Who cares?
I have returned from our Annual Conference with a strange feeling about the future of our conference and denomination. That may just be a normal feeling after a week of reports, debates, and a lack of proper air-conditioning. Hard to say.
I will tell you this story.
During one of the morning Bible studies/teaching moments/motivational speeches, a presenter was speaking about the book of Acts. His comment was that Acts was the second volume of Luke, "who was a disciple."
I had difficulty hearing much more for some time because what I kept hearing in my head was my own voice saying, "That's not true." Luke was not a disciple. We know this because in the beginning of the Gospel of Luke the author writes the following:
"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed." (Luke 1:1-4)
The reason I say Luke isn't a disciple is that he details the fact that he is compiling an account based on "those who were eyewitnesses" of which he is not.
It may seem a small point, and perhaps it is, but it bothered me to no end. Yet what was perhaps more troubling was that when I pointed this out to another clergy, their response was, "Who cares?" Granted, it was made somewhat facetiously, but it still stung. Enough for me to emphatically state, "I do!" I do care, because as a representative of a particular tradition - Christianity - and a particular denomination - United Methodist - I find that when others who hold the same authority don't seem to know what the Bible does and does not say I am offended.
I care because it paints a picture of Luke that isn't true. He wasn't a disciple, which I define as an immediate follower of Jesus. Granted, one can be a disciple of Jesus and not have followed him during his actual life, but that isn't what this presenter meant. He was placing Luke among the 12 Disciples (which is another issue, by the way. Are there actually 12? Can you name them? If you peruse the Gospels you might actually come up with 14 names.). That just wasn't the case, and the author of the Gospel is open enough about that fact to stave off such a claim on his behalf.
This, though, may be indicative of a larger issue: we don't know our traditions. We don't read the Bible except as a book of proof texts to back up what we already think or believe. And I find that my stomach and brain just can't take any more of that.
That goes for my own preaching as well. I feel I have to be very careful to make statements concerning broad generalities. When one makes a statement like "The Bible says..." one has to be careful not to overreach. A student (disciple?) of the Bible quickly learns that there are multiple voices reflected in the sacred texts and that they don't always agree. Sometimes they don't even agree with themselves, as in the case in the Gospel of John that says that Jesus and the Disciples baptized but then clarifies by saying that Jesus didn't baptize, even though a few verses earlier one would certainly conclude that he had.
But who cares?
That stung. It still sits heavy on my shoulders, because I do care. I would like to think that those in my congregation, while not necessarily knowing the specifics would want their preacher to know the nuances. I would like to think that those who truly do wish to learn what the Bible has to say would care when someone makes a claim that can easily be verified or dismissed as not true.
Again, though, that is just me. And perhaps I am a relic. Church seems to be less and less about accuracy and scriptural depth and knowledge than it does about being a particular advocate for political ideologies and feeling good. Self-help and politicization have become entrenched in the church and either because of or as a result of that fact, what the Bible actually says might not matter too much anymore.
But it still does to me.
I will tell you this story.
During one of the morning Bible studies/teaching moments/motivational speeches, a presenter was speaking about the book of Acts. His comment was that Acts was the second volume of Luke, "who was a disciple."
I had difficulty hearing much more for some time because what I kept hearing in my head was my own voice saying, "That's not true." Luke was not a disciple. We know this because in the beginning of the Gospel of Luke the author writes the following:
"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed." (Luke 1:1-4)
The reason I say Luke isn't a disciple is that he details the fact that he is compiling an account based on "those who were eyewitnesses" of which he is not.
It may seem a small point, and perhaps it is, but it bothered me to no end. Yet what was perhaps more troubling was that when I pointed this out to another clergy, their response was, "Who cares?" Granted, it was made somewhat facetiously, but it still stung. Enough for me to emphatically state, "I do!" I do care, because as a representative of a particular tradition - Christianity - and a particular denomination - United Methodist - I find that when others who hold the same authority don't seem to know what the Bible does and does not say I am offended.
I care because it paints a picture of Luke that isn't true. He wasn't a disciple, which I define as an immediate follower of Jesus. Granted, one can be a disciple of Jesus and not have followed him during his actual life, but that isn't what this presenter meant. He was placing Luke among the 12 Disciples (which is another issue, by the way. Are there actually 12? Can you name them? If you peruse the Gospels you might actually come up with 14 names.). That just wasn't the case, and the author of the Gospel is open enough about that fact to stave off such a claim on his behalf.
This, though, may be indicative of a larger issue: we don't know our traditions. We don't read the Bible except as a book of proof texts to back up what we already think or believe. And I find that my stomach and brain just can't take any more of that.
That goes for my own preaching as well. I feel I have to be very careful to make statements concerning broad generalities. When one makes a statement like "The Bible says..." one has to be careful not to overreach. A student (disciple?) of the Bible quickly learns that there are multiple voices reflected in the sacred texts and that they don't always agree. Sometimes they don't even agree with themselves, as in the case in the Gospel of John that says that Jesus and the Disciples baptized but then clarifies by saying that Jesus didn't baptize, even though a few verses earlier one would certainly conclude that he had.
But who cares?
That stung. It still sits heavy on my shoulders, because I do care. I would like to think that those in my congregation, while not necessarily knowing the specifics would want their preacher to know the nuances. I would like to think that those who truly do wish to learn what the Bible has to say would care when someone makes a claim that can easily be verified or dismissed as not true.
Again, though, that is just me. And perhaps I am a relic. Church seems to be less and less about accuracy and scriptural depth and knowledge than it does about being a particular advocate for political ideologies and feeling good. Self-help and politicization have become entrenched in the church and either because of or as a result of that fact, what the Bible actually says might not matter too much anymore.
But it still does to me.
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