For The Love Of Scripture

A new article in popular magazine regarding the issue of gay marriage and the Bible continues to stir the controversial waters of the gay marriage issue in America. However, I am disturbed by the seemingly irreverent treatment of Scripture in the article and in America today. In secular America it is becoming increasingly evident that the Bible is used, at best, as a supplement to our already morally superior and intellectually advanced culture, and often reduced to a neat historic book that has some nice things to say, but is overall out of touch with the world today. 

 

Of particular offense to me personally (and many other Christians, I hope), is a secular worldview that claims to have a superior understanding of the Bible over those who faithfully adhere to its teachings and look to it as the living and life-giving word of God for their soul. Those who wish to homogenize religion into a peaceful unity that fits comfortably with the culture actually do violence to the individual religions and those who follow them by failing to honor, respect, and appropriately understand each unique religion, each unique religious expression, and the unique individuals who practice them. 

 

Opponents of conservative Christians who claim that conservatives take the Bible too literally fail to practice what they stand against as they take certain passages literally when making a point about the offense of scripture. If the literalness of the passage is nullified, then the argument that takes it literally to make a point is nullified as well. 

 

One must also consider the difference between prescriptive and descriptive passages, as well as the difference between principals and rules. Opponents of a literal interpretation of Scripture often fail to see the principals behind the rules, and take the rules at face value, claiming they can be thrown away as archaic practices or irrelevant ways of living. 

 

I argue that no passage of Scripture can be thrown out as if it is used trash, regardless of how we view its relevancy. What is needed is an understanding of the underlying principals and broader contexts that inform the rules, and faithful and responsible methods for creating new rules and ways of living without violating the principals behind the rules. 

 

If one has a problem with a certain passage of scripture, one must not throw it out, but seek to understand why it says what it does, what principals are informing what it says, and what that means for us today. This goes beyond literalism, story, or metaphor.  This is the way of honoring and respecting any beliefs considered sacred by any religion and any religious text. Anything else does violence to religion, and ultimately, the world.