Not in God's Name 1

We read the Bible as the Living (not the literal) Word of God.  Each generation needs to interpret it by and for the time and place in which they live.  Its truths are eternal, but they speak differently to each generation.  Interpretation, which is unavoidable, can be used to rationalize and justify the worst of human behaviour:  racism, slavery, war, patriarchy, nationalism, genocide, apartheid, cultural superiority, colonialism…  Many people reject not only our faith, but God because the Bible and religion has been used to sanction, even sanctify, our human sinfulness.  The Bible can also be interpreted to condemn our sinfulness and challenge us to be loyal and faithful children of God. 

Jonathan Sacks in his book “Not in God’s Name” takes another look at the ancient myths and legends in the Book of Genesis and invites us to reinterpret them for our time.  He challenges us to set aside the destructive interpretations of the past that have been used to justify cultural and religious superiority and see in the details a call to inclusiveness, a celebration of diversity, and a challenge to expand our understanding of what it means to live as descendants of Abraham and children of a loving God. 

What does the Bible mean when it claims that we are all created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) or that we are molded by God’s hands and enlivened by God’s breathe (Genesis 2:7). Throughout this Easter Season when we are directed to consider what it means to be the Church of the Living Christ we will reconsider these ancient stories of our faith and interpret them so that they can bring hope and promise for us today and show us how God calls us to live in our time and place. 

Read Genesis 1:1-4a and then read Genesis 2:4b-25.   Notice that they are two very different stories that share the same Truths.  God created the world.  It is a good world.  We as humans are just one creature in this amazing creation.  We have a special relationship to God.  We have a special responsibility to care for God’s creation.  Why do we keep messing it up? 



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