The gospel at sea: Questions

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[ABOVE: The Rev. John Ashley, D.D., Pioneer Chaplain in the Bristol Channel—https://mar.ine.rs/stories/rev-john-ashley-1801–1886, 19th or early 20th century / Public domain]

Use these study questions to guide discussion and reflection on the millennia-spanning story of Christianity and its relationship to the sea. 

1. What is your favorite passage from Scripture about the sea and why? (See pages 6 and 7 for examples.)

2. What surprised you about the everyday lives of seafarers throughout the centuries (pp. 8–11)?

3. What makes the biblical account of the sea’s creation different from that of other ancient religions? Why is this significant (p. 12)? 

4. What does the legendary story of Brendan the Navigator reveal to us about mission-minded monks in the Middle Ages (pp. 13–15)? Which stories do you think are likely true? 

5. Consider the excerpts from various hymns and prayer books on page 16. How do you think these would have comforted seafarers? How do they affect you?

6. How did Bartolomé de Las Casas address the evils of the transatlantic slave trade (pp. 17–19)? How did he fail? 

7. On page 20, we learn of some seafaring communities’ blend of superstitions and faith. Why does this way of life persist for these communities today? 

8. What were some of the reasons the Puritans chose to sail to the new world (pp. 21–24)? Why did many missionaries travel the world by sea in the following centuries? Where do we see this legacy today? 

9. Why were sailors prone to alcoholism (p. 25)? How did Christians address this problem? 

10. Of the “tempestuous voyages” mentioned on pages 28 to 30, as well as in “Did you know?” (inside cover), which story is your favorite, and why? How do these stories point to God? 

11. What were some vices and problems of exploitation that sailors faced in the nineteenth century (pp. 31–34; 36–38)? Who were some key Christians and Christian organizations that addressed these problems, and how did they do so? 

12. What new things did you learn about the seafaring hymn “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” on page 35? What is your favorite hymn using sea imagery and why? 

13. How did changes in technology affect sailors in the twentieth century (pp. 36–38; 39)? How have seafarers—and those who minister to them—adapted to these changes? 

14. Consider the stories of the four chaplains and other gospel ministers on pages 40 to 42. What important roles have wartime chaplains served aboard military sailing vessels? 

15. What is the United States Merchant Marine (p. 43)? How has the gospel been proclaimed through the mariners who served with the Merchant Marine?

16. Which legacy shared in the stories on pages 44 to 46 is the most impactful to you? Why? CH 

By the editors

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