When I started reading it, I posted about that, but now that I'm done, I would like to share something really cool from that book with you. At the end, the author reflects on what he's experienced during the last year... living by following every rule and suggestion for living provided in the "old" and "new" testaments of the Bible. He comes to a very insightful conclusion about literal translation of the Bible that I agree with whole-heartedly.
Robbie Harris, one if the author's Rabbis is asked about whether a literal interpretation of the Bible's text is appropriate:
He says, "We can't insist that the Bible mark the end of our relationship with God. Who are we to say the Bible contained all the wisdom? If you insist that God revealed Himself only at one time, at one particular place, using these discreet words, and never any other time than that, that in itself is a kind of idolatry."Amen. This is something I had always believed, but never brought far enough forward in my mind to put into words nearly this eloquent. What do you think?
His point is you can commit idolatry on the Bible itself. You can start to worship the words instead of the spirit. You need to meet God halfway in the woods.
2 comments:
I had a few goes at the bible subject on my site during the year - particularly the post "Holy Book". I can't get links to work in this Bloggers comment box and it doesn't remember who I am any more. Hope you enjoyed your holiday. My site has been getting a lot of hits from Google Images and I ended up looking at the Nuremberg Chronicles yesterday after finding a picture I liked of Diogenes. The Chronicles were directly relevant to my post on Tyndale and the reformation, put a link on my home page. Thanks for the link in your blogroll.
WAY TO GO T.C.!!!!
i don't have any interest in the bible as idol - it's too often used as intellectual shorthand, as easy proposition, as weapon, as justification, as proof-text ... none of those are what the hebrew or early christian writers had in mind as they shared their strange and beautiful and mystic experiences.
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