| I'm switching the resource book again. Today we will be diving into "An Unsettling God" - The Heart of the Hebrew Bible, by Walter Brueggemann. The word God is of course generic so that it can be (and has been) construed in any number of directions. In one direction, that of popularity, "God" can be rendered as a vague force or impulse that tilts toward goodness. This direction is as ancient as Gnosticism and , in contemporary thought, can readily drift toward New Age religion. In the opposite direction, that of much classical Christian theology (of a scholastic bent or of a popular understanding of classical theology), "God" can be understood in terms of quite settled categories that are, for the most part, inimical to the biblical tradition. The casting of the classical tradition in a more scholastic category is primarily informed by the Unmoved Mover of Hellenistic through and affirms, as the catechisms reflect, a God who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, a Being completely apart from and unaffected by the reality of the world. There clearly are a variety of other options for the articulation of "God" on a spectrum that runs from New Age vagueness to classic settledness. This is a groundwork piece as we move into this look at God. One thing it does do for me is remind me again about how we use the notion of "God." We seem to live in a "God" crazy world. Everyone wants to have "God" plastered here and there. Even in conversations, it is as though if a person throws in the word "God" others may think more highly of their view (or - maybe less). I always want people to explain what "God" they are so eager for all of us to embrace. What "God" wants us to put on our money that we trust God - or that we are a people who want to put into our pledge to a power of the world that we are under "God." What is that "God" we are under? Yes, there is a degree of 'goodness' that is associated with any of the uses of "God," but good for what? Sunday we sang "immortal, invincible, God only wise...." But even that God eventually become defined for us (in our tradition) within the context of Jesus. This same God is one that is also defined within the storytelling of Israel. We will be looking at this God who defined in our Scriptures - a dialogical God. So, don't be afraid to hear about how God changes along with the people as time move on. Connection: So, listen for the way this word is used. How it is 'hung out there' and who is doing the hanging and what are the expectations around the "God" use. O God, who was and is and is to be, continue to talk and help us talk back and to listen and to wrestle with your unfolding nature. Amen. |
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