The biblical book of Genesis has become a battleground, specifically the first chapter. Duking it out are Young Earth Creationists (Literal interpretation, 6 days of Creation, 24 hours/day, ~6000 year old universe), Old Earth Creationists/Theistic Evolutionists (1 Day=Eons, simple to complex, 14 Billion year old universe), and Atheists/Agnostics (Genesis is all bullshit). There might be others, but I think those are the top three.
All of them work on one basic assumption-- The Genesis 1 account is about material origins.
Question: What if the Genesis 1 account is not about material origins?
I think that question is worth exploring. It might produce a gold mine of insights. Or it might lead to more questions. But first let me pose a couple of questions that might move the discussion along a bit.
Q1) How would our reading of Genesis 1 change if we defined the words "create" and "make" as bringing order out of chaos?
Q2) How would that interpretation of Genesis 1 fit within the overall narrative of Scripture?
Here's my two cents.
If I understand things correctly the order/chaos dichotomy was a powerful dynamic in Ancient Near Eastern religion. Ancient temples gave concrete pictorial representation to this dynamic. Temples represented order, where the god(s) came to rest; the outside world represented chaos. The function of temple priesthoods was to take the order of the temple and bring it to the outside world.
In Genesis 1, the material universe is the temple after God brings it to order and rests within it. Something must represent God upon the earth as priest of this temple and to bring order to the chaotic world. People loved stone buildings in which to carry out this duty. God didn't seem to be all that crazy about stone buildings. God fills heaven and earth. God does not live in houses made by human hands. Perhaps God's temple representation on earth was the people themselves! A kingdom of priests and a holy nation (ala Genesis 19). It was unprecedented thinking. Genesis 1 is truly unique in that aspect.
As Christians we understand that Jesus is portrayed by the New Testament as God's temple. Flesh and blood, bone and sinew, order to chaos. Death to life! Those who are in Christ are living stones, members of Christ's body. We are living embodiments, along with Jesus, of the order that God gives to creation.
That's my thinking in a nutshell. What are some of your thoughts?
Friday, March 28, 2014
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Biblicism
Don't quote Bible verses to me. I'm not impressed. You might look and sound like a scholar to other people. They'll think you're something else, reciting the Word of God and making a point that might or might not have something to do with the story the verses comes from. Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyers get away with it every week, and they draw crowds! Isn't that special?
Not to me. I stop listening. If I don't I'll go into conniptions. I refuse to be a victim of Biblicism-- that inane and careless yanking of Bible verses from their contexts and from the larger story of the Bible, all wrapped up in a smile and cutesy pious platitudes designed to take the rough edges off of life.
Biblicism is the Bible reduced to life coaching. This is what the ravages of fundamentalism and evangelicalism has done. It has created a whole nation of shallow, unenlightened, and Biblically illiterate people.
To be honest, I couldn't care less. I'm not trying to stop it. I just don't want to be part of it.
Not to me. I stop listening. If I don't I'll go into conniptions. I refuse to be a victim of Biblicism-- that inane and careless yanking of Bible verses from their contexts and from the larger story of the Bible, all wrapped up in a smile and cutesy pious platitudes designed to take the rough edges off of life.
Biblicism is the Bible reduced to life coaching. This is what the ravages of fundamentalism and evangelicalism has done. It has created a whole nation of shallow, unenlightened, and Biblically illiterate people.
To be honest, I couldn't care less. I'm not trying to stop it. I just don't want to be part of it.
First Post
I know first posts aren't very exciting, so bear with me.
I am primarily a thinker. It doesn't mean I'm smart. In fact, some of you might think I'm dumber than a doornail after reading what I post. But I have many thoughts go through my head, especially in the area of Theology. This blog will reflect that.
Over the past few years I've been thinking and rethinking matters of faith and life, and I find many current theological battles to be stifling and unthoughtful. I read blog posts from many Christians that, frankly, almost make me lose my lunch, especially from those who seem to think that the Christian Church can only exist in a Christianized or revivalist culture. This kind of thinking comes from both the right and left wings of Christianity.
I want to chart a course through the murkiness of this theological wasteland to hopefully discover a way of being Christian that is fresh and mindfully renewing. I will be very critical of the state of fundamentalist and liberal Christian theologies that seem to get most of the attention from popular media. It appears that most people love a good fight and want to step into the fray to fight and overpower the opposite side. If you are one of such people, you will not like this blog. But I would invite you to step back from staring at your own feet and take a look at the wider landscape and see the mess you are creating. I hope that a desire will be created within you to seek higher vistas where the vision is clearer.
Too many bloggers in the world of Theology, like their secular counterparts, participate in game which I can only describe by the word "Gotcha!". They pride themselves in exposing the antics and doings of enemies, real or perceived, thinking that will somehow vindicate (or at least bolster) their own position. Just because you can poke holes doesn't mean that you are watertight.
Welcome to my blog!
I am primarily a thinker. It doesn't mean I'm smart. In fact, some of you might think I'm dumber than a doornail after reading what I post. But I have many thoughts go through my head, especially in the area of Theology. This blog will reflect that.
Over the past few years I've been thinking and rethinking matters of faith and life, and I find many current theological battles to be stifling and unthoughtful. I read blog posts from many Christians that, frankly, almost make me lose my lunch, especially from those who seem to think that the Christian Church can only exist in a Christianized or revivalist culture. This kind of thinking comes from both the right and left wings of Christianity.
I want to chart a course through the murkiness of this theological wasteland to hopefully discover a way of being Christian that is fresh and mindfully renewing. I will be very critical of the state of fundamentalist and liberal Christian theologies that seem to get most of the attention from popular media. It appears that most people love a good fight and want to step into the fray to fight and overpower the opposite side. If you are one of such people, you will not like this blog. But I would invite you to step back from staring at your own feet and take a look at the wider landscape and see the mess you are creating. I hope that a desire will be created within you to seek higher vistas where the vision is clearer.
Too many bloggers in the world of Theology, like their secular counterparts, participate in game which I can only describe by the word "Gotcha!". They pride themselves in exposing the antics and doings of enemies, real or perceived, thinking that will somehow vindicate (or at least bolster) their own position. Just because you can poke holes doesn't mean that you are watertight.
Welcome to my blog!
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