• VIEWFINDER: Our World and the Gutenberg Bible

• CAIRNS: What Story are You Telling?

• FYI: The Big Move!

I recently stood just a foot away from a book worth millions of dollars. I was in the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany looking at the 475-year-old, original, Gutenberg Bible. My wife, Jan, librarian and lover of literature, joined me in planning this visit as a must-see on our trip to Europe. The large volume lay quietly that day in its secure glass case but five centuries earlier it had sparked a revolution.

When Johannes Gutenberg printed this Bible, historians estimate approximately 20,000 books existed in Europe. These were hand-copies and cost far beyond what the common person could afford. The innovations of Gutenberg—the press, the ink, the metal for the type, the paper—changed this. Within 50 years there were over 20 million books in print! The printing press did more than print books. It changed society, education, and religion across the world.

For millennia, oral traditions provided the only path for religion to be shared. The people listened to a few learned men read or talk because most couldn’t read. The printing press technology became a catalyst for literacy as hundreds of other publications flooded the world. Once the Bible was translated from Latin into the common languages, a Bible and religious books became a common feature in households across the world. People could think for themselves as they read precious books of religion, politics, literature, and history.

Process/Relational theology teaches that God continually works in every event to call forth the best possible choice or response. This is the non-coercive but pervasive “inspiration” that can shared by everyone. God doesn’t force the choices or predetermine the future. Who could doubt that the mind of Gutenberg, combined with the environment around him, was participating with God in discoveries that would change the world for the better?

Could a breakthrough be happening in some quiet laboratory, library, church, or garage now? Upheaval is shaking the world, breaking long-held patterns, like a plow disturbing the ground. While nothing is assured in the outcome, we can be confident that God is luring people toward creative innovations of faith, science, and community that reflect God’s essential love.  

Standing near the massive Bibles in that museum, I thought of the books that have impacted my life and were so easy to obtain. My mother patiently drove me to the Carnegie Library so I could check out a stack of books to read on vacation, all for free. Textbooks—actual physical books back in that day—carried the lessons of school days. I spent hours mining the massive college and seminary libraries to further my knowledge. Jan and I have a home filled with books today. Thank you, Johannes, for this gift!

I’ll leave you with an idea: gift someone with a book they would enjoy. Thousands of choices are at your fingertips in local stores or online. It might open a new world for your friend! In addition, support your local library by getting a book and communicating to the local government how vital a free public library can be for a community.

 Today only a handful of Gutenberg Bibles exist in museums and famous libraries. Their worth can’t be calculated. Those I stood with in that museum were hushed with wonder as we looked at the pages that sparked a revolution. These books laid the foundation for the billions of words in print today even to our digital age—even this edition of the TRACKS EXPRESS!

This is a great episode of the podcast Hidden Brain. The stories we hold about our own lives shape our future. Hope you enjoy it!

You 2.0: Change Your Story, Change Your Life

“We all tell stories about ourselves, often without realizing we’re doing so. How we frame those stories can profoundly shape our lives. In our latest You 2.0 episode, we bring you a favorite conversation with psychologist Jonathan Adler. He shares how to tell our stories in ways that enhance our wellbeing.”

On September 1, TRACKS EXPRESS will move to Substack. This platform is host to thousands of writers and millions of readers. The change will give the newsletter more opportunities and a new look readers are sure to enjoy!

What do you need to do? Nothing. I’ll take care of it all.

If you want to get ahead of the curve, download the Substack app and subscribe to my channel, Signposts for the Journey! You’ll be ready for the Move!