...quite apart from the question of theological faith, modern (man) may find himself wondering, in all honesty, whether the Bible is even readable. So much of it is archaic. So much is seemingly exotic, utterly alien to life as we know it now. True, our own civilization is still full of resonances from Judeo-Christian culture, therefore from the Bible. True, that in "searching the Scriptures" we may find, if not Christ as a living reality , at least some echoes of familiar ideas. But should we read the Bible merely for the comfort of discovering the source of a few religious cliches?
I must admit that there are far too many people - even preachers - who simply look to scripture for religious cliches. Something that can be thrown out as though the phrases or sentences quoted are meant to solve the problem of the day simply by saying it...or saying it enough. Reading the Bible looking for just such a catalog of quotes is abusive to the book and to the people at whom people will throw those quotes. We have all been witnesses to proof-text fights that seem to only leave the Bible weaker than either of the sides trying to prove their point or trying to defend themselves. The Bible brings us so much more than a good quote now and then. It brings us a life. When Merton says that the life the Bible brings is alien to life as we know it. He is not using that word to describe a people who deliberately live contrary to the powers and values of a self-consuming world. Jesus for example lived in the world context of his day but in many ways he lived as an alien...as someone participating in the life around him but making choices and acting quite differently than the prevailing winds of the day. Merton is using the word alien as in strange or out of touch with the life around us. Unfortunately, if we are not able to be critical thinkers when we approach the Bible often we will be left with the decision that none of it makes sense, or we will attempt to bring the life of the Bible into the life of today. That is a tragic task.
Connection: Don't be afraid to read the Bible and to read it as 21st century people. This will not mean that we have to throw out most stories. Rather, it means we have to translate them so that we will expose ourselves to the breath of the Spirit that grabs hold of our stories through the telling of old, old stories.
Be our guide, O God, as we attempt to pull from the Bible the life that is promised so that this life will be opened up before as we step into your future. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment