Biblical Inspiration
“I have grown to appreciate that I am part of an ancient and diverse Biblical tradition that must handle the scriptures humbly and with the respect they deserve. Interpretation of scripture is a sacred obligation that we are all called to participate in, just like our Jewish and early church fathers did before us. They may have gotten it wrong every now and again – and we will too – but with each new day, let us strive to build on this beautiful divine mystery that is sometimes messy but still a living, breathing, generative tradition.”
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A brilliant article, thank you. I completely agree with you about the risk of trapping God in the pages of selectivity-interpreted and over-interpreted texts. I really like Rob Bell's 'What is the Bible?' as a lens on this...I also like Rob's analogy of faith as a trampoline (still operational even as springs are removed/changed), not a brick wall (vulnerable to collapse if key bricks are removed). I really relate to your description of a 'messy, but still living, breathing' relationship with the divine. I think this is a great article for all who have deconstructed…and are looking for ways to articulate and reconstruct new, liberated relationships with God.
-Matt
Thank’s Matt.
Yes! I agree with Bell’s trampoline analogy too. Having a rigid and fixed belief system that isn’t set up to handle the nuance of lived experience will just end up breaking. Jesus understands this and taught it in the parable of the wineskins. Luke 5v36-39 Sooner or later cracks appear and if we don’t change the way we see all could be lost, wine and skins alike. Those who deconstruct need not fear, they just need new wineskins! Sadly the community's most common answer to this “wine” problem is that “the old is better” and we are left to walk this wilderness alone.
-Anthony
Just found your site and read the recent article by Anthony Green on Inspiration.
I wanted to get in touch to thank him (and the team) for it. I have been on the same journey and enjoyed reading a comprehensive, humble, and articulate description of what it involves. I know many have taken a similar path but turned away from Christadelphia because of the way inspiration was misunderstood as an “all or nothing” issue.
While there are some beliefs that we grow away from, it’s important to recognise they were part of both our individual and community history. I appreciate the way the article respects this without demonising sincerely held, if mistaken, beliefs.
-Nathan
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate feedback from others who have gone through the same journey because, as you well know, this can be a very lonely process. So often the early stages feel like grief and anger and I suspect coupled with the rather stoic and disapproving push-back people may receive, leaving the community seems like the only reasonable choice. It would be great to see this change. Having open discussions like this may offer a lifeline to those who feel they're caught in a season of liminality. I totally agree with you regarding our individual and community history too. I find it helpful to think of the metaphor of a tree, which includes and transcends as it grows.
-Anthony
