This quote is from an interesting
article on a website called Faith Street, a site that helps people locate faith
communities (including DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church) when they move to
a new town. Peter Eric Enns, a biblical scholar,
theologian, and writer, was asked to list ten things he wishes everyone
understood about the Bible, and this is one of those ten things. You can read the entire article at http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2014/10/06/10-things-i-wish-everyone-knew-about-the-bible.
As I read this article, I thought about
how many Unitarian Universalists experience the Christian Bible. We certainly don’t accept it as an
authoritarian God-given “Terms and Conditions” agreement. I realize that some Unitarian Universalists
see the Bible as relating to some other religious tradition, but not
ours, and some Unitarian Universalists believe the Christian Bible has no place
in our churches. Yet, the Bible and the
Christian religion are part of our history.
So how do we discuss the Bible and Christianity (and even god) if we
don’t at least look at this part of our history?
Going back to the quote above, some Unitarian
Universalists would have trouble with the sentence “The Bible is more like a
grand narrative that reorders our imaginations and holds out for us an
alternate way of seeing reality—with God at the heart of it rather than
ourselves.” I don’t think some Unitarian
Universalists would have trouble with the first part of the idea that the Bible
is be a grand narrative that has the potential to reorder a person’s imagination
and/or holds out an alternative way of seeing reality. Though many of Unitarian Universalists might
not be attracted to that particular alternative way of seeing reality; my experience
of Unitarian Universalists is that many would not find that statement deeply
offensive. I do think that the last part
of the sentence “with God at the heart of it rather than ourselves” would give most
Unitarian Universalists some trouble.
Many Unitarian Universalists have
trouble with this word “god.” Many Unitarian
Universalists have come from a faith-home where that word was used to
manipulate, abuse, control, and harass others.
And many Unitarian Universalists have a difficult time finding a new way
to understand the word god that can make sense to them. Certainly those Unitarian Universalists who
understand the word “god” as representing supernaturalism would say the word
has no meaning. But words do have
meaning. And we, individually and
collectively, decide what that meaning is.
For me, the word “god” means that there
is a life-advancing force within the universe, within all things, that connects
us to one another and all creation. This
meaning is not based on Biblical writings, but I guess I would also say it not in
conflict with Biblical writings either.
If we look at the last part of Enns’ sentence
and keep in mind my definition of god, I wonder how many Unitarian Universalists,
how many people who see themselves as spiritual but not religious, and how many
humanists would reconsider the Bible as useful in their spiritual journey: “The Bible is more like a grand narrative
that reorders our imaginations and hold out for us an alternate way of seeing
reality—with a life-advancing force within the universe, within all things,
that connects us to one another and all creation at the heart of it rather than
ourselves.” I believe that the Bible was
written by people of faith for people of faith to use as a narrative to aid
them on their life journey. So consider
this: the Christian Bible is a grand narrative of stories: stories that might
open up our imaginations, stories that might help us see the world in a
different way, and stories that might help us find new ways to connect with one
another and all creation. Sit with
those concepts for a little while, and notice what meaning percolate up through
your mind and spirit. Words do have
meaning and our Unitarian Universalist congregations offer a place where
questioners and seekers can not only explore the Upanishads, the Koran, and the
Torah, but also the Bible in our free and responsible search for truth and
meaning.
