Broadcast May 18 2009
It was always a great moment in my schooldays to discover that the textbook I was using for my homework had the answers printed in the back. It didn’t help me learn very much, but it got the homework over quick and avoided me having to think for myself!
There are some who would treat the Bible in the same way. And there are many outside the church who think that’s what all Christians have to do. Whatever may be found in this ancient book must be obeyed literally. Don’t spend time agonising over stuff. Just look it up and find a text.
But that has never been true. One of the surprising things about Jesus is that he never fully identified with the religious leaders in his tradition. One main reason was that they were always judging people as to who were “acceptable” and who were to be “rejected” and they used words still found in the Bible to back up their claims.
Jesus refused to go along with this, and Jesus himself updated scripture when he felt it was being used in a way that was not loving.
For Jesus, the letter of the law must always come second to the spirit of the law.
Later this week the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will meet and the media are anticipating a storm. A decision has to be made as to whether to allow an openly gay minister to take up an appointment offered to him by a church in Aberdeen. Those opposed will cite Bible texts which look down on homosexuality. Those in favour will argue that they believe the spirit of God is leading them to a new understanding. Both positions are passionately held.
Religious texts like the Bible can be used to bring about peace, reconciliation and understanding. They can also be used to prop up the practice of slavery, prejudice against foreigners and the belief that women are inferior to men.
The Jewish Rabbi Harold Kushner has said that “the purpose of religion is to teach us whom we are required to love, not whom we are entitled to hate”.
Another way of saying it for Christians is that the Bible should be used as way to include people, rather than as a weapon to shut them out.