A distorted image of God that looks suspiciously like us

[Michie]

Human hand inserting bible to ballot box before American Flag, The ballot box is locked. | Getty Images/selimaksan

In Unleashing Scripture, Stanley Hauerwas suggests, “No task is more important than for the Church to take the Bible out of the hands of individual Christians in North America.” At times, I find myself agreeing with Hauerwas. We often misuse the Bible by drawing it into our conversations without sufficient accountability. Without that accountability, we too often use God and the Bible as a way to point to our own concerns or interests. We offer a distorted image of God who looks suspiciously like us. This God supports our agendas and activities so long as we don’t read the Bible too closely.

For example, I recently heard someone advocating for conservatism allude to 2 Corinthians 3:17: “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” He paused briefly before saying “freedom” so those in the crowd could finish the verse (which they did). “Freedom” in the context of his speech referred to political freedom in the U. S., whereas 2 Corinthians 3:17 refers to an aspect of Christian freedom; the relatively unfettered access new covenant believers have in Christ. The former may be impacted by an election. The latter can’t be.

Continued below.

A distorted image of God that looks suspiciously like us

This God supports our agendas and activities so long as we don t read the Bible too closely

www.christianpost.com

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

"My concern is that if we do not commit to being sufficiently disciplined in speaking about God and interpreting the Bible (while recognizing we still won’t always get it right), we will lose the capacity and/or desire to correct misrepresentations of God.

"When we don’t feel the urge to hold ourselves and others accountable for the way we speak about God and use biblical texts, we must ask ourselves if we have become too entangled with the political realm."

Hermeneutics, we seldom stop to think about the scripture we use or hear in its own context.
In fact, sometimes we don't even think that is necessary. As if all that matters is what it means to me here now.

 

[Fantine]

I'm a lectio divina kind of girl. If it was good enough for St. Ignatius, it's good enough for me.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I'm a lectio divina kind of girl. If it was good enough for St. Ignatius, it's good enough for me.

Personal prayer and meditation is one thing. Quoting the Bible t support a political belief is something very different.

 

[Fantine]

Personal prayer and meditation is one thing. Quoting the Bible t support a political belief is something very different.

The only verse I would quote in that regard would be the two great commandments.

 

[timothyu]

. Quoting the Bible t support a political belief is something very different.

Considering God asks us to promote His Kingdom rather than the world we have made in our own image