why are the books of the prophets intimidating to a majority of Christians?
the normal response to this question is the books seem far distant from the Christian experience located in Jesus Christ. the prophetic books seem to include random references to judgments on nations that mostly no longer exist. they also show the prophets taking part in odd symbolic actions. lastly, the words against social injustice potentially strike too close to home and are ignored.
i stayed away from the books of the prophets most of my life due to these reasons. i attempted to read through the entire book of Isaiah on an InterVarsity retreat but i stopped 1/3 of the way through because i was too frustrated. the references to Manasseh and Ephraim over and over were enough to put me to sleep. i actually fell asleep on my Bible (and probably drooled on the pages).
my appreciation for the prophets only came after i realized that 1 and 2 Kings provides the storyline behind the writings of the prophets. this observation is similar to Acts providing a story behind the founding of the churches to which Paul wrote his epistles. the stories found in 1 and 2 Kings, however, provide more details and reasons for the life and calling of the prophets. i now believe that each person needs to read 1 and 2 Kings before even beginning to wade through the prophets. in particular, the major prophets will remain particularly enigmatic without the background of the practices of Israel and Judah. In addition, the rise and fall of Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, and other nation states needs to be included in order to gain a full picture of the context of the prophets.
the largest obstacle to this understanding is laziness. a strong dedication is needed to gain the high-level and then a lower level view of the history of Israel and the prophets within the history. the first step is to read through 1 and 2 Kings with a map. the next is to locate the prophets prophets on a timeline with their locations (specific king such as Hezekiah, specific location such as northern kingdom of Israel). the third step is to read the prophetic books. finally, the final step is to pull together all the information gained above.
the result (probably after multiple iterations of this) is a better understanding of the story of Israel in which the prophets are set. the message of the prophets at a specific time to a specific audience will make sense. the alternative is to continue to randomly open up prophetic books and hope for the best as you read about the seemingly random judgments and references to Ephraim...
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Friday, July 29, 2005
another window into the Old Testament
My first semester at PTS included a high-level introduction to the Old Testament. The main textbook, The Hebrew Bible by John C. Collins included a majority of the same criticisms of the Old Testament that I encountered during my intro to OT class at UVa 8-9 years ago. I walked away from the course with a new set of questions that remained unanswered. I did not have another resource to balance or challenge the questions besides the Biblical text itself.
A friend recommended, indirectly, a book by John Bright titled A History of Israel. The book takes a more balanced approach to describing the history of people of Israel. In particular, the very assertions that remained unchallenged in Collins' book are put in a wider discussion with other perspectives and findings.
The first idea that is put in a larger conversation is the documentary hypothesis (J E D P) - a largely 19th century hypothesis questioning Moses as the author of the Pentateuch and, instead, positing multiple sources pulled together. The description in Bright's book that caught my attention immediately was that numerous archaeological findings have been made since the formation of this hypothesis. One result of incorporating these findings into a conversation about the writings of the Pentateuch involves the discoveries that date to the times of the patriarchs. These show that the very writings of the Pentateuch or the traditions upon which they draw are similar to other writings from that time period. In other words, the Pentateuch cannot be simply dismissed as being written by individuals who lived after the exile of the Israelites to Assyria and Babylon as a way of explaining why Yahweh could let the exile happen to God's chosen people. The sources for the Pentateuch, instead, match closely to the traditions and writings of those near the times of the patriarchs.
Overall, this example, along with many others, shows me that extreme criticism of the Biblical text needs to be put in conversation with other research and writings that challenge these assertions. A quote from a friend sums this up when he stated that "many great minds have also put thought and research into ideas and have come up with different conclusions." Of course, I could jump out into a discussion of the motivations of scholars who hold to extremely critical views that have only been held in the past 100 years (a small breath in the depth of history) but that is for another day.
This entry has been long overdue. I am willing to listen to all perspectives but I have very little patience with perspectives that refuse to incorporate any challenges from others who interact with the same material from other angles.
A friend recommended, indirectly, a book by John Bright titled A History of Israel. The book takes a more balanced approach to describing the history of people of Israel. In particular, the very assertions that remained unchallenged in Collins' book are put in a wider discussion with other perspectives and findings.
The first idea that is put in a larger conversation is the documentary hypothesis (J E D P) - a largely 19th century hypothesis questioning Moses as the author of the Pentateuch and, instead, positing multiple sources pulled together. The description in Bright's book that caught my attention immediately was that numerous archaeological findings have been made since the formation of this hypothesis. One result of incorporating these findings into a conversation about the writings of the Pentateuch involves the discoveries that date to the times of the patriarchs. These show that the very writings of the Pentateuch or the traditions upon which they draw are similar to other writings from that time period. In other words, the Pentateuch cannot be simply dismissed as being written by individuals who lived after the exile of the Israelites to Assyria and Babylon as a way of explaining why Yahweh could let the exile happen to God's chosen people. The sources for the Pentateuch, instead, match closely to the traditions and writings of those near the times of the patriarchs.
Overall, this example, along with many others, shows me that extreme criticism of the Biblical text needs to be put in conversation with other research and writings that challenge these assertions. A quote from a friend sums this up when he stated that "many great minds have also put thought and research into ideas and have come up with different conclusions." Of course, I could jump out into a discussion of the motivations of scholars who hold to extremely critical views that have only been held in the past 100 years (a small breath in the depth of history) but that is for another day.
This entry has been long overdue. I am willing to listen to all perspectives but I have very little patience with perspectives that refuse to incorporate any challenges from others who interact with the same material from other angles.
Monday, June 27, 2005
the "right" kind of church
i recently had a conversation with a friend who says that he wants to find a church community but that he just can't find the "right" kind of church.
i asked him what he meant by that and his response focused on the problem of politics in the church. he cited that he couldn't stand the thought of many people standing around complaining about X or Y and then not doing anything to correct it. he also made a scathing remark about the fact that many pastors preach reconcilation but then are the main initiators of fights.
i had two responses to these ideas.
the first was an internal defensive response that wanted to shout back with the reality that no organization is without fights or multiple opinions. i also wanted to make it clear that being a "solo" Christian is not an option, unless you want to remain in the same place.
the other response was a broken heart for him and for the many, many, many individuals who feel the same thing. unfortunately, the movement to "non-denominational" churches hasn't solved that problem as the same problems are found in those churches as the big "institutions." my heart was broken because this barrier is keeping many individuals from the community that they need, even if the community includes potential and often realized back-stabbing, gossip-happy, competition-driven, self-righteous people.
he stated that he couldn't wait to come to the church that he wants me to start. i quickly responded that i would let him down much like every other pastor has let him down but that i would try my best, in God's grace, to be a servant and shepherd of the people that God puts under my care.
what is the type of church that can be the "right" kind of church for this person?
one aspect is certain. the "right" kind of church must be one that doesn't focus on itself but focuses on following Christ's example of being a servant. Scripture shows over and over how disunity comes when individuals look to their own desires and wants but that unity is present when the people are focused on God and God's work in the form of serving others. maybe one day, the person i talked with will be part of a church that is serving...
classic verse that still rings in my ear --
John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
i must be months away from my seminary studies because i am actually quoting the Bible in this blog... that comment is enough to get a lot of people talking...
i asked him what he meant by that and his response focused on the problem of politics in the church. he cited that he couldn't stand the thought of many people standing around complaining about X or Y and then not doing anything to correct it. he also made a scathing remark about the fact that many pastors preach reconcilation but then are the main initiators of fights.
i had two responses to these ideas.
the first was an internal defensive response that wanted to shout back with the reality that no organization is without fights or multiple opinions. i also wanted to make it clear that being a "solo" Christian is not an option, unless you want to remain in the same place.
the other response was a broken heart for him and for the many, many, many individuals who feel the same thing. unfortunately, the movement to "non-denominational" churches hasn't solved that problem as the same problems are found in those churches as the big "institutions." my heart was broken because this barrier is keeping many individuals from the community that they need, even if the community includes potential and often realized back-stabbing, gossip-happy, competition-driven, self-righteous people.
he stated that he couldn't wait to come to the church that he wants me to start. i quickly responded that i would let him down much like every other pastor has let him down but that i would try my best, in God's grace, to be a servant and shepherd of the people that God puts under my care.
what is the type of church that can be the "right" kind of church for this person?
one aspect is certain. the "right" kind of church must be one that doesn't focus on itself but focuses on following Christ's example of being a servant. Scripture shows over and over how disunity comes when individuals look to their own desires and wants but that unity is present when the people are focused on God and God's work in the form of serving others. maybe one day, the person i talked with will be part of a church that is serving...
classic verse that still rings in my ear --
John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
i must be months away from my seminary studies because i am actually quoting the Bible in this blog... that comment is enough to get a lot of people talking...
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
long hiatus over
i haven't written in awhile due to the insanity surrounding finals and the transition to the summer. i am now in the midst of a 8 week vacation. this is the most free time that i have had since the summer after 8th grade. of course, i do not have as much free time due to the responsibilities of being a husband and father but the lack of work changes my life significantly.
i have effectively de-toxed from the stress of school and i am now in a period of reflection. i plan on posting some of the remaining questions that are still looming from my first year at Princeton Theological seminary. i will also start to record my random illustrations that i run into through simply living.
this blog is not intended to change the world or to be even a place where anything significantly profound is written. i know that that i need a place to write my ideas and to let them grow or be killed. if anyone is actually reading this then please add a comment and say "hi."
more to come...
i have effectively de-toxed from the stress of school and i am now in a period of reflection. i plan on posting some of the remaining questions that are still looming from my first year at Princeton Theological seminary. i will also start to record my random illustrations that i run into through simply living.
this blog is not intended to change the world or to be even a place where anything significantly profound is written. i know that that i need a place to write my ideas and to let them grow or be killed. if anyone is actually reading this then please add a comment and say "hi."
more to come...
Monday, April 18, 2005
Friday, April 15, 2005
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
test of belief
i heard a quote during a sermon in the PTS chapel yesterday that cut right to my heart. Lyle Watson, a PTS senior, referenced a quote by a former Professor Diogenes Allen when he said, "if you believe in a command, then it will judge you."
if you truly believe in a command...
that assumes that you are exposed to the command and that you believe that the command has authority in your life. furthermore, the source of the command, the Bible, must also be believed to be more than a collection of genres of literature that have pieced together for the benefit of the Christian community. the Bible must have real authority in your life and/or the community's life.
i can honestly say that i haven't felt judged by commands recently. i think that shows that i do not believe in them and that, in turn, shows that my belief in the Bible has been disrupted.
a return to a belief that the Bible is the witness of God revealed in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and that it has authority in life will, in turn, resurrect the judging power of the commands that are in it.
some things never change and Hebrews 4:12 continues to not return void to God "for the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
if you truly believe in a command...
that assumes that you are exposed to the command and that you believe that the command has authority in your life. furthermore, the source of the command, the Bible, must also be believed to be more than a collection of genres of literature that have pieced together for the benefit of the Christian community. the Bible must have real authority in your life and/or the community's life.
i can honestly say that i haven't felt judged by commands recently. i think that shows that i do not believe in them and that, in turn, shows that my belief in the Bible has been disrupted.
a return to a belief that the Bible is the witness of God revealed in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and that it has authority in life will, in turn, resurrect the judging power of the commands that are in it.
some things never change and Hebrews 4:12 continues to not return void to God "for the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
emptiness
life is scheduled. life is full. life seems to be incorrect if stress is not always heightened (we even drink coffee to increase our stress).
addiction flourishes whenever there is no time for emptiness. we are intimidated by silence, intimidated by inactivity. the addicted person tries harder to fight his or her addiction but the most effective way to resist an addiction is to make room for emptiness in life.
when is the last time you felt empty?
when is the last time you embraced silence?
when is the last time you felt empty?
God's grace shows up in emptiness. God's grace is the only "way" out...
addiction flourishes whenever there is no time for emptiness. we are intimidated by silence, intimidated by inactivity. the addicted person tries harder to fight his or her addiction but the most effective way to resist an addiction is to make room for emptiness in life.
when is the last time you felt empty?
when is the last time you embraced silence?
when is the last time you felt empty?
God's grace shows up in emptiness. God's grace is the only "way" out...
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
mcmanus thoughts
erwin mcmanus spoke tonight at pts. i admire this servant of Christ because he is free and he lives and leads out of his love for Jesus Christ and his authentic sense of freedom. a couple ideas stayed with me from what he shared tonight. these are probably not the main ideas that he intended to "stick with the audience" but they are the ones that leaped out at me...
1. parable of the talents. Jesus called the one who hid the talent wicked and lazy. why was hiding the talent wicked? using the talent to hire an assassin or a prostitute sounds wicked but hiding it doesn't. the hiding was wicked because he did nothing. most Christians are content with doing nothing. how does God view that? doing anything (or nothing) that keeps you from being who God wants you to be is equivalent burying the talent.
2. participatory does not always mean that everyone is doing everything. something can be participatory for a group if they feel like they are doing the action. for example, including a painter in a worship experience is participatory even though everyone is not painting. each person can feel like they are painting by simply watching and experiencing the creation of the artist.
3. tell a story as if you are experiencing it for the first time. that way, your audience will not think that you know how everything in this world works out and/or fits together. let them experience the story and the suspense with you. don't tell the story from the end's perspective, tell the story from the beginning's perspective.
4. self-denial is not denying who you are as a person. Christians tend to be more Buddhist than Christian. self-denial is denying everything that gets in the way of you being who God wants you to be. do not fall into the thought process that you should avoid your strengths simply because "in our weakness we are strong." aren't we still weak even when we are living out our strong areas?
5. mosaic is not a place where people get fed. when they come, they go away more hungry. most Christians are bulimics, they eat a ton and then go home on sunday night and throw it up and then wait for the next week. Christians do not need to get fed, they need to exercise!
6. Christian discipleship is too standardized (moving toward a standard). uniqueness is key, there is not a standard way to experience God (either in community or individually). the problem with many ethnic churches is they automatically standardize the people to the ethnic background and their ways of doing things. the same applies to any church.
great stuff...
1. parable of the talents. Jesus called the one who hid the talent wicked and lazy. why was hiding the talent wicked? using the talent to hire an assassin or a prostitute sounds wicked but hiding it doesn't. the hiding was wicked because he did nothing. most Christians are content with doing nothing. how does God view that? doing anything (or nothing) that keeps you from being who God wants you to be is equivalent burying the talent.
2. participatory does not always mean that everyone is doing everything. something can be participatory for a group if they feel like they are doing the action. for example, including a painter in a worship experience is participatory even though everyone is not painting. each person can feel like they are painting by simply watching and experiencing the creation of the artist.
3. tell a story as if you are experiencing it for the first time. that way, your audience will not think that you know how everything in this world works out and/or fits together. let them experience the story and the suspense with you. don't tell the story from the end's perspective, tell the story from the beginning's perspective.
4. self-denial is not denying who you are as a person. Christians tend to be more Buddhist than Christian. self-denial is denying everything that gets in the way of you being who God wants you to be. do not fall into the thought process that you should avoid your strengths simply because "in our weakness we are strong." aren't we still weak even when we are living out our strong areas?
5. mosaic is not a place where people get fed. when they come, they go away more hungry. most Christians are bulimics, they eat a ton and then go home on sunday night and throw it up and then wait for the next week. Christians do not need to get fed, they need to exercise!
6. Christian discipleship is too standardized (moving toward a standard). uniqueness is key, there is not a standard way to experience God (either in community or individually). the problem with many ethnic churches is they automatically standardize the people to the ethnic background and their ways of doing things. the same applies to any church.
great stuff...
Monday, March 28, 2005
layers of addiction
what role does addiction play in the Christian experience of forgiveness?
i don't have the answer to this question and i do not propose that i am even close. i do want to share some observations regarding addiction and the process of a Christian seeking forgiveness of sin.
one aspect of an addiction is the behavior or substance use relieves stress. without a doubt, a person's sin causes a level of stress. devout Christians sense this stress due to a rupturing of their connection with God and a feeling that they have grieved the Holy Spirit. the movement toward seeking forgiveness through the confession of sin is the right way to address the problem. as Christians, we are to seek the forgiveness of others when we do wrong to them and we are to seek the forgiveness of God when we sin.
for many, including me, the process of humbly coming before God to confess my sins and to experience the renewal of my connection with God is a real experience. the weight of sin is lifted and the distress is removed.
is it possible for me to become addicted to the process of sinning, experiencing sorrow, confessing, experiencing assurance of pardon?
the general application of addiction may not be the best way to approach this possible flow of experiences. a more specific question is an addiction to receiving forgiveness possible for a specific habitual sin where the person finds relief in the confessing/forgiveness cycle?
i have described this as the inhaling and exhaling of the Christian faith. it can become seemingly the way of life, or better put the means of experiencing God, for individuals who consistently sin in the same way. the actual experience of receiving forgiveness is the very source of their knowledge that God exists and is real.
what happens when the person moves away from that sin? will that person know how to experience God apart from that experience?
if not, then i posit that the person is experiencing two layers of addiction. one layer is the obvious addiction to the sinful behavior. the other layer is the addiction to the process of sinning/confessing/receiving forgiveness itself.
am i the only one who sees this?
i don't have the answer to this question and i do not propose that i am even close. i do want to share some observations regarding addiction and the process of a Christian seeking forgiveness of sin.
one aspect of an addiction is the behavior or substance use relieves stress. without a doubt, a person's sin causes a level of stress. devout Christians sense this stress due to a rupturing of their connection with God and a feeling that they have grieved the Holy Spirit. the movement toward seeking forgiveness through the confession of sin is the right way to address the problem. as Christians, we are to seek the forgiveness of others when we do wrong to them and we are to seek the forgiveness of God when we sin.
for many, including me, the process of humbly coming before God to confess my sins and to experience the renewal of my connection with God is a real experience. the weight of sin is lifted and the distress is removed.
is it possible for me to become addicted to the process of sinning, experiencing sorrow, confessing, experiencing assurance of pardon?
the general application of addiction may not be the best way to approach this possible flow of experiences. a more specific question is an addiction to receiving forgiveness possible for a specific habitual sin where the person finds relief in the confessing/forgiveness cycle?
i have described this as the inhaling and exhaling of the Christian faith. it can become seemingly the way of life, or better put the means of experiencing God, for individuals who consistently sin in the same way. the actual experience of receiving forgiveness is the very source of their knowledge that God exists and is real.
what happens when the person moves away from that sin? will that person know how to experience God apart from that experience?
if not, then i posit that the person is experiencing two layers of addiction. one layer is the obvious addiction to the sinful behavior. the other layer is the addiction to the process of sinning/confessing/receiving forgiveness itself.
am i the only one who sees this?
another country
i have a friend from florida... he needs to get over the fact that he no longer lives in florida
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Saturday, March 19, 2005
gospel differences - one Jesus or many?
text criticism has long been a stumbling block for many Christians who learn this method for studying the writing of the Bible. many reject all of the ideas of text criticism due to fear while all others embrace all of them due to fear.
i am not writing ideas today to address the whole breadth of text criticism. i do want to mention one idea that i am going to be pursuing going forward.
if the Gospel of Mark was written first and Matthew and Luke use Mark as a source (there is ample evidence for this assumption), then many interpretations of what Matthew and Luke wanted to portray can be determined from seeing the differences in the parallel passages between Mark and their versions. one example is the account of Jesus walking on the water in Mk 6:45-52. the disciples first think that Jesus is a ghost and then Mark writes that they did not understand and their hearts were hardened when Jesus entered the boat. Matthew, however, includes the description of Peter walking on the water and the disciples as worshiping Jesus saying "Truly you are the Son of God" in Matthew 14:22-33.
2-3 years ago, my reaction to these differences would be to say that Matthew and Mark simply recorded different details about the same story. the problem with this response, however, is it does not account for the major difference between the disciples' reaction in the two passages just discussed (hardended hearts versus worship/you are the Son of God).
should these differences be ignored?
an individual who is looking for a quick way to discredit the Bible would point this as an inconsistency in a story about Jesus and, therefore, the written accounts of Jesus are not to be trusted.
is this too simplistic a response?
i would say so. this response is based on the assumption that the gospels are a rigid set of historical accounts that were written in the same exact way as a history book would be written today. there are, without a doubt, historical references in the gospels but was the intention of the authors to write history books or to provide "the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God"? i will write another entry sometime soon on the term 'gospel' and its meaning to the original Greek and Jewish audiences as well as the genre of writing that was for all intents and purposes created by the writer of Mark's gospel when he started the book with the self-description of a gospel.
for now, let's return to the simplistic response of the Biblical critic based on Mk 6:45-52 and Matt 14:22-33. if the genre of writing is not a historical textbook than what light does that shed on the differences between these passages? i have two initial responses to this question. one sees this question as an opportunity while the other sees this question as a major challenge to my faith.
1. i see the differences as an opportunity to see how Mark, Matthew, and Luke viewed Jesus and his disciples. their understanding of Jesus and the disciples comes out in their writing of the their respective gospels. we can get a glimpse into the different audiences of the gospels and the communities that initial received them and formed around them.
2. the jarring question then is what is the real picture of Jesus and the disciples? i cannot escape from this question. were the disciples followers of Jesus who were perplexed and had hardened hearts (Mk 6:45-52) or were they followers of Jesus with great faith, as evidenced by Peter walking on the water, and worshiped Jesus as the Son of God before the crucifixion (Mt 14:22-33)? at this point, i do not have a coherent to response to this question.
again, going back 2-3 years, my response to the differences in the gospel would go something like this, "the gospels were not written, from what i know, when Jesus was alive. the writers were eyewitnesses who later on wrote down what they remembered from Jesus' life and his teachings. the differences are similar to the differences that would come from 4 different people writing about what happened on Sept 11th, 2001. the main event would be the same but the exact details (times, order of events, reactions of people, etc) would be different. just think, can you describe in full what happened from 8 AM to 8 PM on Sept 11th, 2001? grab 4 people, have them write it down, and compare. the bottom line is there was a terrorist attack in NY City, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania (plane downed) with some key events."
this response provides some explanation for the differences in the gospel but it doesn't account for all of them. the walking on water example is one of them.
if anyone actually read this, then i'd love to hear your ideas or comments on this subject.
the scary part of this discussion for me is will i be able to look at Jesus as described in the gospels as 100% the God that i worship or will i have to think "how did the other gospel writers describe Jesus here" and then try to choose or reconcile the description each time...?
i am not writing ideas today to address the whole breadth of text criticism. i do want to mention one idea that i am going to be pursuing going forward.
if the Gospel of Mark was written first and Matthew and Luke use Mark as a source (there is ample evidence for this assumption), then many interpretations of what Matthew and Luke wanted to portray can be determined from seeing the differences in the parallel passages between Mark and their versions. one example is the account of Jesus walking on the water in Mk 6:45-52. the disciples first think that Jesus is a ghost and then Mark writes that they did not understand and their hearts were hardened when Jesus entered the boat. Matthew, however, includes the description of Peter walking on the water and the disciples as worshiping Jesus saying "Truly you are the Son of God" in Matthew 14:22-33.
2-3 years ago, my reaction to these differences would be to say that Matthew and Mark simply recorded different details about the same story. the problem with this response, however, is it does not account for the major difference between the disciples' reaction in the two passages just discussed (hardended hearts versus worship/you are the Son of God).
should these differences be ignored?
an individual who is looking for a quick way to discredit the Bible would point this as an inconsistency in a story about Jesus and, therefore, the written accounts of Jesus are not to be trusted.
is this too simplistic a response?
i would say so. this response is based on the assumption that the gospels are a rigid set of historical accounts that were written in the same exact way as a history book would be written today. there are, without a doubt, historical references in the gospels but was the intention of the authors to write history books or to provide "the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God"? i will write another entry sometime soon on the term 'gospel' and its meaning to the original Greek and Jewish audiences as well as the genre of writing that was for all intents and purposes created by the writer of Mark's gospel when he started the book with the self-description of a gospel.
for now, let's return to the simplistic response of the Biblical critic based on Mk 6:45-52 and Matt 14:22-33. if the genre of writing is not a historical textbook than what light does that shed on the differences between these passages? i have two initial responses to this question. one sees this question as an opportunity while the other sees this question as a major challenge to my faith.
1. i see the differences as an opportunity to see how Mark, Matthew, and Luke viewed Jesus and his disciples. their understanding of Jesus and the disciples comes out in their writing of the their respective gospels. we can get a glimpse into the different audiences of the gospels and the communities that initial received them and formed around them.
2. the jarring question then is what is the real picture of Jesus and the disciples? i cannot escape from this question. were the disciples followers of Jesus who were perplexed and had hardened hearts (Mk 6:45-52) or were they followers of Jesus with great faith, as evidenced by Peter walking on the water, and worshiped Jesus as the Son of God before the crucifixion (Mt 14:22-33)? at this point, i do not have a coherent to response to this question.
again, going back 2-3 years, my response to the differences in the gospel would go something like this, "the gospels were not written, from what i know, when Jesus was alive. the writers were eyewitnesses who later on wrote down what they remembered from Jesus' life and his teachings. the differences are similar to the differences that would come from 4 different people writing about what happened on Sept 11th, 2001. the main event would be the same but the exact details (times, order of events, reactions of people, etc) would be different. just think, can you describe in full what happened from 8 AM to 8 PM on Sept 11th, 2001? grab 4 people, have them write it down, and compare. the bottom line is there was a terrorist attack in NY City, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania (plane downed) with some key events."
this response provides some explanation for the differences in the gospel but it doesn't account for all of them. the walking on water example is one of them.
if anyone actually read this, then i'd love to hear your ideas or comments on this subject.
the scary part of this discussion for me is will i be able to look at Jesus as described in the gospels as 100% the God that i worship or will i have to think "how did the other gospel writers describe Jesus here" and then try to choose or reconcile the description each time...?
Saturday, March 12, 2005
initial thoughts on addiction
i was going to pour out some thoughts on addiction that i have gathered from my Addiction & Grace class when i realized that i had already typed up a bunch for the required class journal. here is my first entry that i wrote after reading some initial ideas about addiction in Gerald May's book titled Addiction & Grace:
The initial readings provided a set of very useful preliminary definitions associated with addiction and showed how the paradoxes of addiction are not puzzles that can solved by willpower. Gerald May’s definition of addiction as any compulsive, habitual behavior that limits freedom of human desire redirected my focus away from the object of the addiction to the resulting reduced level of freedom. May addressed the object in his definition of attachment as the process that enslaves desire and creates the state of addiction. The relationship of attachment to addiction opened my eyes to the process.
In addition, the five characteristics of addiction provided a fresh set of criteria for testing whether a behavior is an addiction. Tolerance and withdrawal are two characteristics that I already associated with addictions to alcohol and tobacco. The other three, self-deception, loss of willpower, and distortion of attention were new criteria for me. May’s descriptions resonated with the examples that I encountered with alcoholism.
The main insight that I gained from these initial descriptions is that the paradoxes of addiction clearly exclude a self-willed treatment and point the addicted individual to grace as the only true hope. The result of addictive behavior is shame and the response of the person is to either ignore that shame or to attempt to remedy the shame. May states that one paradox of an addiction is that the addiction enslaves a person with chains of his or her own making but, paradoxically, the chains are beyond that person’s control. Furthermore, the attempts to defeat the addiction feed pride which serves only to deepen the addictive mentality.
The last three characteristics of addiction for me displayed the internal battle that displays this paradox. First, the addicted individual deceives himself or herself due to a series of mixed motivations and contradictory desires. A result from an unclear direction is the addicted person ends up creating more chains of self-deception. Second, a person’s loss of willpower increases with each failed resolution of self-will. Again, the failed attempt to stop the behavior leads a greater sense of helplessness that in turn emboldens the addiction. Finally, the mind tricks associated with addiction capture our ability to love and create a greater gap between where we want to put our affections and where we end up putting them, namely, the addictive behavior. These three characteristics contribute to the first paradox of creating chains beyond a person’s control.
The other paradox is that addictions may be the only real means by which a person can learn to deeply appreciate grace. Grace is a term that many Christians cite when they need an answer to a complex problem. The reality, however, is that most people do not understand grace until they experience its work in their lives. Repeated descriptions of grace are not a substitute for the real encounter with it in real life.
In the case of addictions, person’s pride is attacked and that person is brought to their knees. More specifically, an addiction not only controls a person’s behavior but it also drains the energy that would normally be used to combat the addiction itself. In the case of grace, the person’s ability to accept grace is blocked. Eventually, a person will come to a place where he or she will realize that they are not in control and they not God. This realization exposes that the person is his or her own worst enemy. Grace is able to enter at that point of emptiness. The paradox is that addictions, though they can block grace, are the means by which a person becomes available to that same grace.
The initial readings provided a set of very useful preliminary definitions associated with addiction and showed how the paradoxes of addiction are not puzzles that can solved by willpower. Gerald May’s definition of addiction as any compulsive, habitual behavior that limits freedom of human desire redirected my focus away from the object of the addiction to the resulting reduced level of freedom. May addressed the object in his definition of attachment as the process that enslaves desire and creates the state of addiction. The relationship of attachment to addiction opened my eyes to the process.
In addition, the five characteristics of addiction provided a fresh set of criteria for testing whether a behavior is an addiction. Tolerance and withdrawal are two characteristics that I already associated with addictions to alcohol and tobacco. The other three, self-deception, loss of willpower, and distortion of attention were new criteria for me. May’s descriptions resonated with the examples that I encountered with alcoholism.
The main insight that I gained from these initial descriptions is that the paradoxes of addiction clearly exclude a self-willed treatment and point the addicted individual to grace as the only true hope. The result of addictive behavior is shame and the response of the person is to either ignore that shame or to attempt to remedy the shame. May states that one paradox of an addiction is that the addiction enslaves a person with chains of his or her own making but, paradoxically, the chains are beyond that person’s control. Furthermore, the attempts to defeat the addiction feed pride which serves only to deepen the addictive mentality.
The last three characteristics of addiction for me displayed the internal battle that displays this paradox. First, the addicted individual deceives himself or herself due to a series of mixed motivations and contradictory desires. A result from an unclear direction is the addicted person ends up creating more chains of self-deception. Second, a person’s loss of willpower increases with each failed resolution of self-will. Again, the failed attempt to stop the behavior leads a greater sense of helplessness that in turn emboldens the addiction. Finally, the mind tricks associated with addiction capture our ability to love and create a greater gap between where we want to put our affections and where we end up putting them, namely, the addictive behavior. These three characteristics contribute to the first paradox of creating chains beyond a person’s control.
The other paradox is that addictions may be the only real means by which a person can learn to deeply appreciate grace. Grace is a term that many Christians cite when they need an answer to a complex problem. The reality, however, is that most people do not understand grace until they experience its work in their lives. Repeated descriptions of grace are not a substitute for the real encounter with it in real life.
In the case of addictions, person’s pride is attacked and that person is brought to their knees. More specifically, an addiction not only controls a person’s behavior but it also drains the energy that would normally be used to combat the addiction itself. In the case of grace, the person’s ability to accept grace is blocked. Eventually, a person will come to a place where he or she will realize that they are not in control and they not God. This realization exposes that the person is his or her own worst enemy. Grace is able to enter at that point of emptiness. The paradox is that addictions, though they can block grace, are the means by which a person becomes available to that same grace.
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
limit?
is there a limit to how much a person should study the things of God...? at what point do we start making things up in order to sound important or to explain away the things that are unexplainable?
this is not a license for ignorance but these questions are starting to find their way into my head as i spend more and more time studying the various theories that 'scholars' have posited regarding how we should view the Bible and theologies. i'm starting to wonder if the amount of energy that i am dedicating to wrapping my head around deep theological/philosophical problems is keeping me from using that same energy for simply loving people...
i'm sure i am just venting my frustrations with the amount of schoolwork that i am trying to do but these questions are still floating nonetheless...
this is not a license for ignorance but these questions are starting to find their way into my head as i spend more and more time studying the various theories that 'scholars' have posited regarding how we should view the Bible and theologies. i'm starting to wonder if the amount of energy that i am dedicating to wrapping my head around deep theological/philosophical problems is keeping me from using that same energy for simply loving people...
i'm sure i am just venting my frustrations with the amount of schoolwork that i am trying to do but these questions are still floating nonetheless...
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
AA Meeting
i attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting last thursday to fulfill a requirement for my Addiction & Grace class. i was looking forward to the opportunity to witness first-hand an AA meeting. one of the points of contact set up a pre-meeting with some of the organizers and participants. here are some descriptions of what i experienced...
march 3rd - 7 pm (pre-meeting), 8 pm (meeting)
i attended the meeting with four other students from pts. Ben met us at the door and led us into the methodist church where the meeting was held. we spent approximately an hour with Ben and another organizer named Doug.
Ben has been with AA for 27 years and Doug has been with AA for 6 years. Ben is Doug's sponsor. we asked them spontaneous questions. we asked about the religious nature of the 12 steps. Ben responded that the 12 steps focus on the role of spirituality but without any specific religion. his quote was "religion is for figuring out who goes to hell, spirituality is for people who have already been there." Ben and Doug shared that many AA participants do not want to hear about God when they first come through the door because their thought process is "if God was real, then He wouldn't have allowed me to get into this mess or God would have rescued me when I called out to him." the reference to a higher power is not as offensive because they realize that they need help from something beyond themselves.
Ben proceeded to let us know that the black church was one of the last groups to find value in AA because they believed that they could preach people away from alcohol. Ben shared that it was a lack of education that kept the black church from referring people to AA. he shared that there are numerous black churches that now see the value of AA in the recovery process.
Doug then shared about the role of a sponsor. Ben was Doug's sponsor. Ben has a sponsor who has been with AA for over 40 years. Doug is also sponsoring someone who has been with AA for 1 1/2 years. Doug shared that a person starts with AA by attending 90 meetings in 90 days. the sponsor connects with the person and helps them through that time period and beyond as they work on the 12 steps. Doug shared that being a sponsor is also a way to help the one sponsoring because he or she is helping another person. (note: the 12th step includes sharing the experience of AA with others and helping).
the last thing i remember from the pre-meeting is that most, if not all, individuals who show up at AA meetings are not there by their own decision. on the other hand, most are there because they have been ordered by a court or another authority. Ben shared that an alcoholic's ego is so full that he or she would never decide to get help. he said that mostly this was because the self-denial is so high with alcoholism. usually someone else notices the problem and reports the problem.
i wanted to ask Ben about how these individuals are integrated into the AA community if they arrive with such high levels of self-denial and a large ego. we ran out of time in the pre-meeting however.
---
the meeting itself included approximately 30 persons. there was a group from another location. the meeting was called a 'home group' and the other group was another 'home group' who was visiting. the meeting started with announcements of events and welcoming of new members. as expected, each person said "my name is ______, and i am an alcoholic". the group responded with "hi ________". if the person was new they would add "welcome!" there was definitely a sense of openness and shared experiences right from the beginning.
the meeting transitioned from announcements to sharing by the guest group. one person from the guest group stood up and introduced the guest group. he included some words about his experiences but he served more as a moderator. three women shared. i will note some of the ideas or experiences that jumped out to me...
the first woman shared how her love for alcohol started with a family wedding where she ate cake with alcohol on it and then did an elvis impersonation in front of everyone. they all laughed and she realized that she could be entertaining as a result of alcohol. that continued all the way through high school and college. eventually, alcohol became an addiction and she found ways to hide it. eventually, alcohol led to her losing her nursing license and she realized the problem was deeper than she could control. she joined AA and now she finally worked back to getting her license and she is clean. she realizes that one drink will destroy her entire life. she now is engaged and is living again.
the second woman focused a lot on the spiritual aspect of AA and how she refound her faith as a result of AA. she shared that she now wakes up, asks God for help, works hard at the 12 steps all day, and then by God's grace gets through the day without taking a drink. she said that she realizes now how empty she was without her faith.
the third woman shared about how she grew up in a house where the smell of alcohol was as prevalent as the smell of bread in some houses after a person baked bread. she always remembered smelling alcohol. she said that her dad let her drink from a can of beer when she sat on his lap and he played guitar. she shared that she dragged her family from minnesota to new jersey and that her addiction to alcohol increased and increased. she eventually joined AA and she said that she knows that if she takes another drink then she will end up dead. in her words "if i take another drink, then i will end up dead because my body has gone through way too much to handle another run".
overall, there was a consistent sense that taking one drink will destroy the life of the recovering alcoholic. each of the women realized the stakes of the decision. in addition, they saw how the community of AA was integral in them keeping clean of alcohol. the 12 steps, the sharing of stories, the ways to help (sponsor, set up, clean up, etc) all contribute to their staying away from alcohol.
in many ways, there was elements of a 'true' church in the AA meeting.
openness with regards to real problems
community that holds up individuals so they do not fall back into alcohol
sharing of stories of past horrors and recent successes
sharing of 'conversion' stories
sponsor - similar to discipling relationship, generations of sponsors
visiting other 'home groups'
multiple types of meetings - open sharing, learning from books/application of 12 steps
coffee :)
Ben said that the only requirements for starting an AA meeting are a location and a coffee pot...
i was emotionally moved by the experience and i saw how a person who understands the extent of their helplessness is available to help from beyond themselves.
i couldn't help but think that the middle-upper class individual who has enough distractions to medicate his or her life doesn't see the need for any help from God - especially Jesus Christ...
march 3rd - 7 pm (pre-meeting), 8 pm (meeting)
i attended the meeting with four other students from pts. Ben met us at the door and led us into the methodist church where the meeting was held. we spent approximately an hour with Ben and another organizer named Doug.
Ben has been with AA for 27 years and Doug has been with AA for 6 years. Ben is Doug's sponsor. we asked them spontaneous questions. we asked about the religious nature of the 12 steps. Ben responded that the 12 steps focus on the role of spirituality but without any specific religion. his quote was "religion is for figuring out who goes to hell, spirituality is for people who have already been there." Ben and Doug shared that many AA participants do not want to hear about God when they first come through the door because their thought process is "if God was real, then He wouldn't have allowed me to get into this mess or God would have rescued me when I called out to him." the reference to a higher power is not as offensive because they realize that they need help from something beyond themselves.
Ben proceeded to let us know that the black church was one of the last groups to find value in AA because they believed that they could preach people away from alcohol. Ben shared that it was a lack of education that kept the black church from referring people to AA. he shared that there are numerous black churches that now see the value of AA in the recovery process.
Doug then shared about the role of a sponsor. Ben was Doug's sponsor. Ben has a sponsor who has been with AA for over 40 years. Doug is also sponsoring someone who has been with AA for 1 1/2 years. Doug shared that a person starts with AA by attending 90 meetings in 90 days. the sponsor connects with the person and helps them through that time period and beyond as they work on the 12 steps. Doug shared that being a sponsor is also a way to help the one sponsoring because he or she is helping another person. (note: the 12th step includes sharing the experience of AA with others and helping).
the last thing i remember from the pre-meeting is that most, if not all, individuals who show up at AA meetings are not there by their own decision. on the other hand, most are there because they have been ordered by a court or another authority. Ben shared that an alcoholic's ego is so full that he or she would never decide to get help. he said that mostly this was because the self-denial is so high with alcoholism. usually someone else notices the problem and reports the problem.
i wanted to ask Ben about how these individuals are integrated into the AA community if they arrive with such high levels of self-denial and a large ego. we ran out of time in the pre-meeting however.
---
the meeting itself included approximately 30 persons. there was a group from another location. the meeting was called a 'home group' and the other group was another 'home group' who was visiting. the meeting started with announcements of events and welcoming of new members. as expected, each person said "my name is ______, and i am an alcoholic". the group responded with "hi ________". if the person was new they would add "welcome!" there was definitely a sense of openness and shared experiences right from the beginning.
the meeting transitioned from announcements to sharing by the guest group. one person from the guest group stood up and introduced the guest group. he included some words about his experiences but he served more as a moderator. three women shared. i will note some of the ideas or experiences that jumped out to me...
the first woman shared how her love for alcohol started with a family wedding where she ate cake with alcohol on it and then did an elvis impersonation in front of everyone. they all laughed and she realized that she could be entertaining as a result of alcohol. that continued all the way through high school and college. eventually, alcohol became an addiction and she found ways to hide it. eventually, alcohol led to her losing her nursing license and she realized the problem was deeper than she could control. she joined AA and now she finally worked back to getting her license and she is clean. she realizes that one drink will destroy her entire life. she now is engaged and is living again.
the second woman focused a lot on the spiritual aspect of AA and how she refound her faith as a result of AA. she shared that she now wakes up, asks God for help, works hard at the 12 steps all day, and then by God's grace gets through the day without taking a drink. she said that she realizes now how empty she was without her faith.
the third woman shared about how she grew up in a house where the smell of alcohol was as prevalent as the smell of bread in some houses after a person baked bread. she always remembered smelling alcohol. she said that her dad let her drink from a can of beer when she sat on his lap and he played guitar. she shared that she dragged her family from minnesota to new jersey and that her addiction to alcohol increased and increased. she eventually joined AA and she said that she knows that if she takes another drink then she will end up dead. in her words "if i take another drink, then i will end up dead because my body has gone through way too much to handle another run".
overall, there was a consistent sense that taking one drink will destroy the life of the recovering alcoholic. each of the women realized the stakes of the decision. in addition, they saw how the community of AA was integral in them keeping clean of alcohol. the 12 steps, the sharing of stories, the ways to help (sponsor, set up, clean up, etc) all contribute to their staying away from alcohol.
in many ways, there was elements of a 'true' church in the AA meeting.
openness with regards to real problems
community that holds up individuals so they do not fall back into alcohol
sharing of stories of past horrors and recent successes
sharing of 'conversion' stories
sponsor - similar to discipling relationship, generations of sponsors
visiting other 'home groups'
multiple types of meetings - open sharing, learning from books/application of 12 steps
coffee :)
Ben said that the only requirements for starting an AA meeting are a location and a coffee pot...
i was emotionally moved by the experience and i saw how a person who understands the extent of their helplessness is available to help from beyond themselves.
i couldn't help but think that the middle-upper class individual who has enough distractions to medicate his or her life doesn't see the need for any help from God - especially Jesus Christ...
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
extra-marital affairs
i attended a sexual ethics seminar today. the purpose of the seminar was to uncover potential issues for clergy with extra-marital affairs and other crossings of relational boundaries.
the speaker stated that a leading reason for extra-marital affairs is one of the spouses feels like the other spouse is acting like a parent to them. in other words, a wife feels like her husband is treating her like her father treated her or a husband feels like his wife is treating him like his mother treated him.
the speaker posited that the husband would automatically lose feelings of affection for the wife because he would group his wife in the same emotional category as his mother. (or other way if you start with the wife).
i think the married men walked out wondering if they were treating their wives like their their wife's dad and the married women walked out wondering if they were treating their husbands like their husband's mom...
the speaker stated that a leading reason for extra-marital affairs is one of the spouses feels like the other spouse is acting like a parent to them. in other words, a wife feels like her husband is treating her like her father treated her or a husband feels like his wife is treating him like his mother treated him.
the speaker posited that the husband would automatically lose feelings of affection for the wife because he would group his wife in the same emotional category as his mother. (or other way if you start with the wife).
i think the married men walked out wondering if they were treating their wives like their their wife's dad and the married women walked out wondering if they were treating their husbands like their husband's mom...
Monday, February 14, 2005
the equivalent
i have often asked the question "what is the female equivalent to a guy's struggle with pornography?" in other words, what makes a female wake up the next morning hating herself?
i just read a book titled 'The God of Thinness' in my Addictions and Grace class. i think i found the answer to my questions - eating disorders or struggles with food.
i plan to write more about what i am learning from this addictions class. it is eye-opening information that applies to basically everything that humans experience...
i just read a book titled 'The God of Thinness' in my Addictions and Grace class. i think i found the answer to my questions - eating disorders or struggles with food.
i plan to write more about what i am learning from this addictions class. it is eye-opening information that applies to basically everything that humans experience...
Friday, February 11, 2005
the interpretation and authority of scripture (systematic theology I)
this is a continuation of my Systematic Theology critical log (see 1/28/05 for explanation)
The Interpretation and Authority of Scripture In the Life and Witness of the Church – 2/11/05
Initial Thoughts:
I have worked with a definition of the authority of Scripture until recently. My definition of Biblical authority over the years has been the Bible is the irreplaceable Word of God that provides the first and final truth on every aspect of life and faith, both to the individual as well as to the world. This word has always been rooted in a belief that fallible human beings wrote the Bible but the output was a single, inerrant word that accounts for the entire history of humanity from creation to consummation. I viewed all questioning of the Bible’s origination and content as a direct attack on God himself and an automatic sign that the individual or group was looking to find away to justify his or her behavior that fell outside the realm of the Bible’s authority. In summary, the Bible had one meaning, as located in the original meaning of the author, for all people of all time and that meaning needed to be received from God and applied to the lives of sinful humans.
I started to question this view of authority when an extreme dispensationalist friend challenged me to take the Bible more literally. The authority of Scripture for him was based on not only the precise, divinely orchestrated wording of the Bible but also on the literal meanings found in prophetic writings. In short, he tried to intimidate me and I was confused from the experience.
I have been wrestling with the notion of the authority and interpretation of Scripture since that encounter. I have witnessed both the danger in using the Bible literally to respond to a personal question (i.e. why do people still sin after salvation?) as well as individuals justifying behavior by discounting the authority of Scripture. I have also noted the role of context in how individuals formulate theologies and worldviews. My main question going into the reading for this week is can the Bible bear witness to Jesus Christ and, subsequently, guide and form the community of believers without being viewed as a perfectly written, historically accurate word from God? In other words, how can a non-fundamentalist view of the Bible have any authority in the lives of sinful individuals and groups who want to justify their own agendas?
Cone: God of the Oppressed (57-98)
Cone continues to raise new insights into the interpretation of Scripture in light of real cultural issues. He provides a description of his view of the authority of Scripture in relation to checking ideologies on p. 93 when he states “Checks against ideological language in theology are not derived abstractly from the Word of God because God’s Word is not an abstract object, but is the liberating Subject in the lives of the oppressed struggling for freedom.� He repeatedly asserts that the only valid exegesis of the Scriptures is when Jesus Christ is viewed as the Liberator, the helper, and the healer of the wounded. Furthermore, he boldly asserts on p. 72 that individuals cannot follow Jesus if they have any priority higher than the gospel of the liberation of the poor.
Cone’s arguments for Jesus as the liberator of the poor and the call for a much-needed understanding of this is persuasive. I do not agree, however, if his repeated statements that only those who are poor or are oppressed can understand the gospel message. He boldly states that the Jesus’ telling of the rich man to sell his goods was a proof that Jesus only wants people whose priority is the liberation of the poor. He also unfairly refers to the person who wanted to bury his father. Cone conveniently leaves out references to stories where Jesus doesn’t require rulers, such as the Centurion, to leave their life as a ruler. Jesus also tells Nicodemus to be born again but he doesn’t require him to discontinue his role as a Pharisee. Overall, Cone’s argument loses its initial persuasiveness when he doesn’t include any potential counter-examples and responses to those examples. To be fair, he does include some warnings to the oppressed that are susceptible to the same temptations as their oppressors if/when they are liberated from their circumstances. However, this doesn’t answer the in/out argument that he sets up for those who do not consider the liberation of the poor as the highest priority as revealed in Jesus Christ in the Scriptures.
Question(s):
How much does the immediacy of Cone’s context and situation play into his extreme arguments that leave very little room for counter-examples and subsequent discussion? This raises the question of the theologian herself/himself as a criteria for good theology?
Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion (69-81, 94-96)
Calvin transitions from his discussion of the general revelation to the role of Scripture. He frames the discussion by describing the Scriptures as a better help to be added (to general revelation) to direct individuals to the Creator. Calvin equates the Word of God with Holy Scripture and anyone who is outside of Scripture is full of vanity. He states that Scripture has full authority among believers only when individuals believe that they came from heaven and they are the living words of God. More specifically, the highest proof of Scripture derives from the fact that God in person speaks in it and the testimony of the Spirit regarding this is more excellent than all reason. Finally, the believer must avail oneself to Scripture in order to receive from the Spirit of God because the Word and Spirit belong inseparably together.
Calvin’s response to the Church’s emphasis on itself as the authority leads to a view of Scripture that equates it with God. The outcome of Calvin’s move, however, is shows how the assumption of the infallibility of the Bible should be put under the same questioning as the infallibility of the Pope and/or Church. Is the Bible the Word of God or is Jesus the Word of God who is given witness in the Scriptures?
I have always viewed the Bible as the inspired and infallible Word of God without subjecting this assumption to any rational questioning. My fear of having the Bible not hold up in an argument, especially against people who are ‘smarter’ than me, led me to take a classic “retreat to commitment� stance on the Bible as perfect. Calvin states that we should strive onward by a straight path if we seriously aspire to the pure contemplation of God. My response to my past view of Scripture and Calvin’s notion of pure contemplation is that perfect and pure approaches to the Bible and related contemplation are not possible. Instead, the authority of Scripture doesn’t fall in the perfection of every word and letter, but in the way that it continues to be the primary guide to the community of faith. At this point, I do not know how to reconcile the role of the Bible in the community if the community doesn’t view the Bible as authoritative in the sense of being a perfect Word of God. This discussion shows that I have left the safety net of my beliefs to date.
Question(s):
How can a believer in Jesus Christ receive guidance from the Bible if he or she does not view the Bible as infallible in all senses? In other words, how can a community of faith exist if each person or group can pick and choose what is authoritative and what is not based on his or her or its specific question or problem set?
Tillich: Systematic Theology Volume One (34-59)
Tillich provides the building blocks for his method of correlation in this section. I read the section on the method in the first week without the much-needed background information that was provided in this section. The discussion on the sources, mediums, experiences and norms involved in systematic theology framed Tillich’s approach.
I admittedly was ignorant of church history before coming to PTS. In particular, I fell under (and still in some ways) the category of those who believe that everything that is needed for theology and the church community is in the Bible. I didn’t realize how fundamentalist-leaning I was until I came to PTS. My exposure to church history in classes has raised many questions and Tillich provided more to consider in this section. In particular, he proposes the Bible, church history, and the history of religion and culture as sources of theology. He rightly points out that the debate between Protestants and Catholics regarding the authority of each one continues to undermine the importance of considering both.
Tillich’s notion of a norm is portrayed the patterns of the encounter of the church with the biblical message throughout the history of Christianity. The material norm, such as the early church creeds, and the formal norm, such as the early hierarchy of authorities, reveal the demands of the situation. My predisposition to the Bible as the main source of authority is disturbed by this view of the interaction between the church and the Bible as the norm as opposed to the Bible itself. However, Tillich’s examples show the changing demands of the situation by relating them to the updated norms. More specifically, he reveals how each norm places emphases on different parts of Scripture based on the demand of the situation. The one example that struck me was Martin Luther’s desire to reduce the influence of the book of James due to its focus on works.
Tillich states, “the norm decides the canonicity of books� on p. 51. I disagree with this statement because, once again, I see this as placing too much power or authority in the possession of an individual or group who wants to set the agenda. Shouldn’t the canon check the norms that are set by personal agendas? The Luther example proves to me the importance of letting the canon check the norm instead of the other way around. The book of James was selected to be in the canon for specific reasons and one of the reasons, from what I gather, was to keep Christians from moving away from the significance of works in the Christian life and community.
Question(s):
How does Tillich’s notion of the partial openness of the canon as a safeguard of the Spirituality of the Christian church apply to norms that develop far outside of the traditional views of church history and the Biblical interpretation? Should the canon be further divided than it already is based on new norms?
Ruether: “Feminist Interpretation: A Method of Correlation� (111-124)
I agree with Ruether’s assessment that the traditional, patriarchy interpretations in the church have reduced women’s roles. In addition, I agree that the full humanity of women is an issue that has not been addressed through much of the history of Christianity. I continue to disagree with her assumption that the anything that has contributed to the less than full humanity of women in any way needs to be removed and deemed without authority. My question to Ruether is are the issues a result of the text or the interpretations of the texts? In other words, does she really believe that removing certain texts will solve the issue? My issue with her description of authority is that the entire problem does not lie with the texts but also, in my opinion, is related to the sinful responses of humanity, both male and female, to the treatment of women. I see solutions that do not involve the discarding of parts of the Bible simply because they have contributed in some form or fashion to the patriarchy worldview.
Final Thoughts:
The authority of Scripture is called into question by modern theologies when the result is a system that oppresses a group. The reaction, based on what I have read so far, is to both declare that the given authority is not legitimate and to seek ways to change the interpretation and/or the actual text itself. The voices of black theologians, feminist theologians, and others need to be heard but how quick should we be to change almost 2000 years of the history of Christianity? I haven’t seen any concessions by Cone or Ruether that point to any legitimacy to views that oppose their own. Ruether states that the full humanity of women does not mean a less humanity of men but she doesn’t state any potential problems with her theology. I will need to see a concession (or more) by the modern theologians for me to take their arguments more seriously. I want to take into account their worldviews but I need to see that they can step outside of their goals in order for me to incorporate their views into my systematic theology. At the same time, I will continue to listen to the voices of Cone, Gutierrez, and Ruether in order to see how I may be challenged in my theological assumptions.
The Interpretation and Authority of Scripture In the Life and Witness of the Church – 2/11/05
Initial Thoughts:
I have worked with a definition of the authority of Scripture until recently. My definition of Biblical authority over the years has been the Bible is the irreplaceable Word of God that provides the first and final truth on every aspect of life and faith, both to the individual as well as to the world. This word has always been rooted in a belief that fallible human beings wrote the Bible but the output was a single, inerrant word that accounts for the entire history of humanity from creation to consummation. I viewed all questioning of the Bible’s origination and content as a direct attack on God himself and an automatic sign that the individual or group was looking to find away to justify his or her behavior that fell outside the realm of the Bible’s authority. In summary, the Bible had one meaning, as located in the original meaning of the author, for all people of all time and that meaning needed to be received from God and applied to the lives of sinful humans.
I started to question this view of authority when an extreme dispensationalist friend challenged me to take the Bible more literally. The authority of Scripture for him was based on not only the precise, divinely orchestrated wording of the Bible but also on the literal meanings found in prophetic writings. In short, he tried to intimidate me and I was confused from the experience.
I have been wrestling with the notion of the authority and interpretation of Scripture since that encounter. I have witnessed both the danger in using the Bible literally to respond to a personal question (i.e. why do people still sin after salvation?) as well as individuals justifying behavior by discounting the authority of Scripture. I have also noted the role of context in how individuals formulate theologies and worldviews. My main question going into the reading for this week is can the Bible bear witness to Jesus Christ and, subsequently, guide and form the community of believers without being viewed as a perfectly written, historically accurate word from God? In other words, how can a non-fundamentalist view of the Bible have any authority in the lives of sinful individuals and groups who want to justify their own agendas?
Cone: God of the Oppressed (57-98)
Cone continues to raise new insights into the interpretation of Scripture in light of real cultural issues. He provides a description of his view of the authority of Scripture in relation to checking ideologies on p. 93 when he states “Checks against ideological language in theology are not derived abstractly from the Word of God because God’s Word is not an abstract object, but is the liberating Subject in the lives of the oppressed struggling for freedom.� He repeatedly asserts that the only valid exegesis of the Scriptures is when Jesus Christ is viewed as the Liberator, the helper, and the healer of the wounded. Furthermore, he boldly asserts on p. 72 that individuals cannot follow Jesus if they have any priority higher than the gospel of the liberation of the poor.
Cone’s arguments for Jesus as the liberator of the poor and the call for a much-needed understanding of this is persuasive. I do not agree, however, if his repeated statements that only those who are poor or are oppressed can understand the gospel message. He boldly states that the Jesus’ telling of the rich man to sell his goods was a proof that Jesus only wants people whose priority is the liberation of the poor. He also unfairly refers to the person who wanted to bury his father. Cone conveniently leaves out references to stories where Jesus doesn’t require rulers, such as the Centurion, to leave their life as a ruler. Jesus also tells Nicodemus to be born again but he doesn’t require him to discontinue his role as a Pharisee. Overall, Cone’s argument loses its initial persuasiveness when he doesn’t include any potential counter-examples and responses to those examples. To be fair, he does include some warnings to the oppressed that are susceptible to the same temptations as their oppressors if/when they are liberated from their circumstances. However, this doesn’t answer the in/out argument that he sets up for those who do not consider the liberation of the poor as the highest priority as revealed in Jesus Christ in the Scriptures.
Question(s):
How much does the immediacy of Cone’s context and situation play into his extreme arguments that leave very little room for counter-examples and subsequent discussion? This raises the question of the theologian herself/himself as a criteria for good theology?
Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion (69-81, 94-96)
Calvin transitions from his discussion of the general revelation to the role of Scripture. He frames the discussion by describing the Scriptures as a better help to be added (to general revelation) to direct individuals to the Creator. Calvin equates the Word of God with Holy Scripture and anyone who is outside of Scripture is full of vanity. He states that Scripture has full authority among believers only when individuals believe that they came from heaven and they are the living words of God. More specifically, the highest proof of Scripture derives from the fact that God in person speaks in it and the testimony of the Spirit regarding this is more excellent than all reason. Finally, the believer must avail oneself to Scripture in order to receive from the Spirit of God because the Word and Spirit belong inseparably together.
Calvin’s response to the Church’s emphasis on itself as the authority leads to a view of Scripture that equates it with God. The outcome of Calvin’s move, however, is shows how the assumption of the infallibility of the Bible should be put under the same questioning as the infallibility of the Pope and/or Church. Is the Bible the Word of God or is Jesus the Word of God who is given witness in the Scriptures?
I have always viewed the Bible as the inspired and infallible Word of God without subjecting this assumption to any rational questioning. My fear of having the Bible not hold up in an argument, especially against people who are ‘smarter’ than me, led me to take a classic “retreat to commitment� stance on the Bible as perfect. Calvin states that we should strive onward by a straight path if we seriously aspire to the pure contemplation of God. My response to my past view of Scripture and Calvin’s notion of pure contemplation is that perfect and pure approaches to the Bible and related contemplation are not possible. Instead, the authority of Scripture doesn’t fall in the perfection of every word and letter, but in the way that it continues to be the primary guide to the community of faith. At this point, I do not know how to reconcile the role of the Bible in the community if the community doesn’t view the Bible as authoritative in the sense of being a perfect Word of God. This discussion shows that I have left the safety net of my beliefs to date.
Question(s):
How can a believer in Jesus Christ receive guidance from the Bible if he or she does not view the Bible as infallible in all senses? In other words, how can a community of faith exist if each person or group can pick and choose what is authoritative and what is not based on his or her or its specific question or problem set?
Tillich: Systematic Theology Volume One (34-59)
Tillich provides the building blocks for his method of correlation in this section. I read the section on the method in the first week without the much-needed background information that was provided in this section. The discussion on the sources, mediums, experiences and norms involved in systematic theology framed Tillich’s approach.
I admittedly was ignorant of church history before coming to PTS. In particular, I fell under (and still in some ways) the category of those who believe that everything that is needed for theology and the church community is in the Bible. I didn’t realize how fundamentalist-leaning I was until I came to PTS. My exposure to church history in classes has raised many questions and Tillich provided more to consider in this section. In particular, he proposes the Bible, church history, and the history of religion and culture as sources of theology. He rightly points out that the debate between Protestants and Catholics regarding the authority of each one continues to undermine the importance of considering both.
Tillich’s notion of a norm is portrayed the patterns of the encounter of the church with the biblical message throughout the history of Christianity. The material norm, such as the early church creeds, and the formal norm, such as the early hierarchy of authorities, reveal the demands of the situation. My predisposition to the Bible as the main source of authority is disturbed by this view of the interaction between the church and the Bible as the norm as opposed to the Bible itself. However, Tillich’s examples show the changing demands of the situation by relating them to the updated norms. More specifically, he reveals how each norm places emphases on different parts of Scripture based on the demand of the situation. The one example that struck me was Martin Luther’s desire to reduce the influence of the book of James due to its focus on works.
Tillich states, “the norm decides the canonicity of books� on p. 51. I disagree with this statement because, once again, I see this as placing too much power or authority in the possession of an individual or group who wants to set the agenda. Shouldn’t the canon check the norms that are set by personal agendas? The Luther example proves to me the importance of letting the canon check the norm instead of the other way around. The book of James was selected to be in the canon for specific reasons and one of the reasons, from what I gather, was to keep Christians from moving away from the significance of works in the Christian life and community.
Question(s):
How does Tillich’s notion of the partial openness of the canon as a safeguard of the Spirituality of the Christian church apply to norms that develop far outside of the traditional views of church history and the Biblical interpretation? Should the canon be further divided than it already is based on new norms?
Ruether: “Feminist Interpretation: A Method of Correlation� (111-124)
I agree with Ruether’s assessment that the traditional, patriarchy interpretations in the church have reduced women’s roles. In addition, I agree that the full humanity of women is an issue that has not been addressed through much of the history of Christianity. I continue to disagree with her assumption that the anything that has contributed to the less than full humanity of women in any way needs to be removed and deemed without authority. My question to Ruether is are the issues a result of the text or the interpretations of the texts? In other words, does she really believe that removing certain texts will solve the issue? My issue with her description of authority is that the entire problem does not lie with the texts but also, in my opinion, is related to the sinful responses of humanity, both male and female, to the treatment of women. I see solutions that do not involve the discarding of parts of the Bible simply because they have contributed in some form or fashion to the patriarchy worldview.
Final Thoughts:
The authority of Scripture is called into question by modern theologies when the result is a system that oppresses a group. The reaction, based on what I have read so far, is to both declare that the given authority is not legitimate and to seek ways to change the interpretation and/or the actual text itself. The voices of black theologians, feminist theologians, and others need to be heard but how quick should we be to change almost 2000 years of the history of Christianity? I haven’t seen any concessions by Cone or Ruether that point to any legitimacy to views that oppose their own. Ruether states that the full humanity of women does not mean a less humanity of men but she doesn’t state any potential problems with her theology. I will need to see a concession (or more) by the modern theologians for me to take their arguments more seriously. I want to take into account their worldviews but I need to see that they can step outside of their goals in order for me to incorporate their views into my systematic theology. At the same time, I will continue to listen to the voices of Cone, Gutierrez, and Ruether in order to see how I may be challenged in my theological assumptions.
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