Liturgy: Corporate Practice of Presence

Column by Support - Progressing Spirit on 13 January 2022 1 Comments
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Question

Is the Bible the final authority in Christian faith?

Answer

Dear John, 

For Protestants, the unspoken assumption is that yes, the Bible is the final authority in Christian Faith.  I grew up in a church tradition that took the Bible so seriously that we liked to say, Where the Bible speaks, we speak.  Where the Bible is silent, we are silent. Unfortunately, not everything that the Bible speaks about even matters anymore, nor do we consider its assumed premises to be equally moral. 

Take slavery for starters, or the second-class personhood of women.  Both are “biblical.”  Likewise with the idea that we should not speak about things the Bible doesn’t speak about—a kind of theology from silence.  That leaves out of lot of things we all believe in now, even things we cherish.  Electricity for starters, and the true manna of the church, the potluck casserole!  So, it really depends on what you mean when you use the word “authority.”  If that means infallible answers to any questions we might ask, then the Bible falls short.  But if that means the collection of stories which comprise our formative and normative Story—which, though bound by time and culture still rings true in its essence so long as it is continually reinterpreted— then yes, the Bible is “authoritative” (as opposed to the final authority). 

But we should not be looking for a Paper Pope, as the Protestant approach to scripture is often described.  Rather, we should remember that what is truly normative for our faith and life is love, and where love shines through the ages in scripture, we should celebrate it and be guided by it.  But where the Bible warps the concept of love, or even distorts it, then we should fearlessly object.  The Bible should be a signpost, not a hitching post, and we should take seriously all the other sources of truth, beauty, and wisdom in the world.  Not every sermon needs to come from the Bible, nor does every word of the Bible deserve to be preached on.  But whenever we use scripture to give authority to our preaching and teaching, our approach should always be guided by four principles:  It should be biblical responsible, intellectually honest, emotionally satisfying, and social significant.  As the United Church of Christ likes to say, “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.  God is still speaking.”   

~ Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers

 

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