Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Taking the Bible Seriously

Yesterday Jerry Masterson, one of our elders, spoke on treating the Bible seriously. He stated that the Bible we have is, of course, not the original one, but that:

somebody wrote it
somebody copied it
somebody decided its content
somebody gathered it
somebody translated it.

It is historically connected to its time and not ours, it was not written to us, and it cannot be interpreted the same way in all its parts (poetry should be viewed differently than the law books, etc.).  We are free to interpret it to our times, however, we should avoid absolutism, accept the unique authority of the Bible as the earliest and best witness of God .

Of course, the rub is in the interpretation.  This sermon would have heretical years ago, but was a refreshing breath of air Sunday.  Thanks, Jerry.

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