Here’s a little something I posted on Emergent Village’s site the other day…
Postmodern linguist theory seems to suggest that humans only communicate proximately. No one can perfectly understand what another is trying to communicate. Basically all I can hope to communicate is a sense of my intended meaning. The receiver of my communication will hear and see many signs I never even intended. The other will read in and from the vantage point of their uniqueness.
Each of our experiences of language, text, culture, relationships, and body shape our perceptions of language, text, culture, relationships, and bodies.
There are some great books on “post-foundationalism” that can help frame some of the implications of pomo philosophies on our approaches to scripture. Grenz and Franke’s book is a good one to start with.
So, is can the bible still be authoritative in pomo world?
I think I’d say still say “yes,” but the “secret” to unraveling the mystery of the Word is not found in an historical-critical method of interpretation, it’s not found in arguing for an inerrant text, it isn’t even found in trying to keep the context on any given sentence within special revelation, rather, the authority is a mystical authority. God, Godself leading us to Truth; Truth being a person.
The fact is that God speaks in everything and every where. Spirit is always at work. If the Divine can speak through Babylon, Balaam’s ass, and a Roman cross, than surely God can, and is speaking through prairie style architecture, indie rock, SARS, and ICP – whoever has ears to hear and eyes to see…
For protestants and especially for evangelicals the bible has become something of a paper-pope. A vital question is; can we or do we trust God enough to lead us, (in-keeping with God’s Shalom), to live as Christ in our specific time and place? I’d say the jury is still out on our willingness to Trust God for the here and now beyond the written page.
Earlier in this post I wrote, “I think I’d still say [the bible is authoritative]”… I am growing more and more curious about the power one can hide behind when they make the “Bible” authoritative.
Peace, dwight
