The Into to My Book

I finally found out how to share my book with those of you who have not read it yet.  If you are interested to reading it click on the title and it will take you to the sight.  

In the mean time I will share the Introduction with you;

Introduction

An Invitation to Enter the Conversation

1. Could it be that God has more to say than what was first printed in the books chosen to be “the Christian Canon?”
2. Coulditbethatallofourquestionsarenotansweredbywhatisspecificallywrittenonthe pages of the Bible?
To be attentive to these questions I am going to attempt to place words on the pages of this book that could have indefinable present day meaning before a God who is undefinable and beyond the limits of our human brain’s ability to comprehend.
This small book is one person’s passionate plea for the Christian world, and our nation, to come together in their ignorance. It is a thesis on one, just one, understanding of the most widely read book in our history. A book that cannot easily be understood at first, nor even second reading. A book that needs explanation of its contexts, cultures, languages, and traditions. And yet, a book that I believe holds the basic truth for life and living upon this earth.
This small book is also a plea for those, who seem to want to, limit God’s grace and mercy. They do this by witnessing in ways that put stumbling blocks before those who still strive to seek meaning and purpose in this God who seems so very illusive and untouchable.
In the last century our nation has experienced the insurgence of a very strong right wing in the Christian religion that has claimed dominance in Biblical understanding. I am not attempting to pronounce judgment on their theology, even though I disagree with their interpretations on scripture as well as their methods of witness and evangelism. It is simply my opinion, and so, I have to say, I may very well be incorrect in my assessment. What I will attempt to do is request that they at least consider what I have to say. Keeping in mind that I am perfectly willing to admit that I could be incorrect in my own understanding, interpretation, and theology. However, it is my firm opinion that we all stand ignorant before this boundless God that we worship. I honor all thoughts on scripture as one person’s, or one group’s, true belief about what is written within the covers of the Holy Bible. I am truly grateful that people have a passion for what they profess to believe.
What concerns me, and the reason for this book, is how our witness as Christian draws in, or turns away, those outside the institutional church. I speak about this at the very beginning of my thoughts. Jesus gave us a commission to “Go and make disciples (students) of all nations, ...” (Matthew 28:19-20 NRSV). My primary question is: Are we making disciples? Or are we making skeptics? Does our witness create a safe place for wonder, questions, and/or doubts to grow into belief that leads to a life of faith? Or, does our witness intimidate and limit people’s quest for truth?
As I do this I will be talking about the difference between the Old Covenant (the Old Testament) and the New Covenant (the New Testament). I will touch on the issue of sin, belief, faith and most clearly Jesus’ promise of continual assistance in our student status of human living in a very human culture.

2

For those of you who are not familiar with theological lingo, I want to be very intentional about the various terms that we theological types tend to use so freely in conversations like this one, not realizing how foreign the meaning is to the world around us. I mention this because when I first entered seminary I sat through my first hour of Lutheran Theology listening to the professor rattle on using terms I didn’t understand. I went up after class and asked him: “So, do you have a dictionary I might buy that will help me understand the language you use?” He smiled, laughed a little, and answered: “Yes, as a matter of fact we do.” I went directly to the bookstore and bought a little paperback that became my guide to listening in class that first year.
We, in the institutional church often forget to remember that what we understand so automatically fails to express the message to those who come to listen. And, it is not just the big concepts like incarnation, salvation, justification, sanctification, redemption, repentance, etc. It also includes what I call the important little words like love, grace, sin, saved, baptized, all, if, old and new that tend to get left to the listener’s imagination without adequate definition. So, throughout this conversation I will attempt to be attentive to the words and concepts that I will bring into the discussion in order that you, the reader, will be able to stay with me as we go along.
With all of that being said, I invite you into the conversation. I encourage openness and a grace filled discussion about how we might faithfully witness together to this Mighty God we claim to believe in and have faith to follow.
So, come on along!

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