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.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1. Wow! I couldn’t answer that question better than you did, so I am not even going to try. Well said! The only note I will make on this question is simply that I love Rob Bell. Generally speaking, I appreciate his approach and his perspective on understanding the Bible.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, at times I do. But, I also recognize that in most cases all we have control over is ourselves. That by no means makes some of the things that are occurring OK, but if I can follow in God’s steps who knows who might be watching when I hold a door open for someone, say hi to a stranger, smile when I don’t feel like smiling, etc. Downstream who knows how something that small can/could change someone’s perspective.
3. The first word I think of is devastating, which obviously is incorrect. It is interesting how movies have that effect on defining words. My take has certainly changed based on the chapter. When I previously thought of prophet/prophecy it was almost more tied to understanding the future…and less about seeing it. So, I think that works more or less to how I still picture it.
4. I agree with Evans. While I have very little experience overseas, I do see injustices everyday still. It is our job to make any change we can, if for the better.
5. As crazy as it sounds, in a way I see an example of modern day prophets as bloggers and those on YouTube out there in the trenches trying to make a difference (I am not talking about the ones discussing fashion, for example). You can actually see the changes that are being made, which is impactful. That said, I don’t want to overstate this. The vast majority of them are a bit off their rocker and missing the point in one way or another. :) So, the real challenge is sifting through it all.
6. Considering I didn’t know the Esther story well before reading the chapter I don’t think it is fair for me to answer this one.
7. Revelations is a tough one for me. There are some of the most amazing pieces of the Bible in there, but there are some of the most confusing too. Over time I have certainly come to appreciate it more though.