Jeremiah 31:7-14
For thus says the Lord:
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, “Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.” See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.” For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the Lord.
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Jeremiah wrote this during the Babylonian Exile, circa 587 BCE, a very low period in the history of the Hebrew people. The Northern Kingdom had fallen to the Assyrians about 130 years earlier in 722 BCE. The Assyrians, as was their policy, scattered the inhabitants far and wide. These are the so-called lost tribes of Israel. Starting in 598 BCE the Babylonians forced many of the elite Hebrews into exile in Babylon. Jeremiah was not among those in Babylon, he fled to Egypt. The people of Israel really were scattered throughout the Middle East. Jeremiah prophesizes of a day when the LORD will gather them back.
Who are the people in our church, city, world who are in political or economic exile who dream of a return to their Jerusalem? When and how have you experienced exile?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Luke 2:41-52 27 December 2009
Luke 2:41-52 27
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.
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In this story Jesus is a particularly precocious twelve-year-old amazing all those in the temple with his understanding [of scripture.] Isn’t he also acting like twelve-year-olds we’ve all known; showing some independence and a bit of an attitude? Twelve-year-old children, and six-year olds as I learned again yesterday, think they can handle more independence than their caretakers are likely to consider appropriate.
I can see Mary many years later telling this story about her little Jesus with pride. Don’t we all have childhood stories about our siblings, our children, or ourselves? Could it be that these stories have been ever so slightly enhanced with each retelling? Could it be that your version of the story differs in some details from your brother or sister’s. When we tell these stories are we not wanting our audience to know something special about the nature of the subject that was apparent even as a child.
In telling this story what do you suppose Luke wanted us to know about the twelve-year-old Jesus. Why do Christians tell this story at Christmas? Is there a lesson here for UUs?
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.
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In this story Jesus is a particularly precocious twelve-year-old amazing all those in the temple with his understanding [of scripture.] Isn’t he also acting like twelve-year-olds we’ve all known; showing some independence and a bit of an attitude? Twelve-year-old children, and six-year olds as I learned again yesterday, think they can handle more independence than their caretakers are likely to consider appropriate.
I can see Mary many years later telling this story about her little Jesus with pride. Don’t we all have childhood stories about our siblings, our children, or ourselves? Could it be that these stories have been ever so slightly enhanced with each retelling? Could it be that your version of the story differs in some details from your brother or sister’s. When we tell these stories are we not wanting our audience to know something special about the nature of the subject that was apparent even as a child.
In telling this story what do you suppose Luke wanted us to know about the twelve-year-old Jesus. Why do Christians tell this story at Christmas? Is there a lesson here for UUs?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Luke 1:39-56 20 Dec 2009
Luke 1:39-56
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
In the Reading Between the Lines section of this week’s Bible Workbench Bill Dols asks: What is a story you tell about your family or yourself that you have polished and embellished over the years in order to revels something true about you even though it didn’t happen?
I suggest you keep Bill’s question in mind and you read and reread this week’s lectionary.
Perhaps Luke is telling us that the possibility of a new kind of justice coming into the world, a justice that is opposed to the retributive justice that their, and our, world know so well. In first century Palestine the political and economic systems were rigged so that the rich became richer and the poor poorer. Luke, I suggest was proposing the possibility the dawn of a new era where distributive justice prevailed.
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their
thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
In the Reading Between the Lines section of this week’s Bible Workbench Bill Dols asks: What is a story you tell about your family or yourself that you have polished and embellished over the years in order to revels something true about you even though it didn’t happen?
I suggest you keep Bill’s question in mind and you read and reread this week’s lectionary.
Perhaps Luke is telling us that the possibility of a new kind of justice coming into the world, a justice that is opposed to the retributive justice that their, and our, world know so well. In first century Palestine the political and economic systems were rigged so that the rich became richer and the poor poorer. Luke, I suggest was proposing the possibility the dawn of a new era where distributive justice prevailed.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Luke 3:7-18 Dec 13 2009
As you many recall from last week, John the Baptist’s father, Zachariah, is a Temple priest. At the Temple one received atonement (at one ment) in return for an animal sacrifice. The sacrificial animals had to be unblemished so you most would most likely purchase the animal at the temple. Additionally, each adult male was required to make an annual half-shekel “donation” to the Temple, this is the so called Temple tax.
The Jewish authorities however only accepted Hebrew money for payment of the Temple tax. So, money changers were allowed to set up tables and where they exchanged not just local Roman money, but also foreign currency from distant travelers, for shekels. Along with them were peddlers who sold animals, birds and various items for sacrifice. This was a very lucrative business.
Enter John the baptizer proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. No priest needed, no trip to Jerusalem, no moneychanger, no animal sacrifice, no Temple tax. And most of all no profit. All you had to do was repent and mend your ways.
I love John’s opening line, ‘You brood of vipers,’ taken right out of Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. In Matthew, it is clear that the brood of vipers he had in mind were the religious authorities. He also had some hard words for King Herod, who had married his brother’s wife, which influenced Herod imprison him and later chop off his head. As some of you know, Luke and Matthew copied this story from Mark and put their own spin on it. Comparing the three accounts of John’s preaching to the crowds at the River Jordan is like comparing newscasts of the same event from three different networks.
The earliest account of John’s baptizing is Mark 1:4-8. It is the shortest and he does not have the “brood of vipers” line, nor does he single out any group of people for specific condemnation.
Matthew’s “brood of vipers” comment is directed directly at the religious authorities: “But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7)
Luke’s version is the longest and he directs his “brood of vipers” comment towards the crowd in general. Matthew and Luke, but not Mark, warn their audience that having Abraham as an ancestor, that is being Jewish, does not mean they are exempt from the requirement to bear good fruits.
For people like us, well-educated, religiously independent, 21th century UUs, whom are the voices calling from the wilderness for repentance? In what way might we be a “brood of vipers” for some reformers? From what are they asking that we repent? How do we bear good fruits? In what ways are we not bearing good fruits?
The Jewish authorities however only accepted Hebrew money for payment of the Temple tax. So, money changers were allowed to set up tables and where they exchanged not just local Roman money, but also foreign currency from distant travelers, for shekels. Along with them were peddlers who sold animals, birds and various items for sacrifice. This was a very lucrative business.
Enter John the baptizer proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. No priest needed, no trip to Jerusalem, no moneychanger, no animal sacrifice, no Temple tax. And most of all no profit. All you had to do was repent and mend your ways.
Luke 3:7-18
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’
And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
I love John’s opening line, ‘You brood of vipers,’ taken right out of Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. In Matthew, it is clear that the brood of vipers he had in mind were the religious authorities. He also had some hard words for King Herod, who had married his brother’s wife, which influenced Herod imprison him and later chop off his head. As some of you know, Luke and Matthew copied this story from Mark and put their own spin on it. Comparing the three accounts of John’s preaching to the crowds at the River Jordan is like comparing newscasts of the same event from three different networks.
The earliest account of John’s baptizing is Mark 1:4-8. It is the shortest and he does not have the “brood of vipers” line, nor does he single out any group of people for specific condemnation.
Matthew’s “brood of vipers” comment is directed directly at the religious authorities: “But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7)
Luke’s version is the longest and he directs his “brood of vipers” comment towards the crowd in general. Matthew and Luke, but not Mark, warn their audience that having Abraham as an ancestor, that is being Jewish, does not mean they are exempt from the requirement to bear good fruits.
For people like us, well-educated, religiously independent, 21th century UUs, whom are the voices calling from the wilderness for repentance? In what way might we be a “brood of vipers” for some reformers? From what are they asking that we repent? How do we bear good fruits? In what ways are we not bearing good fruits?
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Luke 1:68-79 6 December 2009
Today’s lectionary is the Benedictus also known as the Song of Zechariah. It is the song of thanksgiving sung by Zechariah after the birth of his son John, who we know as John the Baptist.
I urge you to take a few minutes to read Luke 1:1-66 to get the context for the reading.
Luke 1:68-79
(67) Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty saviour for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’
(80) The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
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Zechariah is a temple priest and John’s mother, Elizabeth, is a relative of Mary the mother of Jesus. When John appears publicly, he is at the Jordan River preaching a baptism of repentance, Luke 3:7-20.
Zechariah’s hymn is full of hope for a peaceful future at a time during a very bleak time in the history of his people. In this era of financial uncertainty and national decline how do people like us look for a “mighty savior… to rescue us from the hands of our enemies?” How do we look for “the dawn from on high…to guide our feet into the way of peace?” Or do we?
I urge you to take a few minutes to read Luke 1:1-66 to get the context for the reading.
Luke 1:68-79
(67) Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty saviour for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’
(80) The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
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Zechariah is a temple priest and John’s mother, Elizabeth, is a relative of Mary the mother of Jesus. When John appears publicly, he is at the Jordan River preaching a baptism of repentance, Luke 3:7-20.
Zechariah’s hymn is full of hope for a peaceful future at a time during a very bleak time in the history of his people. In this era of financial uncertainty and national decline how do people like us look for a “mighty savior… to rescue us from the hands of our enemies?” How do we look for “the dawn from on high…to guide our feet into the way of peace?” Or do we?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Luke 21:35-36 --- 29 Nov 2009
Luke 21:35-36
‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
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Many modern biblical scholars see Jesus as an apocalyptic prophet. Jesus and his early followers believed that the end of the current age, characterized by corruption and evil, was near. In its stead would be the Kingdom of God where the meek, the poor, and the marginalized would experience justice. As Bart Ehrman in “Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet” puts it:
How do people like us see signs that the end might be near? Are we concerned that perhaps our way of life, the security we take for granted, the privileges we have as educated, well off, 21st century Americans may not last? Do we deserve all that we have? What would distributive justice look like for us? What if the poor, the meek, the downtrodden did inherit the earth?
This Thanksgiving eve I am thankful that my wife and I have enough, and I am mindful that not everyone does.
Happy Thanksgiving
George
‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
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Many modern biblical scholars see Jesus as an apocalyptic prophet. Jesus and his early followers believed that the end of the current age, characterized by corruption and evil, was near. In its stead would be the Kingdom of God where the meek, the poor, and the marginalized would experience justice. As Bart Ehrman in “Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet” puts it:
The Jesus of history, contrary to modern "common sense"...was not a proponent of "family values." He urged his followers to abandon their homes and forsake families for the sake of the Kingdom that was soon to arrive. He didn't encourage people to pursue fulfilling careers, make a good living, and work for a just society for the long haul; for him, there wasn't going to be a long haul. The end of the world as we know it was already at hand. The Son of Man would soon arrive, bringing condemnation and judgement against those who prospered in this age, but salvation and justice to the poor, downtrodden, and oppressed. People should sacrifice everything for his coming, lest they be caught unawares and cast out of the Kingdom that was soon to arrive.Apocalyptic thinking is still with us. The best selling “Left Behind” series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins is an imaginative 20th century narrative reading of 1st century Christian apocalyptic thought.
How do people like us see signs that the end might be near? Are we concerned that perhaps our way of life, the security we take for granted, the privileges we have as educated, well off, 21st century Americans may not last? Do we deserve all that we have? What would distributive justice look like for us? What if the poor, the meek, the downtrodden did inherit the earth?
This Thanksgiving eve I am thankful that my wife and I have enough, and I am mindful that not everyone does.
Happy Thanksgiving
George
How To Read the Bible
A blog entry, from Under the Ancient Oaks, mentioned in the current issue, Winter 2009, of UU World got me to thinking about Bible Workbench at the UUCC. The entry is:
I wouldn’t go as far as the author on this matter, but it got me to thinking about how The Bible Workbench group is perceived at the UUCC. Apparently, some people think we are doing a Christian Bible study program. I've heard that some people are "shocked" that there is a Bible study group meeting at a Unitarian Universalist church. If we were doing a Tao Te Ching Workbench between services I doubt if anyone would raise an eyebrow.
Walter Brueggemann, in a Washington National Cathedral pod cast titled How to Read The Bible , says that in his liberal Christian denomination, the United Church of Christ, they would rather read any scripture other than the Bible. I’ve also heard that UU ministers get a lot of negative feedback if they use a reading from the Bible, but readings from other religious scriptures aren’t nearly as controversial. Why is this so?
The genesis of this attitude is, I believe, that most people think that the Bible is to be read as literally true. After all, this is what many of us we learned growing up. If you make that assumption, you have two choices: accept the Bible as literally true, or reject it outright. For most UUs, and other religious progressives, the first choice isn’t an option, sadly too many take the second option believing it is the only one available.
Why should we on a liberal religious path make the mistake of cultural tunnel vision, believing that “our” scriptures should be read literally and other culture’s sacred writings and stories not? Why do some of us “believe” that the Genesis creation story should be either taken as literally true or rejected as nonsense? Consider for a moment a quote attributed to Tim O’Brian, “Just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” Or this from an anonymous Native American story teller, “I don’t know if it actually happened this way or not, but I know this story is true.” If you can accept either of those statements, than you should have no problem accepting that the Bible is true in the same sense that Mary Oliver’s poetry, or Kurt Vonnegut’s novels, or George Washington’s biographies are true. If you can get past a literal reading of the Bible than its literary, historical, ethical, and spiritual fruits are in easy reach.
There are several ways to approach the Bible that eschew a literal reading. We can read it as history, keeping in mind that like all histories it has a self-serving agenda. Actually, there are two conflicting histories in the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament). Chronicles is a retelling of the books of Genesis through Kings with a different agenda. Much of the Hebrew Bible is closer akin to what we would call myth, especially Genesis, or legend. In any case, these two histories give us alternative views of a time impossibly far away.
Many Christians read the Bible as a pre-scientific scared scripture. They pardon the ancient writers for using language and metaphors of their time and place. After all, how could they have done otherwise? Of course, they thought that the Creator of the universe was male and his domain was like a kingdom; that was the norm of societal organization at that time and place. They see no conflict between the Genesis story of creation and Darwinian Theory. One makes a religious statement the other a scientific statement. Many of their “Thou shall nots” reflect the social and political reality of their world not ours. Michael Dowd, who spoke at our church last year, is an Evangelical Christian and a proponent of this understanding of the Bible. I recommend his book Thank God for Evolution; it is available on CD as well print.
The Gospels, of course, are biographies of Jesus. When reading them it is best to keep in mind that they were pinned decades after his death by people who never knew him. The Gospels present four very different portraits of Jesus, each with its own peculiar image of him. To understand the Gospels you must take each one on its own terms and not read into one the characters and events of another. The Jesus of Mark is a very different person from the Jesus of John.
The Bible is literature. Bible stories have a cultural, historical, and literary significance that lie at the foundation of Western civilization. The Bible informs our novels, plays, short stories, essays, visual arts, and even our newspaper and magazine articles, biographies and histories. Biblical teachings enter into the debate on the great social issues of our time: abortion, the death penalty, gay marriage, health care, war, civil rights, women’s rights, immigration, taxes, and on and on.
Harry Emerson Fosdick, a liberal Presbyterian minister, wrote:
Not only our great literature but our everyday language is infused with biblical references: the patience of Job, the blind leading the blind, writing on the wall, kiss of death, thirty pieces of silver, prodigal son, written in stone, and the good Samaritan for example. Pop culture too is full of with allusions to the Bible. For example, many movies have biblical references. Yahoo Answers lists more than sixty movies with Biblical allusions. I’m sure they missed many more than that, notably On The Waterfront (more about that in a moment). It doesn't matter whether you believe the Bible to be fact or a fable, it remains an important reference source in the study of literature and art.
The Bible is chuck full of story. Anyone brought up in the Jewish or Christian religions remembers the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Noah, the tower of Babel, the Exodus from Egypt, the walls of Jericho, Samson, David and Goliath, Jonah and many others. Christians also have the stories of Jesus’ birth, teachings, healings, passion, his parables, and many other stories from Acts and the epistles. Are these stories relevant to twenty-first century UUs? I think they are. Without knowing these core stories, we cannot fully participate in, or fully appreciate, the popular, political, and above all spiritual worlds that surround us.
In Bible Workbench, we remember that these stories are as much about us right now as it they are about them back then. We are not concerned about if or how the story took place, or what it might have meant back then. Rather than ask if the story really happened we inquire into how the story is true today, for people like us. We use these stories as an opportunity to ponder how they are happening in our world, our community, and our inner life right now.
I’ll end with an illustration of how this works. One Sunday our reading was about the Crucifixion, possibly from Mark 15. I had recently watched the Elia Kazan film On the Waterfront and remembered a great line delivered by Karl Malden’s character, Father Berry:
That Sunday we ended by asking how the characters in the story are part of our inner lives. What do you know of an inner Jesus who sees injustice and wants to correct it? What do you know of an inner Judas who betrays your ideals and aspirations for thirty pieces of silver? Or perhaps an inner Peter who in a pinch will deny ever having known your inner Jesus. These were take home questions and not discussed in the group.
Sundays between services about a dozen people gather in the library for Bible Workbench. The theological makeup of the group varies from week to week and may include Christian, Moslem, Jew, Pagan, Agnostic, Atheist, Theist, Deist, Humanist, or those who don’t know quite where they fit on the theological landscape. We have a lively discussion and occasionally we are able to get into deep spiritual waters. Every week Bible Workbench enriches my spiritual life. Rarely do I have to remind the group that “just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
In my limited experience, the real tension in Unitarian Universalism isn’t between theists and non-theists. It’s between those who find meaning and value in traditional religious language, stories, forms and practices and those who are so offended by their association with conservative religions that they don’t want anything to do with them. http://johnfranc.blogspot.com/ , September 5th.
I wouldn’t go as far as the author on this matter, but it got me to thinking about how The Bible Workbench group is perceived at the UUCC. Apparently, some people think we are doing a Christian Bible study program. I've heard that some people are "shocked" that there is a Bible study group meeting at a Unitarian Universalist church. If we were doing a Tao Te Ching Workbench between services I doubt if anyone would raise an eyebrow.
Walter Brueggemann, in a Washington National Cathedral pod cast titled How to Read The Bible , says that in his liberal Christian denomination, the United Church of Christ, they would rather read any scripture other than the Bible. I’ve also heard that UU ministers get a lot of negative feedback if they use a reading from the Bible, but readings from other religious scriptures aren’t nearly as controversial. Why is this so?
The genesis of this attitude is, I believe, that most people think that the Bible is to be read as literally true. After all, this is what many of us we learned growing up. If you make that assumption, you have two choices: accept the Bible as literally true, or reject it outright. For most UUs, and other religious progressives, the first choice isn’t an option, sadly too many take the second option believing it is the only one available.
Why should we on a liberal religious path make the mistake of cultural tunnel vision, believing that “our” scriptures should be read literally and other culture’s sacred writings and stories not? Why do some of us “believe” that the Genesis creation story should be either taken as literally true or rejected as nonsense? Consider for a moment a quote attributed to Tim O’Brian, “Just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” Or this from an anonymous Native American story teller, “I don’t know if it actually happened this way or not, but I know this story is true.” If you can accept either of those statements, than you should have no problem accepting that the Bible is true in the same sense that Mary Oliver’s poetry, or Kurt Vonnegut’s novels, or George Washington’s biographies are true. If you can get past a literal reading of the Bible than its literary, historical, ethical, and spiritual fruits are in easy reach.
There are several ways to approach the Bible that eschew a literal reading. We can read it as history, keeping in mind that like all histories it has a self-serving agenda. Actually, there are two conflicting histories in the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament). Chronicles is a retelling of the books of Genesis through Kings with a different agenda. Much of the Hebrew Bible is closer akin to what we would call myth, especially Genesis, or legend. In any case, these two histories give us alternative views of a time impossibly far away.
Many Christians read the Bible as a pre-scientific scared scripture. They pardon the ancient writers for using language and metaphors of their time and place. After all, how could they have done otherwise? Of course, they thought that the Creator of the universe was male and his domain was like a kingdom; that was the norm of societal organization at that time and place. They see no conflict between the Genesis story of creation and Darwinian Theory. One makes a religious statement the other a scientific statement. Many of their “Thou shall nots” reflect the social and political reality of their world not ours. Michael Dowd, who spoke at our church last year, is an Evangelical Christian and a proponent of this understanding of the Bible. I recommend his book Thank God for Evolution; it is available on CD as well print.
The Gospels, of course, are biographies of Jesus. When reading them it is best to keep in mind that they were pinned decades after his death by people who never knew him. The Gospels present four very different portraits of Jesus, each with its own peculiar image of him. To understand the Gospels you must take each one on its own terms and not read into one the characters and events of another. The Jesus of Mark is a very different person from the Jesus of John.
The Bible is literature. Bible stories have a cultural, historical, and literary significance that lie at the foundation of Western civilization. The Bible informs our novels, plays, short stories, essays, visual arts, and even our newspaper and magazine articles, biographies and histories. Biblical teachings enter into the debate on the great social issues of our time: abortion, the death penalty, gay marriage, health care, war, civil rights, women’s rights, immigration, taxes, and on and on.
Harry Emerson Fosdick, a liberal Presbyterian minister, wrote:
An intelligent understanding of the Bible is indispensable to anybody in the Western World who wishes to think wisely about religion. By no possibility can any one of us be independent of the Bible’s influence. Our intellectual heritage is full of its words and phrases, ideas and formulas. Ignorance of it constitutes a hopeless handicap in the endeavor to understand any Great Western literature.
Not only our great literature but our everyday language is infused with biblical references: the patience of Job, the blind leading the blind, writing on the wall, kiss of death, thirty pieces of silver, prodigal son, written in stone, and the good Samaritan for example. Pop culture too is full of with allusions to the Bible. For example, many movies have biblical references. Yahoo Answers lists more than sixty movies with Biblical allusions. I’m sure they missed many more than that, notably On The Waterfront (more about that in a moment). It doesn't matter whether you believe the Bible to be fact or a fable, it remains an important reference source in the study of literature and art.
The Bible is chuck full of story. Anyone brought up in the Jewish or Christian religions remembers the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Noah, the tower of Babel, the Exodus from Egypt, the walls of Jericho, Samson, David and Goliath, Jonah and many others. Christians also have the stories of Jesus’ birth, teachings, healings, passion, his parables, and many other stories from Acts and the epistles. Are these stories relevant to twenty-first century UUs? I think they are. Without knowing these core stories, we cannot fully participate in, or fully appreciate, the popular, political, and above all spiritual worlds that surround us.
In Bible Workbench, we remember that these stories are as much about us right now as it they are about them back then. We are not concerned about if or how the story took place, or what it might have meant back then. Rather than ask if the story really happened we inquire into how the story is true today, for people like us. We use these stories as an opportunity to ponder how they are happening in our world, our community, and our inner life right now.
I’ll end with an illustration of how this works. One Sunday our reading was about the Crucifixion, possibly from Mark 15. I had recently watched the Elia Kazan film On the Waterfront and remembered a great line delivered by Karl Malden’s character, Father Berry:
Some people think the Crucifixion only took place on Calvary. They better wise up! Taking Joey Doyle's life to stop him from testifying is a crucifixion. And dropping a sling on Kayo Dugan because he was ready to spill his guts tomorrow, that's a crucifixion. And every time the Mob puts the pressure on a good man, tries to stop him from doing his duty as a citizen, it's a crucifixion.Father Berry’s insight quickly led us to slain civil rights leaders, corporate whistle blowers, labor organizers, and other business, educational, and political crucifixions. I’m sure you can come up with your own examples. This line of discussion had some real momentum and was easy for the group. Then I steered the discussion to how the Crucifixion might be our story. Had we ever participated in or witnessed a crucifixion? If so, what role had we played: Jesus, Judas, Pilate, Peter, a disciple, or a high priest? This part of the discussion was slower and more thoughtful with long silences. I expect this when we go deeper and into the personal. Sometimes there is more silence than discussion. This is okay with me; I know people are thinking and feeling and perhaps are a little uncomfortable. I also know that I can count on someone trying to bring us back to the earlier, easier discussion. Occasionally, I am that person.
That Sunday we ended by asking how the characters in the story are part of our inner lives. What do you know of an inner Jesus who sees injustice and wants to correct it? What do you know of an inner Judas who betrays your ideals and aspirations for thirty pieces of silver? Or perhaps an inner Peter who in a pinch will deny ever having known your inner Jesus. These were take home questions and not discussed in the group.
Sundays between services about a dozen people gather in the library for Bible Workbench. The theological makeup of the group varies from week to week and may include Christian, Moslem, Jew, Pagan, Agnostic, Atheist, Theist, Deist, Humanist, or those who don’t know quite where they fit on the theological landscape. We have a lively discussion and occasionally we are able to get into deep spiritual waters. Every week Bible Workbench enriches my spiritual life. Rarely do I have to remind the group that “just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
Thursday, November 19, 2009
John 18:29-38a --- November 22, 2009
This week’s lectionary is John 18:33-37. I’ve added a bit to both ends to fill out the story:
John 18:29-38a
Indeed, ‘What is truth?’
John 18:29-38a
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------So Pilate went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’ They answered, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.’ The Jews replied, ‘We are not permitted to put anyone to death.’ (This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.
Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’
Indeed, ‘What is truth?’
Friday, November 13, 2009
1 Samuel 1:1-20 --- 15 Nov 2009
1 Samuel 1:1-20
There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year after year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’
After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: ‘O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.’
As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, ‘How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.’ But Hannah answered, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.’ Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.’ And she said, ‘Let your servant find favour in your sight.’ Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’
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In Reading Between the Lines in this week’s Bible Workbench Caroline Wohlforth asks: “Where in you is the weeping Hannah? What may be the lack – of love, of talent, of ultimate meaning in your life – that eats your heart?”
Hannah is one of seven “barren” women mentioned in the Bible, six in the Hebrew Bible and one in the Christian scriptures, they are:
Sarai (later named Sarah by the Lord) Genesis 16
Rebekah Genesis 25:21
Rachel Genesis 30
Monah's wife (No name is given for her, she later becomes the mother of Samson) Judges 13
Hannah 1 Samuel 1
Michal 2 Sam 6 The Shunammite Woman 11 Kings 4
Elisabeth Luke 1.
All are good pious women who eventually have children except Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife and the one truly barren woman in the bible. Here is a link to a Michal’s story interesting for the political intrigue it details.
There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year after year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’
After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: ‘O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.’
As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, ‘How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.’ But Hannah answered, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.’ Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.’ And she said, ‘Let your servant find favour in your sight.’ Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Reading Between the Lines in this week’s Bible Workbench Caroline Wohlforth asks: “Where in you is the weeping Hannah? What may be the lack – of love, of talent, of ultimate meaning in your life – that eats your heart?”
Hannah is one of seven “barren” women mentioned in the Bible, six in the Hebrew Bible and one in the Christian scriptures, they are:
Sarai (later named Sarah by the Lord) Genesis 16
Rebekah Genesis 25:21
Rachel Genesis 30
Monah's wife (No name is given for her, she later becomes the mother of Samson) Judges 13
Hannah 1 Samuel 1
Michal 2 Sam 6 The Shunammite Woman 11 Kings 4
Elisabeth Luke 1.
All are good pious women who eventually have children except Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife and the one truly barren woman in the bible. Here is a link to a Michal’s story interesting for the political intrigue it details.
About Bible Workbench at the UUCC
The Bible Workbench is a small-group approach to biblical texts that is particularly well suited for Unitarian Universalists. Each meeting begins with the reading of a biblical text, usually a paragraph or two. We begin our exploration with a discussion of what is happening in the text, sometimes with some historical background. Our focus then shifts as we discuss how this story is happening in the world around us. Finally, the questions turn towards how this story is our story. Using The Bible Workbench, we look inward to find answers to the timeless questions raised by the text rather than to doctrine or religious authority.
Discussions are often lively as people with diverse religious backgrounds (UU, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Pagan…) and theological outlooks (atheist, agnostic, deist, theist, pagan…) discuss the text. Our goal is a thoughtful respectful group discussion, not the right answer, consensus or agreement.
Regulars are encouraged to purchase The Bible Workbench materials.
Visitors are always welcome.
We gather in the Library every Sunday five minutes after the first service ends, about 10:20.
Discussions are often lively as people with diverse religious backgrounds (UU, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Pagan…) and theological outlooks (atheist, agnostic, deist, theist, pagan…) discuss the text. Our goal is a thoughtful respectful group discussion, not the right answer, consensus or agreement.
Regulars are encouraged to purchase The Bible Workbench materials.
Visitors are always welcome.
We gather in the Library every Sunday five minutes after the first service ends, about 10:20.
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