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Interpretations of God's Word
- Thread starter Rhododendron
- Start date
shadistarr
Senior Member
wow those are some pretty hard questions you're bringing up. I don't really feel qualified to answer some of the questions, well all of them actually, but I'll give you my opinion on one of them 
About the whole getting graded poorly and having to write what the profs want you to write. I've found, in my college experience that writing papers has much more to do about learning how to write for the audience (your profs) than writing what you want to. I go to a very liberal secular state school in California so more often than not I am fighting an uphill battle on defending my faith, let alone interperatations of the same faith (both are difficult in their own ways). With that said, you may have to write, and defend things you normally wouldn't to do well grade wise. I'm not saying go against your personal beliefs and morals, but view it as a way to see why that professor interperates the Bible the way he does. Sometimes learning about different interpretations of the Bible equips us to better understand why you view it differently. If you truely believe that what your professors are saying is wrong and you cannot find a way to express your beliefs in a welcoming way, perhaps you should look at transfering.
About the whole getting graded poorly and having to write what the profs want you to write. I've found, in my college experience that writing papers has much more to do about learning how to write for the audience (your profs) than writing what you want to. I go to a very liberal secular state school in California so more often than not I am fighting an uphill battle on defending my faith, let alone interperatations of the same faith (both are difficult in their own ways). With that said, you may have to write, and defend things you normally wouldn't to do well grade wise. I'm not saying go against your personal beliefs and morals, but view it as a way to see why that professor interperates the Bible the way he does. Sometimes learning about different interpretations of the Bible equips us to better understand why you view it differently. If you truely believe that what your professors are saying is wrong and you cannot find a way to express your beliefs in a welcoming way, perhaps you should look at transfering.
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shadistarr
Senior Member
We're all human, and have fallen short, this includes church leaders. We have to trust that God has a hand in it all.
God corrects all of us, and we all say and preach things, at some point in our life, that do not reflect what the Bible says.
I have yet to find a perfect church with a perfect pastor/minister I always nitpick and find aspects I don't like. I don't think I will ever find a church that I think is perfect, and I'm ok with that. Church for me is like a family, we all have relatives that drive us crazy and say things we don't always agree with. Christians = family (IMO)... one big crazy family. Churchs are like the family that you live with, the nice thing about churches is that, unlike your earthly family, you have the ability to choose which family best meets your beliefs and needs (as well as meeting the needs of your community). Good luck on finding a church, and remember we're all prone to saying dumb things at times!
God corrects all of us, and we all say and preach things, at some point in our life, that do not reflect what the Bible says.
I have yet to find a perfect church with a perfect pastor/minister I always nitpick and find aspects I don't like. I don't think I will ever find a church that I think is perfect, and I'm ok with that. Church for me is like a family, we all have relatives that drive us crazy and say things we don't always agree with. Christians = family (IMO)... one big crazy family. Churchs are like the family that you live with, the nice thing about churches is that, unlike your earthly family, you have the ability to choose which family best meets your beliefs and needs (as well as meeting the needs of your community). Good luck on finding a church, and remember we're all prone to saying dumb things at times!
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That is why my studies in christian ministry are done through my church, in a module type format that you can read and write in and it is formed based on the bible (which we acknowledge as 100% true) so all that is taught must clearly be taught in the Bible and as far as interpretation, it is not done with personal interpretation but rests solely on the Word that is there. It was compiled by a reliable theologian and source who justifies why each thing is said and if there is ever something i dont understand in the modules i can discuss it with her. It is an awesome course (I study externally btw.)
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MarkEvan
Senior Veteran
I think mainly due to the fact that the devil sows his tears in the church as well as God`s wheat, I would go so far as to say that the majority are tares (but thats just my opinion). A lot of people therefore who teach are likely to be tares, hence so many differing views....one thing I have found though, those christians who have truelly lost their life for Christ and crucified their flesh to the world, generally tend to have very similar beliefs, therefore if we remain faithful to God He will not abandon us but rather He will send His Spirit to guide us into all the truth.
Mark
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Weasel7711
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I'll take a stab.
First, I think the reason why there are so many interpretations is because well, there are different people and different cultures who have received Christ interpret the Bible in a way that is consistent with how they have been raised. Also, the most debated subjects are the ones that the Bible doesn't explicitly say something a certain way about. Such things like whether drinking alcohol is a sin, how often communion should be taken, what kind of worship to sing, etc. The Bible never says things like "Alcohol should never be used" or "Alcohol is OK" nor does it say "Communion should be taken every Sunday". Things like these are up to congregations to decide as long as their interpretation does not pass the Bible's boundaries.
In my personal experience, I have gone to three different Christian colleges, 1 was explicitly a bible college. I have sat under a number of different teachers with a number of different interpretations. USUALLY the teacher is well educated and will say "this is my interpretation on the subject based on the research that I have done and you are welcome to disagree, however on the test, the questions will be based on my teaching."
One example is that I had a NT teacher who believed that Paul actually died when he was stoned in acts and was resurrected. It was a different interpretation and I disagreed with it, but I definitely didn't consider it heresy nor was it "unbiblical." It certainly met requirements for being a sound teaching and did not interfere with other essential doctrine.
However I HAVE run into heresy in one of the colleges that I went to. A few of my professors believed in the "gradual" inspiration of the bible and inerrancy as far as the Bible is inerrant in that it leads to salvation, but along the way certain facts and interpretations of God's instruction were made up or misunderstood.
So you have to consider the teaching. Is this teaching heresy? Or is it just something different than what you believe? If its heresy and directly violates God's word, than I suggest transferring or taking a different prof for that class.
First, I think the reason why there are so many interpretations is because well, there are different people and different cultures who have received Christ interpret the Bible in a way that is consistent with how they have been raised. Also, the most debated subjects are the ones that the Bible doesn't explicitly say something a certain way about. Such things like whether drinking alcohol is a sin, how often communion should be taken, what kind of worship to sing, etc. The Bible never says things like "Alcohol should never be used" or "Alcohol is OK" nor does it say "Communion should be taken every Sunday". Things like these are up to congregations to decide as long as their interpretation does not pass the Bible's boundaries.
In my personal experience, I have gone to three different Christian colleges, 1 was explicitly a bible college. I have sat under a number of different teachers with a number of different interpretations. USUALLY the teacher is well educated and will say "this is my interpretation on the subject based on the research that I have done and you are welcome to disagree, however on the test, the questions will be based on my teaching."
One example is that I had a NT teacher who believed that Paul actually died when he was stoned in acts and was resurrected. It was a different interpretation and I disagreed with it, but I definitely didn't consider it heresy nor was it "unbiblical." It certainly met requirements for being a sound teaching and did not interfere with other essential doctrine.
However I HAVE run into heresy in one of the colleges that I went to. A few of my professors believed in the "gradual" inspiration of the bible and inerrancy as far as the Bible is inerrant in that it leads to salvation, but along the way certain facts and interpretations of God's instruction were made up or misunderstood.
So you have to consider the teaching. Is this teaching heresy? Or is it just something different than what you believe? If its heresy and directly violates God's word, than I suggest transferring or taking a different prof for that class.
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