My professors have been getting on my case. Even the professors I like. My favorite professor is (upset isn't the word) displeased with my current stance on scripture. He wants to know where my anchor is if it isn't in scripture. Well, my anchor is in Jesus. He counters well. "Jesus said to live a holy life. What's holy to me might be different than what's holy to you. I look to the Holy Bible to see what God's standard of holiness is." It was a great rebuttall. All I had was a squiggling run around about my acceptance of all of the Old Testament (Jesus acknowledges it as scripture) and Mark and Luke (Matthew is Midrash and less reliable - though I'm keeping the sermon on the mount - and John differs too wildly from the synoptics with no confirmation of any apostle as to it being the word of God- but I sure do like a lot of the verses.) I lost the argument.
But, it wasn't an argument. I knew that at the end of the fight Dr. Smith would still know I was a Christian and I would still respect him. I don't think it's right to put scripture on such a high level that it competes for the fourth spot of the trinity. I understand that it is all we have that points us to who God really is, but I can't defend it's quadratarian status.
I believe in a God so powerful that He doesn't need a book, but so in tune with his creation that he gave us one because of our needs.
Well, we've twisted that Bible so much that I don't know if I can take any of it as "gospel truth" anymore. We have (and still are) defended our hate with it. Even after a person has read the whole Bible it's still possible for him or her to take a few favorite verses and shape a whole theology around it. I once, on a dare, defended abortion using scripture.
But, it doesn't affect my life. I believe that Jesus hung out with the poor (all 4 gospels account for this) but, I don't do it myself. I myself am an either-or kind of guy. Either you stick to all scripture (women can't wear jewelry or braided hair, etc.) or you leave a little wiggle room. I'm still in flux on this issue - and I'm okay with that.
But, it wasn't an argument. I knew that at the end of the fight Dr. Smith would still know I was a Christian and I would still respect him. I don't think it's right to put scripture on such a high level that it competes for the fourth spot of the trinity. I understand that it is all we have that points us to who God really is, but I can't defend it's quadratarian status.
I believe in a God so powerful that He doesn't need a book, but so in tune with his creation that he gave us one because of our needs.
Well, we've twisted that Bible so much that I don't know if I can take any of it as "gospel truth" anymore. We have (and still are) defended our hate with it. Even after a person has read the whole Bible it's still possible for him or her to take a few favorite verses and shape a whole theology around it. I once, on a dare, defended abortion using scripture.
But, it doesn't affect my life. I believe that Jesus hung out with the poor (all 4 gospels account for this) but, I don't do it myself. I myself am an either-or kind of guy. Either you stick to all scripture (women can't wear jewelry or braided hair, etc.) or you leave a little wiggle room. I'm still in flux on this issue - and I'm okay with that.
posted by Michael Airgood at 10:33 PM
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