In my last reflection I briefly summarized what Marcus identifies as an earlier Christian paradigm and an emerging Christian paradigm.
Understanding of Scripture that Belong to the Emerging Paradigm
I want share insights from Catholic theologian David Tracy (b.1939) that I think help us explore an understanding of Scripture that belong to the emerging paradigm (and beyond).
Marcus talks about a historical/metaphorical reading of Scripture. By that he means that context is important and most Biblical story telling is metaphorical. In addition, to a historical/metaphorical understanding of Scripture, I find David Tracy’s use of the word “classic” to be very helpful.
Classics are stories that speak to generation after generation. Each religion has its own classics. Ours is no exception. Classics are particular stories, but they convey concerns that are universal. By nature they bear an excess of meaning. They resist definitive interpretations. And in that they are non-authoritarian. (Those who see Bible stories as codifications will not agree that our Scriptures are “classics.”)
Classic Stories Invite Dialogue and Conversation
David Tracy says that classics offer the hearer an opportunity to participate. I love this insight. Classic stories invite dialogue and conversation. (If we see Biblical stories as codifications, the invitation to dialogue and conversation is thwarted.) Classics, says Tracy, function like an event. They happen to us. They “transform our horizon” to use a phrase of Tracy’s. They transform us as well.
For me, David Tracy’s category of “classic” is very helpful in understanding our sacred scriptures (and other sacred texts). They are stories that seek to engage our own experiences and imagination. They provoke us to reflect, and wonder. I will illustrate how a New Testament story did just that in my reflection, “Continuing the Conversation” on our website.
The Mistake of Scriptures as a Literal Rule Book
Christian narrative is not dogmatic factual history or literally prescriptive. I am concerned that if we mistake our Scriptures as being literal and codified and some kind of definitive rulebook for our day, we risk entombing them prematurely. Like Lazarus who was assumed dead, and was bound and buried. David Tracy and Marcus Borg can help us “unbind” our sacred stories, like Lazarus was unbound, so they not only live again but bring us to new speech as well.
Related to David Tracy’s helpful category of “classic” he also emphasizes the ongoing task of interpretation. (Classics resist definitive interpretation.) Interpretation is central in human life. If we take a moment to think about this we realize how true that is. Interpretation is our ongoing effort to articulate our understanding of experience. It is a creative act. And urges us to risk. To use a slightly different image than Lazarus, if we do not risk new interpretation or fresh understanding we risk our scriptures becoming “period pieces.” Which we will inevitably outgrow. Rather we must engage and participate with our scripture stories again and again, as if for the first time, with “post-critical naivete” or “post-experience affirmation.” Classics, by their nature, will continue to yield meaning. Because we do.
This is a time for creativity, risk, and yes, public theology. And an important time for American Christianity in particular.
I welcome your thoughts and reflections. Help me think this through.
A Couple of Quotes for your Musings
Bernard Lonergan (1904-1984) Canadian Jesuit, philosopher, theologian:
“Be attentive, be intelligent, be rational, be responsible, develop and, if necessary change.”
David Tracy (1939-): “That God is Love means God is radically relational and personal; God is the origin, sustainer and end of all reality. God is uniquely relational since God is related to all reality.”
A variation on David Tracy: That we are Love means we are radically relational and personal. We are uniquely relational since we are related to all reality. We share reality’s “DNA.” We wonder. What are we to do?
Abraham Heschel (1907-1972) Jewish theologian: “Few are guilty, all are responsible.”
I can’t remember where I saw this but it might describe our challenge:
“broad scholarship, honesty, and the risk for change.”
