In
the last post I wrote about my appreciation for
forms of worship rooted in practices that hark back nearly two
millennia, to the formative centuries of the Christian community.
While I experience the possibility of deep meaning in this tradition,
I am at the same time a person of the present day who demands a faith
that also makes sense within the context of the twenty-first century.
Thus the acknowledgment echoed in the title, that in terms of
spirituality I may be considered a rather strange mix.
The
German monk Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) was, as you probably know,
one of the early leaders in what came to be called the Protestant
Reformation. While perhaps best remembered for his re-definition of
“salvation,” he also proposed, a new principle for interpreting
the Bible. The approach he championed was based on the view that the
true meaning of the Bible's words are to be found in their “literal
sense.”1
This understanding, which was more fully developed in the years
following the Reformation period, was broadened to associate the
biblical words with the very words of God.2
In my family and in the faith communities I grew up in, this was the
understanding I was taught and, in my experience, it is the
understanding of many if not most Christians (at least in the United
States) today.3
I
have often commented, tongue in cheek, that out-growing a
fundamentalist upbringing requires years of attending a
“fundamentalists anonymous” program. And it has in fact been a
gradual process, but through the years I have come to the place where
I can no longer affirm the so-called “literal” understanding of
the Bible. Now, for many Christians, such a statement is anathema.
However there are too many things in the Bible that I simply cannot
believe literally.
That
does not mean however that I do not take the Bible seriously.
Besides being made up of many different books written by different
authors and reflecting numerous time periods and historical/cultural
settings, the Judeo-Christian Scriptures are composed of a variety of
different types of literature as well. There are origin stories,
nationalistic propaganda, liturgy, poetry, sermons, and apocalyptic,
to name a few. Now, we all know that poetry has layers of meaning
deeper than what a simple literal reading might suggest. Sermons and
nationalistic language may use hyperbole (not literally true or
accurate) to get a point across. Stories can teach important lessons
and in this sense communicate truth without necessarily being
literally factual or historical. And apocalyptic is characterized by
hallucinatory or dream qualities with its fantastic visions. So to
take a literal approach to everything in the Bible is actually to
mis-read
and thus to mis-understand
what is intended.
It
seems to me then – and it has been experientially the case for me
in my own spiritual journey – that not being tied to a literalistic
interpretation not only leads to a clearer understanding of what the
biblical authors desired to communicate but it actually opens up the
possibility of discovering deeper meaning in the Biblical narrative.
This approach has helped lead me to the understanding that faith is
not only about a journey
inward
but also and equally a call to the journey
outward.
1 Theologian
and biblical scholar Hans Frei, quoted in David E. Klemm.
Hermeneutical Inquiry, Volume I: The Interpretation of Texts.
p. 11.
2 J.
I. Packer. “Fundamentalism” and the Word of God.
pp. 77-101.
3
I
heard a Rabbi speak recently who suggested that most Jews grow up
with a literalistic approach to the Jewish Scriptures as well.
Great post, Dave! I think you will agree, the Bible is too serious a book to be taken literally. Blessings, Dan Plasman
ReplyDeleteThanks Dan. Absolutely!!
DeleteDitto Dave's reply.
DeleteBoth segments of this piece are very thoughtfully written, David - I appreciate your nuances observations and explanation of the origin of the Bible.
ReplyDeleteIt is humbling to hear another's faith story; it breaks down my generalizations and breaks through my spiritual-centricity. Thanks for broadening my perspective!
Thank you Donna. Of course, part of the richness of this process is the creation of a community of folks sharing their thoughts and perspectives. Thank you for your comments and for your own blog "Sharing Simple Steps" (at http://takingsimplesteps.wordpress.com/).
ReplyDeleteDave, the third and fourth paragraphs are eloquent ! They express my view, too. Problem (?) is, I find the literal approach in even the liberal churches I've attended. One result is that I'm church-less at the moment. Not that I think I can "commune with God, on my own," but haven't yet found a group of like-minded people who want to investigate non-traditional interpretations and viewpoints.
ReplyDeleteThank you "Dude" for your comment! I too haven't found a church that is fully honest and open about this understanding of the scriptures which has been a part of serious biblical scholarship and taught in seminaries for the past one hundred years+. Part of my own inward journey is found in the ancient liturgies, still celebrated in the more catholic traditions, but I have to look past or re-interpret for myself much of what is preached and what comes down from the church hierarchies. So writing this blog is part of my attempt to express my own faith with integrity and to find and develop a community of people who can be in dialogue and share in a commitment to living out a radical faith.
ReplyDelete