We think so much alike, it must be the nerdy data brain we share, lol. The landscape of options is super helpful. Your emphasis on curiosity, uncertainty, direct engagement with the Spirit and seeking revelation resonates. And you speak so clearly and simply! Theologians have trouble with this, lol.
My only point of departure may be that I am increasingly curious about the idea of an “open canon” where we apply all these approaches on a wider array of “texts.” Your use of poetry reminds me of this. I think we are adding to the canon with our lives, and we can look to many others throughout history who were obviously led by the Spirit and whose writings can be revelatory in the same way.
I believe everyone needs to be introduced to the expansive landscape of how to interact with the scripture! Thanks for taking the time to collect your insights and experience and put them all in one place. ❤️
Thank you for reading, Bekah! It felt important to put it together and be transparent about it since it is such a delicate issue. It took me quite a while to unpack my experience and put it into words.
Thank you Laura for sharing your experience and journey with us. It’s a beautiful gift how we all get to keep expanding. Expanding beyond what we have been told to believe. Expanding beyond what has been written down. Expanding beyond what has been left out.
Thanks Shelly! There is a war of ideas going on right now, so I felt it necessary to transparently declare my allegiance to the Biblical canon as part of the process of sanctification that it works on me through Lectio Divina and Ignatian Contemplation. There is so much to fight about in the doctrinal skirmishes and culture war but I have stepped back from those to stand on the cornerstone: Christ and the Word. Battles will rage on, but I believe in the shared holy story. I know it is controversial, but I believe we will be better off standing with the sword of the Word than roaming alone, making up doctrines/castles built in sand.
Thanks for your moving account here, and yes I agree that the bible of which when we really look does allow for an authentic mystical or contemplative approach, but here is the thing. My experience is that sometimes we raise the bible too high almost to the point of idolatry. Yes it contains truths and revelation and salvation history - but it is not God. So we have to be careful that we make God our higher power not the bible. So when we engage with contemplation and the various practices arising from 2000 years of Christian’s seeking encounter with God - we remember the bible is a guide and truly we have so got to get away from scientific rationalism that creates a cognitive conceptional trap - so we come to God naked and open to be directed as God wants where we surrender everything in obedience to God as expressed well in the beatitudes…. But saying all of that - welcome to the journey, and you have helped me to think of what I need to explore in my own substack, so a big thanks. Ian
Yes I totally agree with you - I seek a way to hold solidly to core canonical story without getting idolatrous about it. Without a canon, idolatry is rampant. With a canon, idolatry to the book and its letters itself is a risk (one of things that Jesus warned against).
We think so much alike, it must be the nerdy data brain we share, lol. The landscape of options is super helpful. Your emphasis on curiosity, uncertainty, direct engagement with the Spirit and seeking revelation resonates. And you speak so clearly and simply! Theologians have trouble with this, lol.
My only point of departure may be that I am increasingly curious about the idea of an “open canon” where we apply all these approaches on a wider array of “texts.” Your use of poetry reminds me of this. I think we are adding to the canon with our lives, and we can look to many others throughout history who were obviously led by the Spirit and whose writings can be revelatory in the same way.
I believe everyone needs to be introduced to the expansive landscape of how to interact with the scripture! Thanks for taking the time to collect your insights and experience and put them all in one place. ❤️
Thank you for reading, Bekah! It felt important to put it together and be transparent about it since it is such a delicate issue. It took me quite a while to unpack my experience and put it into words.
Love this!!
"I am suspicious of high certainty/low curiosity interpretations of something as complex as the Bible." This!
Thank you Laura for sharing your experience and journey with us. It’s a beautiful gift how we all get to keep expanding. Expanding beyond what we have been told to believe. Expanding beyond what has been written down. Expanding beyond what has been left out.
Thanks Shelly! There is a war of ideas going on right now, so I felt it necessary to transparently declare my allegiance to the Biblical canon as part of the process of sanctification that it works on me through Lectio Divina and Ignatian Contemplation. There is so much to fight about in the doctrinal skirmishes and culture war but I have stepped back from those to stand on the cornerstone: Christ and the Word. Battles will rage on, but I believe in the shared holy story. I know it is controversial, but I believe we will be better off standing with the sword of the Word than roaming alone, making up doctrines/castles built in sand.
By my Spirit… the beauty we all have to lean where She is leading us… press on dear one.
Hi Laura
Thanks for your moving account here, and yes I agree that the bible of which when we really look does allow for an authentic mystical or contemplative approach, but here is the thing. My experience is that sometimes we raise the bible too high almost to the point of idolatry. Yes it contains truths and revelation and salvation history - but it is not God. So we have to be careful that we make God our higher power not the bible. So when we engage with contemplation and the various practices arising from 2000 years of Christian’s seeking encounter with God - we remember the bible is a guide and truly we have so got to get away from scientific rationalism that creates a cognitive conceptional trap - so we come to God naked and open to be directed as God wants where we surrender everything in obedience to God as expressed well in the beatitudes…. But saying all of that - welcome to the journey, and you have helped me to think of what I need to explore in my own substack, so a big thanks. Ian
Yes I totally agree with you - I seek a way to hold solidly to core canonical story without getting idolatrous about it. Without a canon, idolatry is rampant. With a canon, idolatry to the book and its letters itself is a risk (one of things that Jesus warned against).