Bibliomancy

This is sometimes termed sortes Biblica or sortes sanctorum. The word Bible is derived from the Latin “Biblia”, meaning “the books” or a collection of books. It consists in choosing verses or words of Scripture haphazardly by first posing a question to the spirit realm then trusting them to guide your hand and focus to the appropriate passage where an answer to your question can be inferred. It could be done with any book though, as long as the Questioner believes the spirit will work through the chosen book.

It is done by setting the book on its spine and allowing it to open randomly to some page or just taking one’s hand and opening it wherever feel right. Then either by putting the finger, when the eyes are shut and the Bible open, on the exposed page, pricking the verses with at random, or by taking the first line of some particular verse before determined upon, and thence drawing conclusions concerning the future.

Bibliomancy was prohibited under pain of excommunication until 465 A.D. by the Council of Vannes, and in the next century the Councils of Agde and Orleans made their decisions against it. Election by lot continued to prevail in the Christian Church till the seventh century. It was introduced into England about the time of the Norman Conquest. The custom of appealing to the Bible in this manner became common among all classes. It will surprise many to learn that the Rev. John Wesley himself was very addicted at one time to the practice of Bibliomancy, and some of his proceedings he allowed to be determined by lot. Thus, we find it recorded in his journal, March 10^th, 1739, when invited by Mr. Whitfield to go to Bristol, that he was not forwarding to do so, and he says, "Perhaps a little the less inclined to it because of the remarkable Scripture which opened as often as we inquired touching the consequences of this removal." On the following day he writes:—"My journey was proposed to our society in Fetter Lane, but my brother Charles would scarce bear the mention of it, till, appealing to the oracles of God, he received these words as spoken to himself' Son of man, behold, I take from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke, yet shalt thou not mourn or weep, neither shall thy tears run down.' Our other brethren, however, continuing the dispute without any probability of their coming to one conclusion, at length agreed to decide it by lot. And by this it was determined I should go. Several, afterwards, desiring we might open the Bible concerning the issue of this, we did so." The passages of Scripture opened upon are then given.

A digital version of Bibliomancy using the Christian Bible can be demonstrated by mentally asking a question to the spirit realm then opening the Bible to a random page and blindly placing your finger anywhere on the page, which will reveal the verse the spirit chooses to communicate to you, and for you to interpret as the answer to your question.

Not necessarily related to Bibliomancy itself but a comparison of the holy scriptures of Kabbalah and Christianity:

	Kabbalah	Christianity
Book	Holy Zohar	Holy Bible (New Testament)
Purpose	Revelation of Tanakh	Explanation of Old Testament
Break down	Volume	Canon
	Scroll	Books
	Article	Chapter
	Item	Verse