This and the previous post about historicity are wonderful and articulate so well thoughts and feelings I have had for so long. For quite a while I have felt that even if things didn't happen exactly as the biblical writers said, that in some way the spiritual content of their work remains true.
I think this has a lot to do with the idea of inspiration and the Holy Spirit. I think that what we have in the Bible is a record over many centuries of people's wrestling with the idea of God. God inspires people, not words in a book, and that that process is not ended-we are participants still in interpretation and revelation. So what if they or we didn't have the whole picture: more will be revealed, and we can trust in that.
Thank you! Yes, I'll definitely be writing more on the subject in the future, because I think Christians tend to have an understanding of the Bible that takes it to be merely an objective index of unassailable facts, whether moral, historical, or else. But it's quite clear that it isn't that kind of document; that its varied authorship and often directly contradicting exhortations mean we have to read the text - as you say - in an 'inspired' way (lit. 'in-spirited') in order to see God. Without the context of a God-drunk tradition, the Bible can be easily read in ways that are patently anti-Christian. And you're perfectly right to look toward more revelation too: that's a necessity if we really believe Christianity is an apocalyptic religion. It is looking onward; it is yet to fully see or be seen. Our visions now are hazy: absolutisms are ill-advised.
And I always found the Bible so Boring (with a capital "B") when it was preached about in a literal way (which was mostly what I got growing up). "Here are some stories that definitely must have literally happened in history (and if you say otherwise you're not a Christian) and here are some rules. The end!"
Whereas now I find the Bible endlessly fascinating-like it's always bringing me new things. Hmm... it's almost like the more I let go of the thing the more I have it...
This and the previous post about historicity are wonderful and articulate so well thoughts and feelings I have had for so long. For quite a while I have felt that even if things didn't happen exactly as the biblical writers said, that in some way the spiritual content of their work remains true.
I think this has a lot to do with the idea of inspiration and the Holy Spirit. I think that what we have in the Bible is a record over many centuries of people's wrestling with the idea of God. God inspires people, not words in a book, and that that process is not ended-we are participants still in interpretation and revelation. So what if they or we didn't have the whole picture: more will be revealed, and we can trust in that.
Thank you! Yes, I'll definitely be writing more on the subject in the future, because I think Christians tend to have an understanding of the Bible that takes it to be merely an objective index of unassailable facts, whether moral, historical, or else. But it's quite clear that it isn't that kind of document; that its varied authorship and often directly contradicting exhortations mean we have to read the text - as you say - in an 'inspired' way (lit. 'in-spirited') in order to see God. Without the context of a God-drunk tradition, the Bible can be easily read in ways that are patently anti-Christian. And you're perfectly right to look toward more revelation too: that's a necessity if we really believe Christianity is an apocalyptic religion. It is looking onward; it is yet to fully see or be seen. Our visions now are hazy: absolutisms are ill-advised.
And I always found the Bible so Boring (with a capital "B") when it was preached about in a literal way (which was mostly what I got growing up). "Here are some stories that definitely must have literally happened in history (and if you say otherwise you're not a Christian) and here are some rules. The end!"
Whereas now I find the Bible endlessly fascinating-like it's always bringing me new things. Hmm... it's almost like the more I let go of the thing the more I have it...