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Thought for Today: Scripture is not the source of disunity, people are.
The pastor of a church divided by conservative and liberal factions was raising concerns from both sides on his estimation of Scripture. The conservatives were murmuring among themselves that the pastor did not show adequate veneration for the Scripture. The liberals were murmuring among themselves that he was too conservative in his veneration for Scripture. So, one Sunday he stood up and calmly spoke, “It seems some of you would like to ask me about why I do not venerate Scripture enough. I do not show such veneration for the Book because I owe allegiance to what made the Book possible in the first place.” The conservatives seemed quite irritated by this statement. Then, the pastor said, “It seems, likewise, some of you would like to ask me about why I am too respectful of the Scripture. I show such veneration for the Book because I owe allegiance to what made the Book possible in the first place.” The liberals seemed quite irritated by this statement.
Scripture is a wonderful story inspired, not by some distant God off far away, like a monarch handing down edits, but inspired within the journey of peoples and faith communities over centuries. Inspiration is relational and contextual, arising out of real life and addressing real life, arising from our seeking Truth together in devotion and commitment to the Mystery. When we allow, thereby, inspiration to continue in our relationship with Scripture, we find the Scripture can be a means of drawing us beyond our theories of Scripture and we can be a people rightly respectful of the Scripture but not overly venerational toward Scripture. Thankfully, conservatives and liberals, and all in-between, can be addressed by the Scripture and find plenty of cause through that address to enjoy a unity-in-love. Certainly, can we not agree that Scripture is meant to be a means of inspiration, not fussing?
Questions: Do you read Scripture daily? Do you find Scripture study to be inspirational? Explain. Do you find Scripture to be a uniting element in your community of faith? Explain. What does it mean to say, “Scripture is inspired within our common journey?” How might Scripture be a uniting element in your community of faith?
OneLife Ministries is a pastoral outreach and nurture ministry of the First United Methodist Church, Fort Meade, FL. For Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling, spiritual formation workshops, Christian meditation retreats, or more information about OneLife, write Rev. Dr. Brian K. Wilcox at briankwilcox@comcast.net.
Brian's book of mystical love poetry, An Ache for Union, can be ordered through major bookdealers.
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
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