Yr. D theme: Living into the Journey with God Class: Marilyn, Nuno, first year; Pete, second year; Christine, third year; Mariel, Gene, fourth year; Scott and Susan, co - mentors. Absent: None.
The postings in the "Comments" section below covered the readings very well, but Nuno's comment that he was interested to read Deuteronomy through the "lens of centralizing authority" set a theme for the rest of our reading discussion. He found Deuteronomy to be a kind of Utopian vision, a community "without blemish." Marilyn liked the thought that Deuteronomy's "reinterpretation" of the Law and Moses was another step in a "journey" for God's people, a theme that also came up later in our TR and Marilyn's collect. Mariel and Peter enlarged on Mariel's comment that, in interpreting scripture, we are "wrestling with the past, chale=lenged by our own assumptions, being alert to deeper resonances." Pete was struck by the way Mark emphasizes the down-to-earth humanity of Jesus and the foolishness of the disciples. From reading about the birth of Islam, Christine made clear that Mohammed was reinterpreting Hebrew and Christian scripture to the problems of the chaotic society on the Arabian peninsula ca. 600 CE.
Scott, from reading comments that the textbooks devote a lot of print debating authorship, asked how important the question of authorship is to our understanding of scripture? Gene told about analysis of the Book of Mormon that undercut claims that Joseph Smith relayed text of ancient authorship. Nuno feels that the witness to Christ gives authority to the gospels, whoever the author may have been. Pete agreed, and opined that who wrote a text is less important than how the intended audience was supposed to take it.
The more we explored that image, the more we saw that a "journey without maps" seems to be preferred in Scripture. Abraham leaves his ancestral home with no plan, just a promise; Hebrews wander 40 years; Jesus tells his disciples to take nothing with them, to be wise as serpents, innocent as doves; Paul's missions seem largely improvised. Of course, our culture offers the example to "Follow the yellow brick road," and lots of road movies. Nuno remembered encounters with homeless men who enjoyed the "hobo lifestyle" with its sense of adventure and trust in others.
We explored the categories of creation, sin, judgement, and redemption:
- What is life like there? Adventure… precarious… challenging… disconnected from home… new…
- What is a distortion of goodness there? Paralysis by doubt… fearful to go… directions unclear or wrong…
- What crisis could cause people there to see the distortion? Getting lost – not finding the landmark, not finding the people, sundown/darkness no place to go,
- How could there be reorientation towards wholeness, and bring the world closer to fulfillment of that wholeness? Ask for help… take a moment to just enjoy the view: the good stuff comes when you reorient yourself, when you see the good…
During the days that followed our meeting, Marilyn enjoyed the challenge of wrapping up our feelings and insights in a collect. The theme of "light in darkness" is so appropriate to this season of Advent! Here it is:
Collect for those who Travel without Maps Oh Glorious God, our Heavenly Father, your Word is a beacon to orient our feet, a bright light unto our path. In a most wonderful way it reveals our deep need for Your Unfailing Love, and at the most unexpectedly perfect moments, we are humbled by Your Gracious Guidance. May we walk daily with The Living Word, conducting our lives in faith and with gratitude, so that we may illumine the path for others. May the glow of Immortal Hope light up, not only our personal paths, but also our faces, to encourage others and to show that the Light of the World dwells within us. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
6 comments:
In Chapter 8, Ford launches into Part I of how to become a theologian, beginning with exploring and understanding scriptural text “from the company words keep.” Chapter 9 is Part II of this topic.
Ford’s advice is to learn to appreciate the who, what, where, when, and why of canonical scripture by delving into the historical context, reading informed commentaries, appreciating the challenge of literary translation, asking probing questions, and engaging others in a community of diverse opinions and perspectives.
The danger of taking scripture too literally or out of context has been demonstrated many times, Ford reminds us, quoting Anglican priest and theologian John Bowker, with examples of terrible uses: warranting the murder of Jews and gays, burning women accused of witchcraft, slavery and apartheid, and subordination of women as “a sort of infant.”
Keeping context in mind is “common sense” because so many words gain meaning based on context - within a sentence, a paragraph, a chapter, a book. Ford notes that each of the four Gospels influences how each is understood.
For those of us who are armchair theologians, learning to read NT Greek is probably not an option. But we can learn to appreciate the challenges faced by translators: Selecting the best English word to convey most closely the connotations of the original word; sensing the “ingroup” language and situations alluded to but not spelled out; and wrestling with the various interpretations of previous generations to understand our own biases and preconceptions. “Time and again,” Ford writes, “key theological insights sprang from wrestling with translation.”
The end of the chapter discusses theological hermeneutics - the art and theory of interpretation. Ford gives us the example of reading a book the second time, perhaps many years later, and getting a very different sense of its meaning. Why does this happen? The text may have many layers and we didn’t sense them all the first time. Also, our perspective changes (is reframed) as we gain knowledge, experience, and new information. This happens with our own stories as well.
Of all the chapters so far, this one rings loudest for me. Wrestling with the past, challenging my own assumptions and beliefs, being alert to deeper resonances - these mark the difficult steps in my journey of daily discipline. “Keep awake,” Jesus told his disciples in today’s Gospel reading (Mark 13), “for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn.”
Year Two Reading, New Testament – Book of Mark & Powell, Chapter 7 – Mark
First a few points that Powell made regarding the Book of Mark:
- Mark is the shortest and most likely the first Gospel written…written in a colloquial manner that does not always adhere to strict grammar.
- With the afore mentioned grammar issues aside, this Gospel is written in such a manner that helps to “make the past come alive”, where “everything seems to happen very quickly.”
- The book was written by an anonymous writer but was likely written by a devout Christian who was profoundly aware of the persecution that occurred in, and around Rome.
- The ending is very distinctive and somewhat disturbing: “They went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid”
…How does a faith and way of life endure if no one says anything to anyone?
- Mark seemed to be comfortable leaving many things unsaid…to leave questions in the mind of the reader.
Major themes in the Gospel of Mark, according to Powell:
- Mark painted a very “human portrait of Jesus.”
- With Mark’s Gospel, the passion and crucifixion of Christ is what matters most in regard to Jesus’s life. According to Powell, the Gospel of Mark is a mid-point between Matthew & Luke testaments about the life and acts of Jesus, and Paul’s letters proclaiming Christ’s death and resurrection.
- There was much secrecy involved with Jesus (his miracles and association/lineage with God) during his life but, due to the significance of Christ’s death, all of Jesus’s previous actions could not have been fully understood without his sacrifice and crucifixion.
- Jesus proclaims, “the kingdom of God has come near…the power and presence of God’s rule” have arrived and will arrive again soon. Jesus was announcing that he was present during his life and crucifixion, and he will present again during the apocalypse.
- The disciples were depicted as almost unworthy during Jesus’s lifetime, but their successes lay in the continuation of Jesus’s gospel and the Church.
Drawing from the Reading & Reflection Guide A,B,C,D’s, the following is my commentary:
Amazed: It amazed me that there is even speculation regarding the author of Mark…I would have thought that, much like Matthew, there has been too much time that has past to speculate on a specific author.
Bothered: I was bothered by how the disciples were portrayed as essentially dimwits. It is my understanding that what Jesus was preaching was fairly radical & revolutionary, so naturally, it would take a little time to get used his new philosophy and ideas. In Mark, however, it seems as if the disciples weren’t able to get out of their own way, though I guess time heals all (most) wounds, because most of the disciples are now revered.
Confused: In Mark’s Gospel, it confused me that there seemed to be so much secrecy about Jesus during his lifetime. According to the Gospel, it seemed as if once Jesus had performed some sort or miracle or healing, he would tell everyone involved to essentially “go forth and speak to no one”. I would have thought that Jesus would have wanted everyone to know of his works and preaching...spread the good word. But then again, it wasn’t my life on the line.
Delighted: I found some delight in the fact the Mark left a lot of things unexplained. There is quite a “sense of mystery & ambiguity.” This leaves us all with some sort of ability to try to make sense of it all (God, Jesus, Jesus death, the coming apocalypse, etc.) on our own…or at least with the help of others.
Mariel, thank you for your insight:
I look forward to reading Ford in a couple of years.
I enjoyed your commentary...especially the snippet below...
"Wrestling with the past, challenging my own assumptions and beliefs, being alert to deeper resonances - these mark the difficult steps in my journey of daily discipline. "
To me, this is what life and the search for the Holy Spirit is all about.
The Book of Deuteronomy
Moses was the mediator. It continued, elaborated, and expanded. The Abrahamic law. It was not unconditional., but bilateral. And that both sides had a part in what was to come.
It wasn't just a blanket statement of what God was going to do and how He was going to bless hHis people. It was more about their relationship to the outcome of things. As a people of faith who followed the laws, they would be blessed. It was also more of God teaching them, disciplining them much like a parent disciplines a child. “If you do this, then that will happen.” Obedience vs. disobedience. It was more that if they followed the laws, or by following the laws - God would bless them, not so much that if they did this then God would bless them, but it talked more about if they did bad things then God would punish them. And that if they followed the laws and showed signs of their appreciation for the blessings God gave to them, with their sacrifices It talked about God's promises and how they are directly related to Israel's obedience to the laws. If obedient, then blessings, if disobedient, then curses and punishment. What I found interesting is that the Mosaic law revealed, and highlighted the sinful nature of mankind. God did not expect man to be perfect, and that was evidence but the LONG lists of punishments that would come from specific sinful actions.
I would say that it as it pertains to living into the God journey, it shows the growth and change that comes with time and with learning and understanding…the Israelites were being given a clearer path to being better people and to pleasing God. They were being given a clearer path to the promise of salvation. By the laws themselves, it emphasized how they would need to be saved.
Like the renewal of the baptismal covenant, the Israelites were proclaiming a greater awareness, understanding, and acceptance of what was being asked of them and they said that they would do what the Lord has said. They understood the promise of the Promise and the agreement of how to try to live according the God’s laws.
I would say it was challenging to me to read about not just a God of love, but a God full of wrath and anger. Displeasure. Jealousy. Not words I've ever thought of in the context of God. On the one hand, the Israelites are the Chosen...Chosen to be taught, disciplined, and punished. Like all the other people were continually punished because they did not know the rules and prayed to false gods...ignorance and darkness and then the Israelites were promised not as much punishment because they were find in favor of God, learning the discipline and ultimately salvation.
Ford, Chapter 8: Through the past to the present: texts and history
This chapter begins a section on the skills, disciplines and methods of doing theology and begins with how to study texts. He begins by pointing out the dangers of taking quotes from the scriptures out of context and the harm it has caused people over the centuries.
Ford writes of the importance of having a good commentary while studying the scriptures to help understand the meaning of the words and the context in which they were written. Ford then goes into a long discussion of the importance of understanding the scriptures in their original Greek or Hebrew, but admits that most casual students do not have the time for this level of scholarship.
I think the main part of what Ford gives us is his 10 point guide to interpreting texts which include knowing about the author, the genre of the text, the historical context in which it was written and even your own biases.
The Ford discusses the importance of looking at the history of the era in which the texts were written, and developing the skills of a good historian, concluding that one should become competent in evaluating the sources and attempt to understand a reliable story of what was going on when the text was written or the event occurred.
Year One: Deuteronomy
Collins, Chapter 8
Deuteronomy was interesting in how it reframed the Mosaic covenant and updated it, consolidating sacrificial worship and giving further instruction to the community.
With all of the promises of blessings to those who follow his commandments and punishments to those who stray or follow other gods, I can’t help but hear echoes of prosperity doctrine. I’m conflicted about that as I believe in a God who meets people in their suffering, often leading us through struggles to develop virtue. I don’t think believers are promised exclusively rosy outcomes, neither do I believe that anyone with a physical blemish is being punished, cursed and unclean for worship. Although this book seemed less legalistic to me than Leviticus it still calls for many to be stoned, for “evil” to be wiped out.
I was intrigued by the guidelines for a king, not to accumulate armies, wives, or riches but to be daily devoted to the law and to justice. Where have we last seen such humility in leadership, rather than selfish pursuits? Collins’ insight that this section was likely added later and not advocated by Josiah I found humorous.
Also, instruction to avoid seers and diviners, to test prophecy and question prophets served to further consolidate authority. Has prophecy been sealed up? Aren’t we following a living God who we are taught speaks to certain of those who follow him? Deuteronomy claims it’s speaker to be Moses although it was likely written much later. Doesn’t it claim some divine authority or insight by which to amend the laws. There seems to be some hypocrisy or at least conflicting ideas.
I am also very interested in the idea of wisdom and how that plays into divine authority-how God does appoint leaders, judges, and kings, anointing them to their position. Some claim the same divine appointment for modern leaders. Where is the discernment? How can we claim to know?
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