“The Bible — a Two Edged Sword” by Keith Basar
The centrality of Scripture (at least from the Protestant perspective) is surely a double edged sword. Hey, it’s God’s word! Isn’t this what us Protestants were taught? The final authority, sola scriptura. Actually, if we pry a little deeper, that notion of “Gods Word” (the Bible) is suspect. The Apostle John explains in his Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…” Seems to me he is not referring to any ancient scroll, rather speaking of the eternal Christ. I’ve gotten lots of flack over that one😳. Anyway, scripture is rich in story, parable, profundities like the Sermon on the Mount, acuity of Grace, and apokatastasis: the restoration/healing of all things! Yet some scary, violent godly behaviors scattered throughout the Old and New Testaments — leave some of us uneasy😱!
It’s challenging to rise above an easy literal reading of these ancient stories, especially the sometimes “unchristlike” actions found in an anthropomorphic-like God. This is how most of us were raised. It is also why many have left the fold — particularly in regard to the authority of the Bible. Consider the early O.T. days of God killing thousands of Moabites, Ethiopians and Assyrians, and the killing of firstborns. Millenniums later God (the antithesis of the O.T. God) would tell his people to ”love their enemies,”, “judge not” and turn the other cheek.” Alan Watts described most readers of the Bible (moi) in this way, “They may be highly intelligent in the arts of farming, manufacture, engineering and finance, and even in physics, chemistry or medicine. But this intelligence does not automatically flow over to the fields of history, archaeology, linguistics, theology, philosophy and mythology which are what one needs to know in order to make any sense out such archaic literature as the books of the Bible.”
A few years back I came across Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory — a theoretical model that describes the evolutionary development of individuals, organizations, and societies, focusing on how different value systems and ways of thinking emerge and evolve over time (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Dynamics). That model, applied to Biblical stories/history, and perceived notions of God helped shed a healthier light on my often distrust of the Biblical God. A second key discovery was the rich, early church tradition of the Patristic Fathers and Mothers. Rather than God as “legal judge” (cultivated by St. Anselm, John Calvin and most modern evangelical teachers), critically assessing, and demanding justice for our sinful behaviors — these early Patristic teachers viewed God (Trinity) as “Divine Physician.” In other words, you can’t punish someone for being sick, rather, you care for, nurture, and make safe the ailing patient until they are brought to wholeness. This journey into wholeness is what these early teachers called “apokatastasis.” The restoration of all things. “…making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth (Ephesians 1:9,10).
Compounding these new insights I was introduced (through a podcast interview) to an Eastern Orthodox monk, Archbishop Lazar Puhalo who explained that many Christians wrongfully view their God more in the light Moloch, the violent, child sacrificing god of the Canaanites, rather than Yahweh, the God of mercy and grace. I have to admit, I along with so many other Christians suffered from these tragic notions.
I was slowly gaining my footing towards a different kind of God. Not a “pissed off” deity, but one who had my best interest at heart. With a healthier, more comforting perspective, God increasingly reflected a more feminine character: nurturing, comforting, protective, and understanding. But there was resistance! During the Middle Ages the portrayal of the Biblical god as an anthropomorphic and Zeus-like character reached its pinnacle. Fear was pervasive. God the Father and Jesus were often viewed as punitive, untrustworthy, even life threatening! Out of this conundrum a new movement grew — the turning to Mother Mary (Mariology). With Father and Son overtly threatening, Mary became the protective one, a safe harbor for the fearful and destitute. Her stature grew over the centuries. Human hearts needed a safe place to rest. From the 16ht century on Protestants mocked the veneration of Mary, but failed to see their contribution to the play. The drama goes on to this day.
Carl Jung’s theorized that humans embody both a female and male quality or archetypes within their psyche. Reasonable enough. Remember we (men and women) were created in the image and likeness of God. If our hearts need a God possessing both qualities then Jesus would seem our best demonstrative witness to this point of faith. “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (Divine Father/Mother). "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Father, except the Son…”
If Jesus is our connection to glimpsing the Eternal One, did Jesus mirror masculine and feminine traits? Certainly the masculine energy could be reflected in his bold truth-telling, demonstrating a fearless sharp tongue towards hypocritical leaders, or exhibiting righteous physical anger towards the shenanigans taking place in the Jerusalem Temple. And Feminine? Jesus showed beyond doubt tenderness, nurturance, sensitivity, and compassion. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and comforted the anguished. In defense of both qualities 14th century mystic Julian of Norwich wrote, “As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our Mother.” “We owe our being to him—and this is the essence of motherhood! — and all the delightful, loving protection which ever follows. God is as really our Mother as he is our Father.”
So we have this cosmic character, the incarnate image of the invisible God, revealing the best of both masculinity and femininity — and those are mere starting points for the Infinite!
This ineffable Source, the “that which cannot be defined,” may best be brought to earth in one simple scripture, "God is Love.” Who doesn’t love Love! We also know that this Love was promised to us, to abide in us as, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, “whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things (about Love)…” Is Jesus referring to the Bible? Without question the Spirit can illumine scripture (e.g. our Bible study), but no, he is not. Scripture is not an exclusive path to knowing God. Didn’t Jesus say, “you search the scriptures and in them you think you have life, but they are they who testify of me?” Father Richard Rohr points out that orthodoxy (of beliefs, ideas, or activities — considered traditional, normal, and acceptable by most people) is multidimensional — much like a tricycle. The two rear wheels, Scripture and Church tradition are incomplete without what is most important — the front steering wheel: our personal experience. Experience potentially takes us from dogmatism to open-mindedness, from our monkey-minded heads to our tender hearts — where God has set up camp. Isn’t personal experience a key to understanding Love? Aren’t we all led (consciously or not) by the Way-Shower (Love), learning compassion, forgiveness and mercy? Is it even possible not love Love!
SIDE-NOTE: The Hebrew word for "spirit" (ruach) I can be interpreted as feminine. Father, Son and Spirit— a mascu/feminine Divinity.
Is the Bible the inerrant, infallible word of God? Is Jesus the Christ the inerrant, infallible Word of God? Consider this: Jesus said, “You have heard it said to those of old, thou shall not…, but I say…”.) Wait! Is Jesus saying the “ancients” missed something, fell short on a key idea ? And then this — did Jesus selectively chose scriptures that best supported his earthly mission: proclaiming the Gospel (Realm) of the Kingdom? In other words is it possible that all biblical words, phrases or sentences are not “flat,” or of equal stature — some possessing a higher understanding of the Divine? Could Jesus be a better lens by which to understand scripture, tradition, and our experience in Love? If scripture points to Him, and he abides in us, is this not a game changer? I realize that I may be misunderstood here. "So Keith, what you are really saying is scripture is of little value?” No, its simply not enough. It’s one wheel. It’s not an end all or an encyclopedia for all of life’s questions. Sola scripture has never worked! The Apostle Paul puts it this way, “…the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Jesus tells us, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” Again, this doesn’t devalue the Bible — it frees us from the oppressive literalism and Biblical exclusivity that is a true spirit killer! It allows for mystery to fill in the gaps; it liberates the imagination, and it humbles us. Paul calls it , “the mystery of faith.” There’s an old Zen saying, “the finger that points to the moon is not the moon.” I think most of Protestantism has utterly failed on this point‚ obsessing over the finger — the Bible, and not who and what scripture points to…
So the Bible, from Genesis on points us to Jesus; and Jesus points us to the climax or apex of human history — the Cross. Like so many Christian teachings the meaning of the Cross can set us free or scar us for a lifetime. Here are two polar opposite examples. Some theological/doctrinal thinkers argue that the Cross was a necessary event allowing for divine justice to be fulfilled. God’s need for wrath against sin and lawless sinners — finding satisfaction by the shedding of innocent blood. My gosh, we can find Old Testament scripture that dispels such barbarism: "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6). Time has allowed me to rise above this nightmarish scenario. I no longer see the Cross as a retributive punishment against humanity (Jesus being our sacrificial replacement).
A second perspective on the meaning of the Cross is based in part on René Girard's scapegoat mechanism theory. “… the crucifixion was a pivotal event that exposes the human tendency towards violence and the scapegoating mechanism, revealing the true nature of human society and the Christian revelation.” Humans needed someone or something to blame and punish to justify their own personal and societal darkness. In reality the Cross revealed human wrath against the Light of Love. Jesus (God/human), the incarnate image of the invisible God became that scapegoat for our madness. And this is where this whole story becomes supernatural: in spite of the denial of his disciples, sweating blood, beatings, scourging, tearing of his flesh and finally being nailed to a post to die, we hear Jesus’ (Triune) prayer, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do. And where was his Father? Hanging on that same post.
This is the pinnacle of agape Love! It is the demonstration of who and what God is: grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness. It’s the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son, the Lost Coin… There was never a Godly need for blood sacrifice. That was a human need, a misinterpretation of who and what God was (and is). It was our own foolish, egoic delusions pitted against perfect Love. That Love shined into our darkness, but few comprehended, let alone embraced it. Most likely I would have been one demanding legal justice. And in spite of this tragic human mess, my mess, love conquered all. Love set the captive free. Love’s judgment was revealed as retribution, but immeasurable mercy. That was and is the gift: God understanding us, forgiving us, beginning to heal our delusional minds, and pouring out limitless grace. This whole spiritual equation has nothing to do with us, our faithfulness or anything else. It’s all about God’s faithfulness towards us. Its always been about Love — in spite of gross human ignorance. Now we can assuredly know God’s invitation, “come and sit at my table of Grace.” And the only requirement? — to eat. This is the promised apokatastasis: the restoration/healing of all things! Beginning and ending with each of us. In this holy of holy place we can finally and fully rest.
