Friday, October 19, 2007
'No one knows the mind of God'
By Lauren R. Stanley
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
via the Kansas City Star
... what is being debated is whether the Scriptures are God’s final word to us. Did God finish speaking when the Scriptures were written? Or does God still speak to us today? ...
If you’re a constructionist, the answer to that one is no. God spoke, and that’s it.
If you’re an activist, the answer is yes. God is still speaking to us.
Each side can quote Scripture at length to prove its point. Each side can cite historical events to prove its point. Each side can pretend that this is a black-and-white debate, with clear, easy-to-discern answers.
But of all the arguments that have been made in this debate, the only thing that is certain, that is true, that is not open to debate is that there’s nothing black and white about it.
Good article on the debate that will not die in our lifetimes.
But it is sparking a New Reformation.
(About the author: The Rev. Lauren R. Stanley is an appointed missionary serving in the Diocese of Renk in the Episcopal Church of Sudan. She is serving temporarily in the United States.)
--ER
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
via the Kansas City Star
... what is being debated is whether the Scriptures are God’s final word to us. Did God finish speaking when the Scriptures were written? Or does God still speak to us today? ...
If you’re a constructionist, the answer to that one is no. God spoke, and that’s it.
If you’re an activist, the answer is yes. God is still speaking to us.
Each side can quote Scripture at length to prove its point. Each side can cite historical events to prove its point. Each side can pretend that this is a black-and-white debate, with clear, easy-to-discern answers.
But of all the arguments that have been made in this debate, the only thing that is certain, that is true, that is not open to debate is that there’s nothing black and white about it.
Good article on the debate that will not die in our lifetimes.
But it is sparking a New Reformation.
(About the author: The Rev. Lauren R. Stanley is an appointed missionary serving in the Diocese of Renk in the Episcopal Church of Sudan. She is serving temporarily in the United States.)
--ER
Comments:
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Oooo, now you've done it. Opened up that can of worms again. What is the nature of the bible and god's word.
My take, god continues to talk, and speaks to each of us differently, in different ways. God speaks through the bible, and wants us to hear different things -because we are in different places in our relationship with him.
My take, god continues to talk, and speaks to each of us differently, in different ways. God speaks through the bible, and wants us to hear different things -because we are in different places in our relationship with him.
More about Lauren Stanley. She was a journalist who decided to go to seminary and wrote about that choice while she was a columnist for Knight-Ridder. She was always one of my favorite writers and I always believed that her stand was that creation continues, in that God made us creators as well, in His image. Or maybe that's my stand. Yes. It is.
The thing is, for the "inerrantists" who insist that they do and we ought take the word of God literally (within reason), no where within the Bible does it say that God has finished speaking with the 66 books of the Bible.
It seems to me the "inerrantists" base the bulk of their bluster on extrabiblical tradition.
Funny, that.
It seems to me the "inerrantists" base the bulk of their bluster on extrabiblical tradition.
Funny, that.
As a person that has heard and will hopefully hear God talk again, and can totally relate to people who have through the ages, whether in the bible or afterwards, I find it hard to believe that you can come to know God and never, ever, in your lifetime hear Him say anything (it doesn't have to be a "voice").
I do find it suspicious if people are too ready to tell others what they think God is saying to them:
I get told things for myself, and not usually for others - I would never presume to tell someone else that which God can very well tell them Himself!
(although I did once get to interpret a dream for my sister years ago, right before she asked Jesus into her life! That was quite the experience, and it hasn't happened since)
I do find it suspicious if people are too ready to tell others what they think God is saying to them:
I get told things for myself, and not usually for others - I would never presume to tell someone else that which God can very well tell them Himself!
(although I did once get to interpret a dream for my sister years ago, right before she asked Jesus into her life! That was quite the experience, and it hasn't happened since)
# posted by 
: 5:55 PM
: 5:55 PM
This is an issue for me that seems pretty clear. Again, my experience up until fairly recently in my life was that this wasn't even an issue for serious debate. Alas, some people continue to believe they hold the keys to death and hell. I really cannot abide that at all.
This is such a non subject in so many ways. Like the number of Angels that could dance on the point of a pin, it means so very much to those who have a finite God in their minds. With Billions of billions or worlds out there how could anyone think God's revelations could be over anywhere anytime. Even on this ball of mud, which Bible is the Bible of the revelation anyway?
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