Wednesday, March 28, 2007

What does the Bible really say?

Okay, so here's this awful idea (I already know it's awful). I was just thinking about why I think the way I do which we all know is intricately tied to worldview, culture, and paradigms whatever but how do we break free from that and is there anyway to read scripture from any lenses from our own current ones? I know about exegesis and historians trying to reimagine the first century worldview and all. But what about if I don't think that's enough. What if I am so entwined with this US post-modern or post-christian, position of privilege, and other labels that I know I'm not able to see the Bible completely bias-free. What I really want to do is somehow ignore all I have been indoctrinated by through Sunday school and other formats and just feast on Scripture to see what emerges. I want to read the Bible like a book from the library that I pick up on a whim without any expectations. But that's not going to happen. But actually, I'm going through a bit of a detox from all previous experiences with church and that has been very rewarding. I've asked some questions about what should church be and that has now naturally lead to asking stuff about theology. I want to start fresh with scripture. I want to sit in a cell in an ancient monetary for a few months with a bible and an hour a day to talk and discuss what God is revealing. But instead I'm in classes about culture with the expectation that we already know what God's message is and just need to be equipped in communicating.

1 comment:

Mike Clawson said...

I don't think you can ever get rid of your lenses entirely. But sometimes you can trade them out for a different set. There is no such thing as an unbiased interpretation, but you can switch biases.