Nerd Groks Word
Some of you may remember the phrases I never want to hear again, like “git ‘er done” and “I’m just sayin’.” This time, I’m picking on Christians (since I am one and all).
I’m just gonna say it–Christians say some stupid things. We think we are being spiritual, Godly, helpful, wise, encouraging, but really we are sticking our big stinky feet in our big open mouths.
With a tip of the hat to BibleX for the fine detective work done to find this.
Although Jesus frames his instruction with ὅταν προσεύχησθε λέγετε (Luke 11:2a; when you pray, say), the content of the prayer itself makes demands on Jesus’ disciples that extend far beyond their speech in prayer to their Father.
Relevant has excerpted a piece of Wright’s Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today. It’s a pretty good excerpt.
(Thanks to Frank Viola for finding the link to Relevant.)
I almost titled this post “Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right.” Because, here I am, stuck in the middle. With you, I hope.
Wright lists twelve ways the right misreads the Bible, followed by twelve equally egregious ways the left does the same.
It is from this root—the culturally conditioned “Bible wars” of Western culture, not least in North America—that the polarization of current debates has emerged. It is in that context, again, that one hears it said frequently that all reading of Scripture is a matter of interpretation, with the implication that one person’s interpretation is as good as another’s.
This is demonstrably flawed.
Give the article a read. If you get angry or disagree, it may be talking about you. Then buy the book and get the whole story.