The Theologian's Table

The Camp Leader and the Cudgel Introduction If you've read any of these posts, you'll know that I've been inspired by a dream to discuss issues around reading the Bible. So far, each post has addressed some surface-level roadblocks when picking up God's word. This post will not be like the previous ones. It will be more of a theological reflection on how the big C church uses the Bible. So, if theology is not your thing, please feel free to tune out, but if you're interested and are daring to read anyway, hang on to your butt because we're going for a ride! The Nebulous Nature of Dreams The truth is, none of the entries I've written so far have really accomplished what I've tried to set out to communicate. They are, after all, based on a dream. We like to say our dreams could be sharing a more profound message, but in the end, they could just be plain old dreams. After I initially awoke from it, my first sense was that it wasn't directed at new Chris...

The Wise Old Sage In case you haven't read any of the first two posts, I have been pondering over a dream about the Bible being called a spare tire. The first post concluded with the analogy that reading Scripture is like wrestling with it because it can be hard to come to terms with. The second post dove more deeply into that theme, suggesting that the violence of the Old Testament and the failures of humanity operated as a mirror being held up to us that simply reflects the realities of human existence, and we don't like that. Now, though, I'd like to recognize another facet of why we sometimes avoid the Bible; it was written two thousand years ago. I've seen the criticism in online interactions that we don't need to pay attention to what the Bible says because it's 2000+ years old. I haven't seen Christians say it as much, but at one time in my life, I have felt that way, and I know I'm not alone. Even though people quote 2 Timothy 3:16 to affirm th...

The Mirror In the last post, which you can read here , I discussed having a dream about why Christians might treat the Bible like a spare tire. I concluded with one idea that the content can be challenging to read and come to terms with, but through a lifetime of wrestling with Scripture, God will bless us for our struggle. I'd like to continue with the same theme today but in a different way.  Aside from what critics of the Bible might interpret as divinely ordained violence, the Bible is just plain violent in many places, even in the New Testament, with the persecution of the Church. In fact, many who oppose Christianity being presented within the public school system have highlighted specific examples of biblical passages that might catch young readers off guard. The latest attempt, albeit tongue-in-cheek, came from a Florida man who opposed the Florida government removing books with questionable content, suggesting the new state standards were inconsistent. Even so, his commen...

  To Wrestle with Scripture is to be Blessed Recently, I had a dream that I've become somewhat obsessed with interpreting. In the dream, I was seated with others around a large conference table, and we were discussing some kind of pressing issue and having trouble finding a solution. We were also falling through the air during the meeting. In an attempt to try and find a solution, I pulled out a Bible from under the table. The person leading the discussion, one of my former professors, Dr. Chris Green, gave me a compassionate look but told me to put it away, saying, "people only use that as a spare tire." Those of us at the table never solved the shadowy problem, and I remember waking up feeling very puzzled. What did the dream mean? Not every dream has a meaning. Sometimes dreams are just leftover bits of information your mind is still processing, and you're treated to a viewing of that process while asleep. On the other hand, I, like Peter, believe that the Spirit o...