Beginning with the latest issue (October/November 2006) of ONEvoice! magazine I am a regular columnist. This is a big leap for me, and I'm sure that it will take a few articles before I get into the "groove" of this type of writing. I certainly do not want to presume that my column will exude any great profundities, nevertheless I want to provide an opportunity for feedback and discussion on what I write for our North American publication. I want to encourage a conversation.
In my first article, "Seeing the Story", I make the case for a more deliberate reading of Scripture from the perspective of the larger, over-arching Story that provides context for the many smaller fragments. We tend to read the Bible in small bites and chunks, and often fail to see the bigger picture of God's work and plan throughout.
My concern for writing this is that I observe many Christians who have little or no awareness of the grand narrative in which Scripture was written and of which we continue to be part. Much of this is a result of our modern epistemology:
Adopting the scientific worldview around us, we have tended to pull out our microscopes to analyze the Bible as an abstract object, all the while failing to see the larger, living drama of God's interaction with his people. We have systematized our beliefs into doctrines and theologies, but when we fail to understand these within the larger Story, our teachings can become sterile and inert. (EXTRAvoice! page 2)
I also tried to provide some initial ideas as to how we can reverse this trend. Admittedly, however, this is difficult. It's one thing to acknowledge the larger picture of salvation history, but quite another to shape our individual and corporate lives around it. Nevertheless, I believe that we must pay greater attention to this emphasis. At a theological level it likely means seeing ourselves as people of the Story. On a practical level it will require a shift in how we do Bible study, corporate worship, and preaching.
I would be interested to hear your reflections on this topic, and to learn how you are working to make this happen in your life and congregation.
1 comment:
Thanks Marlene for your comments and sharing your own experiences.
I agree that the church calendar / lectionary can be helpful tools for congregations, but that we must never be bound by it. Openness and flexibility within a larger framework are essential if we are responsive to God's Spirit and to our people.
So, how do we get our people to discover this on their own? That's an important question, as we cannot assume that one hour on Sunday is enough to accomplish this. In the last couple years at the church I am currently at we encouraged personal Scripture readings based on the lectionary (although we didn't call it that) to get a better grasp on the life and teachings of Jesus, because this is the basis of our faith and of what it means to be a disciple. To complement this our cell groups based their discussions on these same passages. This was positively received and, I believe, had significant impact.
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