Inspired: Epilogue: And then....

1) For me, it isn't one story but one genre. Wisdom literature has always been confusing and contradictory for me. But RHE's words really cleared things up for me. "Wisdom, it seems, is situational. It isn't just about knowing what to say; it's about knowing when to say it. And it isn't just about knowing what is true; it's about knowing when it's true.... While we may wish for a clear, [lucid] text, that's not what God gave us. Instead, God gave us a cacophony of voices and perspectives, all in conversation with one another, representing the breadth and depth of the human experience in all its complexities and contradictions." "Wrestling" with the Bible is a lifelong adventure, and just when you think you have a "good grasp" on something, it "slips" away. But the only worthwhile endeavor in this life is to "stay in the ring." The Bible, like life itself, isn't easy, but if we keep our eyes on the prize (serving God and his creation now, and eternal life with him later), we will reap untold blessings, living in and dispensing his grace to everyone and everything, everywhere.
1) RHE said it best: "So perhaps a better question then "Do I believe in miracles?" is "Am I living like I do?" Am I touching the untouchables in my culture: homeless, sick, gay/lesbian, stranger/alien, etc.?" "Am I behaving as though life is more than a meaningless, chaotic mess, that there is some order in the storm?" Am I working to make a "community spacious enough for everyone?"
2) "Make America Great Again" has been a rallying cry for Trump and his supporters. I find it a vile and loathsome excuse to turn our backs on the world, jeopardizing decades-long alliances and treaties that have maintained most of our economic. political, and military stability, let alone peace. This isolationism is very dangerous and shortsighted, but worse, it's selfish and self-serving.
3) For me, it isn't just one or two stories, it is the belief that all of our individual stories are linked to the biggest and grandest story of all: God's loving redemptive work in the world. "God is like Jesus" and his life, death, and resurrection is the foundation of our story, and the fulcrum of history. And it's not that hard to "take up our cross" and follow him. To paraphrase Henry Blackaby: "Don't worry about discovering God's perfect will for your life. Just look at where God is already working, and join him." In the Bible, God is saying. "Let me tell you a story." Our privilege is to listen and join our story with his, living a life of temporal and eternal significance and purpose. Oh, and, of course, joy.

Inspired: Church Stories

1) I can't recall any quotes from the Epistles being used against me or a loved one. But I can recall strong sermons against gays/lesbians, especially when we were attending TFC (Episcopal) during the Eugene Robinson turmoil (openly gay priest elected bishop). This caused a huge rift in many congregations. The Falls Church (TFC) lost it's historic church and other properties, and are just now, 15 years later, able to build a new church. The schism was deeper than just gay/lesbian issues, but that can't be overlooked. I remember a pastor denouncing gay relationships because "the bodies don't fit together properly (naturally)".  I really appreciated RHE's clarification of "natural" and "unnatural" in Paul's world, how it was about abdicating one's proper role as a man (active) or woman (passive). Also, people engaging in same-sex behavior did so out of an excess of lust that could not be satisfied. They were not, as we understand it today, gay. "The Bible says very little about same-sex behavior and arguably nothing at all about committed same-sex relationships." "Do we apply the same rightful condemnation of pederasty and rape in ancient Rome to loving, committed same-sex relationships today? My experience loving and engaging with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender friends has convinced me that the Bible has been unfairly used against them, often with tragic results..."

2) I have always liked and respected Paul. I have never felt oppressed by his views. I can remember over 30 years ago encouraging a female assistant pastor with Galatians 3:28: "... in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female." I was trying to affirm her and her necessary role as a female pastor in our church using the "misogynist" Paul's own words.

1) RHE's adding context to Paul's "oppressive" instructions really helped. "Did X help or hurt the advancement of the gospel and in the preservation of unity?" Every X is situational and contextual and not blanket instructions for everyone everywhere. Every X must be weighed in every culture and in every century.

2) Again, being raised RC, there was no discernible emphasis on Paul. Post-RC, Lutheran/Episcopal theology, to me, sees Paul as brilliant and timeless (though there are some troubling bits). For me, if Paul wrote nothing else, Romans 5:8 and Ephesian 2:8-10 lifts him above all theologians (except Jesus). "But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10). These verses to me, encapsulate the whole gospel.

3) I recall this phrase from the Wisdom stories chapter: "Wisdom isn't just about knowing what is true; it's about knowing when it's true." The epistles, like wisdom literature, is best understood contextually. There are nuances and subtleties to every circumstance, and rarely is there a universal application of a principle or religious law. Both seem to be case-by-case, though some truths may be applicable to our own time and circumstances. 

4) "The Epistles were written for us, but not to us."  The Epistles show how the early church struggled with the many challenges it faced, and 2000 years later, we still have struggles. At all times we need to remember Paul's advice in Ephesians 4:32: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgives you."

Inspired: Fish Stories

1) Yes, there are some miracle stories that seem unbelievable: Sun "frozen in the sky"; Jonah living in the belly of a giant fish. But I have to be careful not to disregard them on face value, or literally embrace them. As a Christian, I believe in the greatest miracle of all: the resurrection of Jesus. So, if I believe in that, why can't I at least entertain the possibility of all the miracles as real? God created and sustains HIS universe. He can do whatever he wants with it. But I think we need to look for deeper meanings in many of the "hard-to-believe" stories in the Bible. As I said earlier, something can be true on a level deeper than reality.
2) In the past I have accepted miracles as God's sovereign actions. I have believed them as literal, though not understanding how some could be. I was taught not to question, just accept. Though not particularly helpful, at least I did not fret over it. God is God and I am not. As I have gotten older, my problem isn't so much with miracles, as, it seems, the way they capriciously do or do not occur, e.g., why are some people healed and not others? Why a tornado misses one house and strikes another?
3) "Getting out of the boat" means acting on faith, sometimes in spite of the circumstances. It means choosing to participate, to be involved with God's kingdom work, no matter how mundane or daunting it appears. My latest "jump" is becoming involved with RLC's (our church) Refugee Project. We are going to be a host congregation for refugee families arriving in Tucson. We are just beginning but I see it as a clear example of "welcoming the stranger" in our midst. (Matthew 25:34-36)
1) Jonah and the fish is a bit strange and unbelievable. Jesus walking on water,and calming the storm, has always seemed very personal, that Jesus is present in the chaos of our lives. But when Jesus heals the demoniac man by sending the spirits that possessed him into a herd of 2000 pigs who then rush down a bank and drown in the sea, well, that is strange, but in a way bold and delightful, considering they were in Gentile country and the Jewish dietary laws against pork,
2) I believe that all of creation is God's "sandbox", and he can do with it as he pleases. So, every "miracle" could have literally occurred. But I also believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus, not some "spiritual" resurrection, "where he is always present in our hearts." Miracles don't need to be real to be true. Jesus "touched" the untouchables, breaking down cultural and religious barriers. Miracle enough, I think.
3) I like what RHE said: "So perhaps a better question than "Do I believe in miracles?" is "Am I acting like I do?" "  Am I touching the untouchables in my culture: homeless, sick, gay, stranger, etc. "Am I behaving as though life is more than a meaningless, chaotic mess, that there's some order in the storm?" Am I working to make a "community spacious enough for everyone?"

Inspired: Gospel Stories

3) Being raised RC, my first encounter with Jesus, that I remember, was First Communion. I think it was the first time I wore a tie (I was 7 years old). I recall it being very serious and somber. There was no joy during the service, only afterwards when we celebrated (special meal at Granny's?). The "good news", as I recall, was all about the sacraments, what we had to do to get, and stay, right with God. There was a continued focus on sin and confession. There was duty and fear of mortal sin. It wasn't until many years later, when I heard that I am "saved by grace through faith" that I actually felt Jesus was "good news".
4) Again, being raised RC, I had to act like a Christian. I followed the rules, went to church, confession, etc. But it was external duty, a lifestyle, not an internal change. I believed what my church told me to believe, and what my parents and family believed. I am a Christian now because I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. His story is true, and the only one worth following and sacrificing for. To live as a Christian is the best way to experience life now on earth, and have peace of mind, knowing that life eternal is waiting.
5) I remember 30 years ago being caught up in the whole "Left Behind" mania. I devoured every book. But focusing on the Rapture encouraged people to only worry about "being saved", and then waiting to "escape to heaven" because Jesus paid the price for our sins. Now I believe the Christian life is not about getting to heaven, but bringing heaven to earth. Jesus brought heaven to earth 2000 years ago. We are living in his new world order, and we are to do all we can to advance his kingdom. We are NOT being saved for a later "heaven".  We are here NOW to show Christ's love, forgiveness, compassion and reconciliation to all of his creation. 
1) My two favorite stories/parables are the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. The first is an example of God's radical compassion,and how we are to demonstrate it to all people; there are no cultural/religious "walls" that can block God's love. The second is God's radical forgiveness. Even when we do all we can to spit in God's face, he is always seeking us out, "running" to take us back. He won't abandon us. His arms are always opened wide, ready to receive us when we come to our senses and return to him. I have felt this in my own life.
2) For me, "the gospel" is the story of God reaching down to humans. There is a "More". an "I AM" who created all there is, seen and unseen. Many years ago, after humans spent millennia trying, God became human to show us how to be a human who wants to walk with God. The larger story is God's relationship with his creation. But we each have our smaller story of our relationship with God and his creation that fits into the larger story like a mosaic.
3) The gospel, the "good news" story of God and his creation, is too large, too complicated, too messy, and too beautiful to be reduced into one statement. It not only limits God, but it also limits us. God is very interested in the details of all of our lives (the lost sheep, coin, son), so we need a very large story to contain all our individual smaller stories.
4) "I know that Messiah is coming..."   "I who speak to you am He" (John 4:25-26)
"One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see..." (John 9:25)
"I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37)
I think all three would say that Jesus revealed himself as Messiah. But the Samaritan woman, ostracized from the Jews and maybe her village, would find forgiveness and new inclusion in her community. The blind beggar, excluded from participating in normal life, would receive physical healing (restoration of sight) and new inclusion in his community. The Ethiopian, a Gentile, would receive spiritual enlightenment and the foundation for beginning a new community of faith in his homeland. All were considered "outsiders" until they met Jesus.
5) Being raised RC, my faith was the church's faith and my family's faith. It was more cultural than spiritual. It wasn't until Martha, Chistus Victor, and BSF, that I finally "met" Jesus and his message of grace. The scales dropped from my eyes the first time I read the Bible and attended bible study (BSF). At first I was more conservative and more concerned with my salvation and sanctification. But over time I have come to believe and trust that Jesus is "the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6), though he is not limited to revealing this in an exclusively Christian way. Also, Jesus' life, death, and resurrection is the fulcrum of history. His kingdom began 2000 years ago, and we are his "soldiers", tasked with advancing his agenda of love, peace, forgiveness, grace, and reconciliation to all peoples in all places at all times. This is not only "good news"; it is the BEST news.

Inspired: Resistance Stories

1) The resistance/subversive theme that runs through Scripture is not one that I had considered before. I can't recall any talk of this in church or from faith leaders. RHE makes a strong case against the white American church: " When you belong to the privileged class of the most powerful global military superpower in the world, it can be hard to relate to the oppressed minorities who wrote so much of the Bible." We have to honestly and unsparingly look at American history, and weigh our moral position on a very critical scale. Slavery, Native American genocide, Japanese interment in WW2, Jim Crow laws, refugee treatment past and present, all our military engagements (including "just wars"), our current income inequality, Black imprisonment ratios, our resistance to a common sense gun control policy, and the poor's lack of access to good education and health care, allow us no moral high ground. We must humbly accept our failures and seek to improve. "America's no ancient Babylon or Rome...But America's no kingdom of God either."
2) It is very easy to feel cynical and hopeless about all the injustices being committed in the world. Sometimes I just want to scream, "I GIVE UP. NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE!" But this is my head talking. It "looks" terrible and hopeless. But my heart tells me NO! God is in control and he is on the move. His kingdom is advancing, though sometimes it's hard to see. 7eventh Time Down has a great song out now, "God is on the move", and one phrase captures my feeling: "Anytime somebody lives to serve and not be served...God is on the move!" Every act of love and kindness moves the kingdom forward. I remain convince the story is not over. God will triumph in the end.
3) Years ago when I read Revelation for the first time, I learned that apocalypse means "revealing". It has taken on a catastrophic meaning in recent years, signalling "end of the world" scenarios. Revelation shows the world as it is, but also how it will be in the end, when God wins. Prophets are truth-tellers who see things as they really are - past, present, and future - and remind people that "the story isn't over." God's kingdom continues to march on; it cannot be stopped!
4) One of the great privileges I have had was to live overseas and travel to many parts of the world. I was, and continue to be, humbled by countries and peoples who take better care of each other. America is NOT a Christian nation, though some Christian seeds were obviously planted early in our history. I cannot reconcile all of our injustices with how we should be treating each other if we truly "loved our neighbors as ourselves." Anyone who draws attention to this disparity, and works for changing it, is making a prophetic challenge and encouraging resistance.
5) John Pavlovitz. His recent book, "A Bigger Table", is a prophetic call to "radical hospitality, total authenticity, true diversity, and agenda-free community." {Jesus' inclusive table ministry was} "a way of letting people know that they were seen and heard and known and respected." He excluded no one.
6) I like the story of Esther, but I had only thought of it as a "survival" or "rescue"story. "The story of Esther pulls back the veil on the empire...{and shows} it is an empty foolish power." Also, "Sometimes the best way to fell the Beast is to look it in the face and laugh." I really like the phrase: "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be defeated." I am reminded of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" stories - fairy tales, yes, but loaded with truth we can hang on to in desperate times.
7) I was totally confused reading Revelation for the first time, and even later when I understood more about connections to Daniel, and the coming and going of various empires. Many scholars have parsed every word, sometimes doing exegetical gymnastics to make all the parts "fit", But, to me, it makes the most sense to see it as a "letter written to real people, living in a real time in history...suffering under intense persecution." Yet is was "coded" in a way that Jewish Christians could decipher all the 250 Hebrew Bible references and cultural symbolism, and get the clear message from John, that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, and that everything has changed. N.T. Wright recently wrote a great book called "The Day the Revolution Began" focusing on the death of Jesus as the turning point in human history, RHE quotes this great line: "A door has been opened that nobody can shut." The revolution started 2000 years ago; it's our job to continue the uprising.

Inspired: Wisdom Stories

1) Wisdom is different than knowledge.Wisdom is the ability to clearly see - a situation, a problem, a relationship, and be able to present that information so that others can understand.It does not always involve problem-solving, but it may. A person may be very knowledgeable in his/her discipline, but not have a clue how that knowledge can be applied. I usually associate wisdom with age and/or maturity. The person who has experienced life more, with all its joys and sorrows, has a better and broader perspective. "Elders" tend to be less revered in the US than other cultures, much to our detriment.
2) When I first started reading/studying the Bible (BSF in the early/mid 1980s) I was like a starving man who found the "bread of life." I didn't question much of what I read; I just wanted to take it all in. I became enthralled with the "Left Behind" series, and firmly believed Christ would return in 1988 (Israel's 40 year anniversary of statehood). The B.I.B.L.E. song was very popular. I parsed Scripture for every answer, not for illumination.I understand the Bible now not as a "life manual" but as "The Greatest Story Ever Told" - of God's relationship to all His creation, and humanity's relationship to God, and each other, in all it's messiness and beauty.
3) I don't recall ever being angry with God. There were times when I was confused ("How could God let this happen?"), but I always came back to God is God and I am not. I am always conflicted when I see people I know and love struggle with life's challenges (health, relationships, jobs,etc.) I often pray for God's peace and presence for them, because the "why" is never really explained. Sometimes "life" just sucks, no matter who you are.
4) "Wisdom, it seems, is situational. It isn't just about knowing what to say; it's about knowing when to say it. And it isn't just about knowing what is true; it's about knowing when it's true.'(RHE) This to me is the crux of relationships. In my later years, I realize there is less black and white, and a lot more grey  I find myself often holding my tongue, less willing to talk and more willing to listen first. The Bible reveals the essence of our existence with God and each other. Things are rarely crystal clear, and often we only see "dimly" This should instill humility and compassion in all our interactions.
5) What I struggle with is those faith traditions who rely solely on prayer for healing. That if your faith is strong enough, your prayers "right" enough for God to accept, he will heal the one who is sick. Though I believe in the healing power of prayer (Martha!), it is not to the exclusion of medical, scientific, or psychological professionals. "Wisdom" in God does not exclude "wisdom" in proven human healing technologies. Jesus, the Great Physician" healed people, BEFORE they declared their faith and belief in him.
6) "While we may wish for a clear, {lucid} text, that's not what the Bible gave us. Instead, God gave us a cacophony of voices and perspectives, all in conversation with one another, representing the breadth and depth of the human experience in all its complexities and contradictions." (RHE)  "Inspired" has reminded me (yet again) of the importance of biblical context. The who, where, what, why and when. It is very dangerous to pluck out verses and apply them anywhere and anytime.
7) The only psalm I was really aware of is Psalm 22 - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  I always heard it on Good Friday and the Stations of the Cross. There are people in every congregation who are struggling with how to talk to God, especially when they are hurting. I think there is a need to allow people to speak what's in their hearts and minds in a safe place, like a corporate lament. God gave us the psalms as a way for us to communicate with Him, especially when we are in pain, or frustration, or confusion. He is big enough to handle all of our outbursts.

Inspired: War Stories

1) "I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made" (Genesis 7:4). Though not a "war story", this is a troubling genocidal verse. Estimating the earth's population at that time yields a number from the 100 thousands to the millions. How could the "God of love" commit this atrocity? And this is only the first cleansing that occurs. As the Hebrews begin their conquest of the Promised Land city after city is destroyed. Why is this much death and destruction necessary for an all-powerful God?
2) For years I would just gloss over the hard parts. I would say, "Just because I don't understand it, that doesn't make it wrong or untrue." There are parts of the God of the Bible that are hard to accept. Are they who he really is, or have the authors made God into a war monger to justify their conquests?
3) For me it is hard to reconcile the wrath of God with the love of God. Are they different? Are they the same? This troubles me. But, I harken back to "God is like Jesus", Jesus is the perfect manifestation of God, and he chose to receive violence and hate rather than dispense it. So, I place my eternal trust in Jesus, and that he will reward my faith in him, despite my other doubts.
4) Revulsion. Forty years earlier, God "hardened the heart" of Pharaoh to not let the Hebrews go, resulting in yet another genocide of all Egyptian first-born males. How, or better, why, does God "harden hearts"? Verses like this are revolting and confusing. This is why many people refuse to believe in God (Old Testament (OT)) but embrace the message of Jesus (New Testament (NT)).
5) a) The men who try to steady the Ark from tipping are struck dead. b) Lot's wife is turned to salt for turning around to look at Sodom and Gomorrah. c) The man born blind just to reveal the glory of God (John 9). d) Ananias and his wife sold a piece of property and did not give all proceeds to the disciples, fell dead at Peter's feet when he confronted them (Acts 5).
6) The greatest justification is that all of creation is God's "sandbox." He can do with it as he pleases. God chose the Hebrews as his people, and promised them a homeland. The Hebrews had to conquer the land to make their own. Why? Couldn't God drive out the occupying peoples (famine?) without resorting to warfare? Why does God want them to fight, die, and kill?
7) I don't think I have doubted my faith, but I have felt closer to or further from God at certain points. Early in my post-Catholic faith journey I listened to many religious leaders who were very conservative (Billy Graham, Chuck Swindoll, BSF leaders). But over the last 20 years or so, I have broadened my view to include Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, Richard Rohr, and Marcus Borg. I now see more gray to faith than black and white.
8) "The Longest Day", "Saving Private Ryan", "Glory". It seems our war stories favor a "just war" approach. The Civil War was "justified" to end slavery. WW2 was "justified" to end fascism and Hitler. The Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars are less, if not impossible, to justify. Yet we always paint ourselves as being "in the right". Humanity has always found a justification to fight. It just depends on the scale: backyard scuffle, local protest, civil war, regional conflict, or world war,
9) The most helpful for me is (3). The phrase "God is like Jesus" has been resonating in my mind. And if Jesus/God "would rather die by violence than commit it", then maybe the OT war stories are more about us and less about God. The OT author's "fingerprints" are maybe more "visible" as they justify their actions, and try to make sense of the circumstances they find themselves in. Also, (2). We need to remain humble about our own violent tendencies, and the current culture of militarism over diplomacy.

Inspired: Deliverance Stories

1) Returning from Moscow and trying to get on full-time with the State Dept. was a wilderness experience. I left Moscow without a job, in a leave-without-pay (LWOP) status, on Dec. 15, 1995, the day Newt Gingrich and his Republican buddies shut down the government, I think to spite Bill Clinton. We relocated to No. Virginia, so I could try to get another federal job and keep my government service unbroken. I took the metro in to DC every couple of weeks to check job postings at State, and also take computer classes at night to improve my skills. Nothing was happening, so I asked State to extend my LWOP for another six months, and started the process of going back to the USPS, something I dreaded and really didn't want to do. But to keep my federal career intact I retook the clerk/carrier exam and was able to get rehired less than one week before my LWOP expired. I was at one of the lowest points in my life, having trudged through a rainy, cold January day of carrying mail, when I returned home to two messages from State, telling me to call back ASAP, to get the paperwork started to begin work at FSI (Foreign Service Institute). I was totally stunned and disbelieving. I had not interviewed or even been contacted about any possible position, and here I was being offered a job, in technology, at State! Only God could have "made that way"!
2) Thankfully, I don't see myself in a wilderness now. I see myself in a good spot, healthy and happy, enjoying AZ and retirement.
3) I have seen God's hand in my life many times, but usually only when I look in the "rear view mirror". Only upon reflection, can I see how He has guided my steps. If I was to name my "well" it would be "Moscow". Just getting there, and continuing my federal career was a miracle, but the return (above) was a clear deliverance story for me.
4) The most glaring example is slave traders justifying the exploitation of black people claiming the curse of Noah's son Ham rendered all Africans subhuman. Sadly, racism of varying degrees still persists. The story of exodus ("Let My People GO!") inspired the abolitionist movement of the 19th century and the civil rights movement of the 20th century. Th Bible can be used to justify any position, which shakes and strengthens my faith. We need discernment, and Jesus as our model for how we interpret the Bible. His "fulfillment of the Law" was love, compassion, healing, and forgiveness; not violence and oppression.
5) After Martha's brain surgery in 1997, there did not seem to be a way where she would recover. Some doctors said she may be stuck in a wheelchair with little cognitive function. I was afraid for our future, yet I knew, deep down, that God would somehow bring her back. Many people prayed for her healing and gradually she came back. This was a wilderness time for both of us where we were starved for any "morsel of manna" as a sign of God's presence. Today she is a miracle of God's grace and healing, a testimony to the power of prayer. I knew God had to make a way (for her recovery) because to the human eye, there was no way.
6) My impression of the Law has been and is negative. I understand how it brought order and stability and limits, but it was also very oppressive and patriarchal. Women were treated worse than slaves in many cases. I see it now as a way for God to "herd His Hebrew cats", to try to control and focus them on being God's representatives on earth. We have to remember that "God is like Jesus" - who came to fulfill the Law perfectly through his love, forgiveness, healing, and ultimate sacrifice on the cross.
7) I remember early on in my Bible studies, a strong emphasis on context: the who, where and when is often more important than the how and why. We all come to the Bible (and everything else) with our own personal bias, often trying to find Godly support for our own preconceived views. We have to guard against this misuse of Scripture. Asking ourselves, "What am I looking for?" is an honest way to keep a check on our personal biases.

Inspired: Origin Stories

1) The closest memory I have to an "origin story", is the Kraus Family Code of "family first" My parents drilled this into us kids over and over. As a result, all seven of us remain close, with little or no acrimony among us. Also, growing up in a large family required cooperation and service. We had to get along, and also help each other. This instilled in me, at an early age, a compassionate service outlook on life. It was the "right thing to do" to help people, be nice to people, and respect people. I have tried to live this way my whole life.
2) I recall reading about Billy Graham's "crisis of faith". He had to decide if the Bible was true despite its many troubling parts. He decided just because he can't understand it, that doesn't make it untrue. This is the approach I take. I believe the Bible is true, though not always fact. It is the story of humanity's relationship with God, how then and now we struggle within that relationship, and our relationship with each other.
3) Little Haggai's creation story involved many gods, playing many roles, competing with each other and creating chaos. Marduk prevails, bringing some order, but creating humans as his slaves. "Papa's" story is how Elohim (God) alone created everything, bringing order out of the chaos, but creating humans in his image as stewards, not slaves. Unlike Marduk, "our God doesn't need a temple; he rests and rules everywhere."
4) For many years I viewed the Genesis creation story as fact. God created everything we see in six days, resting on the seventh. Science's inability to explain it was science's problem. Now I am no longer bound to literal Creationism. I do believe God created everything everywhere, but it is no longer important that Genesis lines up with science. Genesis (and the Bible) is not a scientific treatise. It is the story of the relationship between God and his Creation, then and now. The "story" is true at a level deeper than fact.
5) An important family origin story (to me) is how Grandpa Kraus converted from Lutheran to Catholic in order to marry Granny Kraus. It reinforced at an early age the supremacy of Catholicism over all others as "the one true faith."  Over 60 years later, when I (Catholic) married Martha (Lutheran) we still had to account for this dynamic by having co-celebrants (Lutheran minister and Catholic priest) at Martha's Lutheran church. Granny probably would not have attended without this accommodation.
6) I have had an interesting faith journey. Moving from "one true faith" (Catholicism) to literal, infallible Scripture (BSF), to my current more open, less dogmatic position. Again, I believe the Bible is true in ways that are deeper than fact. There is a "deeper magic" (CS Lewis) that governs the cosmos. I bristle whenever someone says "The Bible says..." or (worse) "God told me..." Almost always the very next words are self-serving. I was appalled when AG Jeff Sessions quoted Romans 13:1, stating we should obey and not question our government officials because their authority is from God, while conveniently omitting Romans 13:10; "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." I almost vomited at this blatant hypocrisy.
7)  I had not previously considered the circumstance behind how the Hebrew Bible (HB) was written. If most of the HB began with the reign of King David (high point) and continued through the Babylonian exile (low point), we must view it through a new contextual lens. The Jews in captivity, and those left behind in the decimated Jerusalem, had a huge crisis of faith, and struggled mightily with how to understand their new situation as "God's Chosen People". How could they be "chosen" and yet suffer this catastrophe? Is God still there? Does God still care? Questions we still ask today.
  I appreciate RHE's concluding remarks for this chapter: " If I've learned anything from 35 years of doubt and belief, it's that faith is not passive intellectual assent to a set of propositions. It's a rough-and-tumble, no-holds-barred, all-night-long struggle, and sometimes you have to demand your blessing rather than wait around for it.....With Scripture...We've been invited to a dynamic, centuries long conversation with God and God's people that has been unfolding since creation, one story at a time. If we're lucky it will leave us with a limp."

Inspired:Intro

Hey Brian, I finished the “Inspired” intro, and here are a few of my thoughts:

·         Early thoughts/feelings about the Bible, for me, are nonexistent. My Roman Catholic (RC) upbringing was more indoctrination than discovery or exploration. We were taught to never question, just obey. It wasn’t until I met Martha and heard about God’s grace that I began to explore God’s Word for myself. In the early-mid 80s, I went to a Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) class, my first Bible study. It changed my life and how I encounter God. And over the next 35 years, my idea about what the Bible is and what it means for us, has evolved.

·         Rachel Held Evans (RHE) asks, “What was your favorite Bible story as a child, and how do you read it now as an adult?”  For me, I guess it was Noah’s Ark. Obviously it was a miracle how God saved all the animals. How could they all fit on the boat and survive (not eat each other)? Well, now I look at it as a metaphorical story, that God will go to any length to protect His creation. Also, as kids there was never any talk of “How could a good God commit genocide on the world’s population (except Noah and family)?”

·         One of the most confusing things of the Bible is the post-Eden populating of the earth. Adam and Eve had Cain, Abel, and (later) Seth. After Cain murdered Abel, he was cast out of God’s presence. And settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Well, where did Cain’s wife come from? Did God ‘start’ a whole different family tree outside of Eden that was populating Nod? Cain’s wife, and therefore the people of Nod, just show up!

·         If I was to describe the Bible in the 1980s, I would say it was inspired, inerrant, infallible, trustworthy, authoritative, and sacred. Today I would say it is inspired, trustworthy, and sacred. I believe God “breathed” His story into many authors over many millennia. Not every bit is fact, but in some mysterious way, every bit is true. And because God Himself inspired it, at some level the Bible is sacred; and it is therefore trustworthy as a revelation of God’s character and plan.

·         I was attracted to BSF to help me understand the Bible better. Reading the Bible straight through (GEN – REV) was a bit of a slog the first time, but I persevered. Like RHE, I discovered my “life verse”. It literally jumped of the page when I read it. “For to the one who pleases him, God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy…” Ecclesiastes 2:26a. Also. Matthew (MT) was my first BSF study, and MT 5:17 rebuked my notion of believing only the New Testament (NT), when Jesus said, “I have come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets…” i.e. the OT and all it’s confusing bits.

·         RHE encourages us to write our own Bible story, so here goes.  “Once upon a time there was a boy who, for decades, was told there was only one way, one story to believe. Then he met a girl who believed in God’s grace which he had never heard of. This was a much better story, so he started to follow that story. It changed his life in profound ways, and made him a more compassionate and loving follower of Jesus. He now knows it is OK to not have all the answers; questions and doubts are permitted. He is eternally grateful to live in grace, and do what he can to move God’s story forward.”