James One More Time

This comment came after yesterdays blog: 

"Here are my “serious" thoughts on James:

The clear Christian message was far from clear or consistent 2,000 years ago. After honing and perfecting many sources, Jesus’s message feels obviously clear to Christians today. It might be helpful to remember that for hundreds years after Jesus’s death, a variety of groups received and interpreted the new ideas to work for them.  

The Bible did not exist.  Jesus’s message of grace was a new idea in the time of James.  Clearly delivering new ideas was a challenge for those who had deep cultural beliefs to set aside. Grasping a controversial message for other than political reasons was likely even harder for those who heard the new idea.  For example, as we read James, confusing his words to his audience about ‘the law’ and “The Law” requires care.  

I hope to allow James the grace he deserves in reading his ideas, by keeping them within the context of his life. I also am grateful for those who have insisted on including James’ ideas despite serious complaints to remove his work from the Bible.”

My first thought, as I read your explanation, was:  ‘Yes, of course, I know all of that.  I learned all of what you explained, and more, in seminary.’  

Then I thought:  ‘But what I have learned, in the time between then and now, is that what you and I understand is not what the general reader of the Bible knows nor understands.'  

That is to say.  That the conservative theological mind takes each word, and sentence, of the Bible at face value — as truth without error. 

In my experience they think they don’t need to take into account language, culture, context or any other of the many factors involved in the writing of these ancient words.

And there in lies the problem!

What I have observed, learned, experienced and actually lived through.  Is that the Bible is used as a tool to exclude. And also to determine who is “in” and who is “out” of the “kingdom.”

What you are not taking into account, in your argument, is the very apparent danger of ignorance, and/or mis-information.  

What you are also neglecting to take into account is the powerful damage that this kind of conservative stance has done.  Done not only to God, or Jesus or the Christian message as a whole; but to those who are searching for a loving God.  

What they find is judgment.  And a refusal to have their questions answered. What they get Instead are platitudes, and words of warning, about even questioning “what it say in the Bible.”

So yes, I take Jame’s finger pointing as offensive.   Just as Luther did.  Just as many biblical scholars today who believe that Jesus came to give us a model of God’s true nature.

I am truly sorry if that offend you.