“How Lutherans Interpret the Bible” and the ELCA Resolutions
The follow-up Study and Discussion Sessions on the Biblical and Theological issues surrounding the ELCA resolutions regarding same-sex relationships and homosexual clergy will be starting up in December! There will be two sessions offered, one on Sunday mornings starting on December 6 for the Adult Forum at 9:45am, and one on Thursday evenings starting on January 14 at 7:00pm. *PLEASE SIGN UP AT THE INFORMATION DESK – or – email me at pastor.kent@christusvictor.org.
We will be using Mark Allen Powell’s series “How Lutherans Interpret the Bible” to give us a foundation to work from as we begin to address the Biblical texts in question. The seven sessions will cover:
- The Word of God
- What Lutherans Say About the Bible
- Where the Bible Comes From
- Interpreting the Bible in Context
- Determining Right from Wrong
- The Many Meanings of the Bible
- Devotional Bible Reading
Sunday Forum Schedule: Dec. 6, Dec. 13, Jan. 10, (Jan. 17 – Committee Fair; Jan. 24 – Annual Meeting), Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 14.
Thursday Evening Schedule: Jan. 14, Jan. 21, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18, Mar. 4
Please contact me if you have any questions about this series.Â
It is my deep hope and prayer that a large number of Christus Victor members and all interested people will take the opportunity to learn more about the Bible and our Lutheran Theology, to help guide and shape our discussions and discernment when we confront any disagreement over the intrepretation and application of the Scriptures in our individual and communal lives of faith as disciples of Jesus Christ.
I’ve recently been reading the first half of John 3. Usually there’s some reason I decide what to read but often it’s the “random flip†method. In this case it was because of the Christ the King Sunday message and I knew Jesus mentioned “kingdom†in His discussion with Nicodemus. I have a couple of favorite bibles that I switch between and sometimes different versions can clear up my confusion although sometimes it just adds to it.
It’s nice to receive the message in context (is that the same as remembering what was going on at the time?). It seems to me that Nicodemus and Jesus were alone. The reason I say that is because it was in the night. The second reason I say that is because Nicodemus apparently asks Jesus a question that a Pharisee should have known the answer to. We are always told, “There are no stupid questionsâ€, but I’m putting, “How can this be?†on my list of questions not to ask Jesus.
For me the context makes this story real. I can believe it really happened because of the details. People around Jerusalem knew who Nicodemus, teacher of Israel, was. Someone else must have been there to witness the event or it wouldn’t have been in John’s Gospel. That contradicts what I said about Jesus and Nicodemus being alone doesn’t it?
Does a person need to be “born again†to get to heaven? Verse 3 (RSV) says that unless you are born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Verse 5 says that unless you are born of the water and the spirit, he can not enter the kingdom of God. Verse 16 says that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. That seems to contradict itself or at the very least have a different nuance.
My ability to fully grasp what was said in this simple text is limited by it’s translation to the English language. It is also limited by my own capacity to understand physical/spiritual relationships. But I do know this. There is no IQ test to get to heaven which is very good news for me.
So even though I have an out, I think I’m supposed to try to understand the bible. And when I do have an occasional breakthrough moment or new discovery, I’m supposed to share it.
If you were able to ask Jesus a question, what would you ask Him?