August 2010

The philosopher John Stuart Mill is known for his defense of free speech as being a primary public good, essential within a democratic society.  I have gleaned some information from his writings to provide a framework for this month’s offering in INSPECTUS.  Mill writes:

All too often in the church, especially within our public discourse, there is an underlying impression that speakers interacting with others embody an attitude of infallibility. Whether this occurs during debates in our Synodical or Churchwide Assemblies, or in the conversations of members within congregations, an assumed infallibility of a speaker will often cause good dialogue and conversation to cease.

I especially see this phenomena occurring in discussions where the Bible is being utilized as a part of the greater conversation.  Being a Biblical Scholar, and an ordained Lutheran Pastor (ELCA), I of course uphold the importance of the Scriptures within theological, ethical, moral, or church polity discourse. As a stated norm and authority of faith and life the Scriptures are given a special place within our reflections and deliberations.

However, as the Bible becomes a part of such intentional discussion it can either be used to support the Body of Believers in their deliberations, or it can be used as a club to knock out ones opponents. Issues on the Bible’s authority become important to consider, especially if we consider the Scriptures to be inspired (God breathed) writings. I consider the Bible to have been a document created over the centuries by the community of the faithful, who chose what would and would not be within the “canon.” This document, as attested by Luther and other reformers, is certainly a place where the Christ is revealed in faith for faith.  Luther reminds us that the Scriptures as we  have received them are the “cradle in which the Christ Child lays,” implying that even in the inspired process of transmission that the Bible is the container wherein Christ may be found, but that the Bible is not to be worshipped as the Christ. Indeed, to consider that the living Word of God—Jesus Christ, incarnate Word—is limited to the Scriptures as being the only place to see God (what about the sacraments, or prayer, or worship, or service to the neighbor) creates an attitude called Bibliolatry (Bible Worship).  Such a Bibliolatry would be idolatry, rather than an upholding of the faith. Indeed, the issues of Bibliolatry have caused much harm and devastation to the lives of the faithful in the church. Literalistic readings of the Scriptures, with no room for interpretation by the lens of God’s grace in Christ or the gospel word of salvation solely by God’s grace through faith in Christ, have caused more arguments than blessings, and have sullied the name of Christ in the process.

When we read the Scriptures as the means to support our own personal biases or prejudices we negate the hope we hold in the promise of the gospel. In such activity not only do we use the Bible to support ourselves (rather than allowing the Scriptures to seep into our hearts and teach us the love of God and neighbor) but to justify a practice of turning into ourselves and creating a position of infallibility that neither the Scriptures nor God intended.

This is where Mill is important in helping us. When we uphold an ideology other than the gospel word of promise, love and life in Christ Jesus our Lord, we create a forum for falsehood to be exalted, rather than a place for truth. We paint ourselves into a corner from which we cannot reconsider, and cause destruction no matter where we step. In reading the Scriptures there is a need to read them from a position of fluency in their concepts, themes, cultural context, and inter-contextual vision. It is not helpful for any of us to consider that, beyond the proclamation of the gospel word of freedom, forgiveness and life, that we have the ONLY word allowable. To do so is to take infallibility upon ourselves, and foist opinions on others that have more to do with our foibles and fears than the truth of God.

For the purposes of respectful, reflective and deep consideration of the Scriptures, the image of the rabbi’s in seeing the text as a rare jewel that has numerous facets—thus showing light in numerous refractions—is important to consider. These facets of light are the sharing of insights into the text, conversing about them, being subject to their work upon our community hearts though prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  To consider that we may have the last word or the only word that could be considered is already stepping along the path toward personal infallibility. The four points of Mill become important in our discourse and discussion, so that there is no repression of opinion, but an open dialogue where we are all willing to consider, think, pray and ponder.

Only as the community of the faithful guided the Holy Spirit, centered around Word and Sacrament, and intent on uplifting and interacting with the neighbor can we even come close to interpreting the words given to us in the Scriptures for this place and time. When this happens the word of God is indeed the viva voce, the living voice of God. When this happens the voice of God becomes living in us, present in our faith and life, rather than dead words from a dusty past that may not provide guidance and strength in these times. Mill, as he gives pointers to us about free speech, open discourse, the discernment of truth, and the need for not losing the doctrine of our lives—as the church most specifically being the gospel—grants us insight into the power of the openness of information, community interaction, and the vitality of the insights to give power to our character and conduct as a community of grace and faith. We need to choose to foster such openness and interaction, not suppress it out of a sense of censorship or fear.

Comments?  Please send them to the Librarian/Editor of this website, spiriteagle75@aol.com

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