Cuthbert loved the Gospel of John and the Psalms which he called, "the complete David." That's why whilst walking St Cuthbert's Way I made these two books my reading discipline. Cuthbert is said to have known John's Gospel and the book of Psalms by heart. Hardly surprising as the monks of Lindisfarne met 7 times a day for prayer and worship. It was a response to Psalm 119:165 ('Seven times a day I praise you.') All these gatherings were scripture based. As Helen Julian points out in her book 'The Lindisfarne Icon' the whole of the Psalms would be read every week. So little wonder that Cuthbert knew the 'complete David' completely.
During these Sabbatical days I have attended all kinds of churches including charismatically vibrant churches whose worship is exciting. But they don't read the Bible any more! No publicly anyway. Not exciting enough maybe. The preacher reads out his text but there is no separate reading of scripture as part of worship. Reading the Bible and church belong together.... you'd think!!
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