Finding Out

[liralen]

Lately, we've been looking at things that we normally don't look at. In my case, sometimes things I didn't really want to look at. I haven't really wanted to look, in depth, at the Bible, as there are so many terrible things in there, but there's supposed to be good in there, too. So I finally signed up for a class where I get to read the

Comments

[ross_teneyck]

I will be very interested to hear how your Bible journey goes... as you might expect, I have some thoughts on the matter myself :)

I will say, though, that there are a lot of possible hermeneutics for approaching the Bible. It sounds like the class is working with a literary approach, which is one I like myself.

A book you might be interested in, which works on the question "What is this thing we call Scripture, anyway?" is The Revelatory Text, by Sandra Schneiders. Parts of it are heavy going, but her take on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman is eye-opening.

[liralen]

Mmm... yes, there are lots of possible approaches. I like that...

I'll peer at that, too! I'm very interested in that.

I think the best thing about the class, which I hadn't really thought would be, is the people. Being able to get confirmation and discussion about how things struck other folks has been really great... and I'm finding that most of my class is even more liberal than even I am, which has been kind of shocking but very cool.

I'm really enjoying the literary aspects... but there's also an odd joy in just going back to the old stories and really seeing them as they have been translated, rather than made more "kid-friendly" or the like...

[tagryn]

I will occasionally utilize apologetics from time to time, but I've concluded that in general each person's spiritual journey is a very individual process, shaped in large part by their own upbringing and background, and that trying to Argue Them To The Truth is pointless.

But...on the other hand, I also think that trying to interpret something as multi-layered as Scripture by oneself without any guidance or discussion lends itself to distortions that twist the meaning to make it say what we want it to say, rather than face what may be uncomfortable truths that challenge some of our pre-conceived notions and biases.

So, its complicated.

If one can find answers for oneself, and a path to walk, and hopefully a faith community that shares those values and can help with guidance on some of the trickier questions, that's a significant enough accomplishment, I think.

[liralen]

Amen to the first. :-)

And, yeah, having the group has been quite the gift for this journey of mine. We've been talking about all kinds of things, some of them very personal and precious, and bonding in ways over the daily prayer that goes with it all, too.

I haven't been corrected nearly as much as I've had some feelings about sections confirmed or even added to by the thoughts of others, and that's been... surprising, shocking sometimes, and really, really good in ways I hadn't expected. Having the support in going through all this work has been good, too.

It definitely *is* complicated. :-) I'll absolutely agree with that.

[diony]

The class sounds so very, very interesting. You are so brave!

[liralen]

Thank you. Scared, too. But I keep going! :-) The class doesn't make me feel bad, which is a very good thing. Sometimes some of the things I do make me feel bad, but that's kind of me and my perception of my interactions rather than what's there...

So I'll keep trying. :-)