Comments on: Thought for the day http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/ Random wonderings about God and Life Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:25:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Alastair http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-14484 Alastair Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:33:11 +0000 http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-14484 Hi Rupert, thanks for your reply. But my statement was the opposite of what Rollins was saying, so how could he have been saying that? :-) He seems to be sad that Christians are doing a certain something, which is the very thing which I think they are not doing, and if they were, the Church would be a better place! However I do get your point about the scriptures leading us to Jesus, and therefore to God, rather than leading us to the trinity of Father, Son and Holy Bible :-) Hi Rupert, thanks for your reply.

But my statement was the opposite of what Rollins was saying, so how could he have been saying that? :-) He seems to be sad that Christians are doing a certain something, which is the very thing which I think they are not doing, and if they were, the Church would be a better place!

However I do get your point about the scriptures leading us to Jesus, and therefore to God, rather than leading us to the trinity of Father, Son and Holy Bible :-)

]]> By: rupert http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-14459 rupert Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:57:43 +0000 http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-14459 <img src="http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/france-07-6-134.JPG" alt="Rupert" WIDTH=60 HEIGHT=75 HSPACE=15 VSPACE=10 ALIGN=RIGHT /> <FONT color=blue> Good comment Alastair... I totally agree with your statement about what Christians often do. And i think that is, at least in part, what Rollins is saying. Often we come a text, and dismiss it because we don't agree with it. And we move on quickly to another text that we like more or agree with. But the invitation is to wrestle with the text, to ask questions of the text, to be honest about our initial disagreement, but to move beyond that. I also think that Rollins is also saying something profound about the nature of Scripture - that when we stop at the text, we miss the point. It can reinforce our worldview, our beliefs, but we fail to come to the One to whom the Bible points, the Truth that is beyond the words. I seem to remember that this 'One who is Truth' said something similar to the Pharisees! </FONT> Rupert
Good comment Alastair…
I totally agree with your statement about what Christians often do. And i think that is, at least in part, what Rollins is saying. Often we come a text, and dismiss it because we don’t agree with it. And we move on quickly to another text that we like more or agree with. But the invitation is to wrestle with the text, to ask questions of the text, to be honest about our initial disagreement, but to move beyond that.

I also think that Rollins is also saying something profound about the nature of Scripture - that when we stop at the text, we miss the point. It can reinforce our worldview, our beliefs, but we fail to come to the One to whom the Bible points, the Truth that is beyond the words. I seem to remember that this ‘One who is Truth’ said something similar to the Pharisees!

]]> By: Alastair http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-14441 Alastair Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:25:19 +0000 http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-14441 "It is all too common for Christians to attempt to do justice to the scriptural narrative by listening to it, learning from it, and attempting to extract a way of viewing the world from it." My goodness, if every Christian was doing this I would rejoice! Where exactly is Rollins coming from here? His experience doesn't match mine at all. I would say: "It is all too common for Christians to attempt to do justice to the scriptural narrative by reading into it their preconcieved notions, ignoring it, and attempting to validate the way they view the world from it." :-) Is the Word of God really inviting us to disagree with it? Thats a really strange thing to say. I get the the feeling Rollins is over -using rhetoric here to make his point?! “It is all too common for Christians to attempt to do justice to the scriptural narrative by listening to it, learning from it, and attempting to extract a way of viewing the world from it.”

My goodness, if every Christian was doing this I would rejoice! Where exactly is Rollins coming from here? His experience doesn’t match mine at all. I would say:

“It is all too common for Christians to attempt to do justice to the scriptural narrative by reading into it their preconcieved notions, ignoring it, and attempting to validate the way they view the world from it.” :-)

Is the Word of God really inviting us to disagree with it? Thats a really strange thing to say. I get the the feeling Rollins is over -using rhetoric here to make his point?!

]]> By: Andrew Jones http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-13429 Andrew Jones Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:18:46 +0000 http://rupertward.cce.uk.net/2008/09/26/thought-for-the-day-2/#comment-13429 The word "but" implies a dichotomy which is false. The someone else is always doing it wrong. Someone else isnt doing enough doubting/resisting. The word “but” implies a dichotomy which is false.
The someone else is always doing it wrong.
Someone else isnt doing enough doubting/resisting.

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