vibrant and enthusiastic evangelizers proclaiming our faith through love. He also appreciated all those who were involved in the process of bringing out the book: Rev. Fr. Assisi Saldanha, C. Ss. R. (editor), Rev. Fr. A. John Baptist (Executive Secretary, CCBI Commission for Bible), Rev. Fr. P. Ambrose (Director, PMO) and Mr. Nigel Fernandes (CEO, ATC), the co-publishers of the book. Then he released the book virtually.
There were two lectures on the books of Joshua, Judges and Ruth. The professor, Rev. Fr. A. John Baptist covered the content of these books under seven the subheadings: (i). Introduction to Books of Deuteronomic History, (ii). The Book of Joshua, (iii). The Character of Joshua, (iv). The Book of Judges, (v). Some of the Important Judges, (vi). The Book of Ruth, and (vii). The Theological and Inspirational messages of the books. He also used PowerPoint to explain the content. The sessions were also live streamed in the YouTube of the Online Bible College. There was some time to clarify the doubts. Then the class came to an end with the recitation of the Angelus.
Rev. Dr. A. John Baptist
Executive Secretary
CCBI Commission for Bible