I am entering my second (and final term!) term in helping my church conference put on its winter retreat for youth. I came into this pastoral position acknowledging that I am not a good event planner even though over half of my time is directed towards those birth to 25 (and many still consider me the 'youth pastor'). I can act zany with the best of them at times (me as the hippy prophet Isaiah receiving his vision) but other than drama I tend not to lean towards fun events. I am really hoping to plan and entitle an event "The Least Fun You Will Ever Have" some time but perhaps when my next position is secured. Anyway, I am posting because for this winter retreat I volunteered to lead three sessions on "The Bible" (I figured only three would be required). Session 1: The Formation of the Bible. Session 2: The Story of the Bible. Session 3: The Bible Today.Now feel free to criticize these categories but I thought they were a place to start. What I am hoping to do move the context away from a purely apologtic 'defence' of the Bible. I am not sure if perhaps I should begin with a bit of epistemology and distinguish the relationship between modern science and Bible. I will likely also focus on canon and community (looking at least a little at James Sanders) recognizing emphatically the many (and mostly unknown) hands that were a part of leading to their flasy youth devotional Bible. I think testimony is important recognizing the ongoing communication that surrounding (and was included within) the Bible's formation. In any event I hope to elevate the human end of the Bible while still recoginizing it is as revelation. I hope to post more as this unfolds. The problem is always getting started with youth. I need something zany don't I . . .
I often get the sense that Christian's have there back up against the wall when it comes to the Bible and to be honest, I'm having a really hard time thinking of talking about the Bible in a Christian setting that isn't an apologetics exercise. I'd really be fascinated to know what you have in mind for this one Dave because the more I learn about the formation of the canon (a specific area of interest of yours that I'd very much like to be able to sit you down and chat about at length) the more it seems to undermine all those apologetic efforts offered to me as a youth. Maybe its my philosophical training coming out but its harder and harder to entertain the privileging of a text. I realize "privileging of a text" is a very dense phrase and we don't have time for it here but I'm interested in just what your up too. But, maybe thats not even what your after so I hope you'll keep me (us) posted on how it goes.
ReplyDeleteWhat no comment about my Isaiah impersonation?! In seminary I needed to take a class called Apologetics and Something (probably Evangelism). Anyway, I needed to present on the authority of the Bible or something and I simply could not engage the typical apologetic material and what I ended working on was the idea of witness and testimony as it related to scripture. I don't think the Bible needs to be defended and I don't think it is the final and only Word of God. Though that being said I have an extremely high view of the Bible and do 'privilege' it. More to come on that I suppose . . .
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you again. Did you hear the news about Steve Dueck? He's getting hitched and I'm tying the knot for him!