What if...?

Today's question is: If the story of Adam and Eve is not “true” (factual), what happens to the truth of the Bible and Christianity as a whole? Two key questions: Why did Israel tell these stories? And why did they tell them this way?

Asking what happens to the rest of the Bible's validity if the Adam and Eve story isn't true presupposes that we believe the whole Bible to be factual. If this is our starting place, asking such a question is like pulling a brick out of the foundation of a building. The whole house will collapse because the foundation has been compromised. However, if we begin with a different understanding, then we avoid the whole house crumbling down around us.



Some portions of the Bible were meant to be matters of historical record, others were not. Others, like the Adam and Eve story were always intended to be mythic tales. Other portions of the Bible were meant to be poetry, others oracles, and others were letters written to specific communities.

The key questions, above, are important ones to ask. Why would the Israelites tell this story and why would they tell it in this way. Since we know that the story was told during exile, we might imagine that the Israelites needed to remind themselves that they were deeply, intimately connected to God.

Why do you think they told these stories in this way?

Challenges in Reading the Bible again for the First Time

Today's question is: What in this first section of the book has challenged you the most? What questions or concerns has it raised for you?

I disagree with Borg about the Bible being an entirely human product. That's what Borg says and I don't agree. I do think it's possible for parts of the Bible to be inspired. However, I am not clear on which parts are and which parts aren't. I am ok with this ambiguity and know that others are not. That part of the book was a big challenge to me.

What about you. What has challenged you so far in Borg's book?

Taking the Red Pill

Today's question is this: Borg concludes with three metaphors for seeing the bible (Finger Pointing the Moon, Lens, Sacrament). What metaphor would you use to describe the Bible? Complete the sentence: To me, the Bible is like...

To me, reading the Bible is like taking the red pill in "The Matrix". Now, if you haven't seen this movie, stick with me...and if you have, hear me out - the metaphor works, I promise.

In the movie "The Matrix", taking the red pill frees a person from the Matrix, a computer-generated world within which people, unknowingly, live their entire lives. If you take a red pill, you'll be awakened from the Matrix to the truth of reality. If you take the blue pill, you'll still be connected to the Matrix and remain blissfully ignorant in the midst of the grand illusion.

Reading the Bible, for me, is like taking the red pill: it enables us to see the world form God's point of view -- from the viewpoint of God's greater justice and mercy. We get to see the world from Jesus' point of view -- from the viewpoint of one who insisted upon loving our neighbors and our enemies. Most importantly, instead of seeing the world from the viewpoint of consumerism, which has become the overriding qualifier of what it means to be American in 21st century life, we see the world from the viewpoint of God's preferential love for the poor. If God cares for the poor, then we, as lovers of God, must figure out how we will care for the poor of the world. When we figure out that this is one of the biggest responsibilities of the faithful, the whole world changes.

So, which pill will you be swallowing?

What's Holy?

Today's question is: What does it mean for you to call the Bible “holy?”

Just about every Bible I've ever seen has the word "Holy" inserted in front of the word Bible on the front cover. Is it holy because God made it so? Because it says so on the cover? Or is the Bible holy because we make it holy?

I opt for #3.

Take anything that is considered holy - it is only considered so because we make it so. When we pour out the waters of baptism (which is just tap water by the way) we ask God to bless the water and to help us receive God's inward and invisible grace through this outward and visible sign.

It's the same with scripture. When we come to the text, we should be asking the Spirit to move through us and for God to open us the Word for us. When we experience God's grace in the text, I think that's the moment when it becomes holy.