Have We Made the Bible Too Holy?
by Carsten Thomsen | 20 August 2024 |
Most religious journeys begin with a holy book; an old book with murky origins; a collection of works by multiple authors chronicling the origins of a religion, while also defining it. This holy book is considered undisputed. It claims other-worldly inspiration. When accepted by its followers, it becomes the standard bearer of truth, descriptive and prescriptive for norms of behavior.
For Christianity, the Bible is that holy book. It claims direct inspiration by God. It claims to be unassailable, raised above other competing works. It is considered the definitive revelation of God, of the origin of life and death, and the battle between good and evil. For some Adventists, the works of Ellen White occupy a similar position.
The Bible has a wide range of interpretations. When I was baptized as an enthusiastic 11-year old, I accepted the Bible without really understanding why it was “holy.” Fordyce Detamore preached a compelling, captivating story, with self-confirming logic: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God …” (2 Timothy 3:16-17), he quoted.
Today I recognize that Detamore didn’t really answer the fundamental question: “How should I choose which holy book to follow?” His logic was circular. The contents of holy books cannot be proven. They are a matter of a reasonable faith. Today I believe that the choice of the Bible, versus another holy book, must be subject to two important criteria: common sense, and the ethical and moral standards that the book promotes.
Can I evaluate the Bible?
Am I thus guilty of elevating my own criteria above the Bible? I say “No,” because I believe that these two things—common sense and ethical standards such as the Golden Rule—are God-given to all people, of all faiths, or of no faith.
That is to say, I no longer believe that the Bible has a monopoly on truth. I feel in good company when I follow Paul’s advice to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians. 5:21).
The Bible is surely one of the most influential books ever published, as witnessed by the thousands of books written about it or influenced by it. These thoughtful interpretive works can illuminate its values. But they, too, must also conform to the criterion of consistency with common sense, morality, and reasoned interpretation.
Yes, interpretation of the Bible (the same is true of other holy books) is a huge and divisive issue. The Bible has frequently been interpreted wrongly, leading to intolerance and arrogance. It has been used to justify horrific behavior, violence, and coercion. The abhorrent history of Christianity offers evidence to non-believers that the Bible can do more harm than good. Interpreted correctly, however, it has also had a great influence to promote a gentler, kinder, more caring and loving life, helping and healing, comforting and giving hope.
But is the Bible the last word? My wife once said, “If someone showed me that the Bible commands me to kill my own children, I wouldn’t do it.” Her common sense and her maternal protective instinct would clearly call out this atrocity. I believe that this “mother test” must be applied in all our interpretations of the Bible.
Where did it come from?
It helps to understand the origin of the Bible. Greatly simplified, the Old Testament is a collection of writings assembled by the leaders of Israel. And the New Testament has been curated through discussions by different branches of the Christian church, to reach a consensus that supported the theology and narrative of their time.
Nowadays our Bible study committees, led by Adventist theologians, provide input that sometimes is approved or modified by an organizational process involving General Conference meetings or other executive actions by the church leadership. Yes, always the selection of “holy” books and the interpretation thereof have been subject to human processes claiming their own divine inspiration. The church sometimes focuses more on protecting the identity and divine power allegedly given to the church, than being loyal to the principles of scripture and to common sense and morality.
My view contradicts the commonly accepted narrative that the Bible is the direct revelation of God. The Bible, as well as the “sola scriptura” claim, commonly uses its own texts to prove itself by circular reasoning—as in Fordyce Detamore’s use of 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
But faith cannot be proven. It can only be demonstrated by the works it promotes and the experiences it creates. Logic cannot answer all questions. But it does force us to accept our limitations, and refrain from preposterous claims that the Bible defines a timeline for the history and future of the earth—indeed, the entire universe—and that it can map the mind of God.
We must also recognize that the language, metaphors, and parables of the Bible are affected by the culture and environment of different times and geographies. Viewed through these glasses, the Bible is still a fantastic book, describing the human perception of the Divine seen from the perspective of Middle Eastern cultures over thousands of years. The Old Testament narrative focuses on the God-chosen identity of the Jewish people. The New Testament broadens this identity to include all of us.
Today the Adventist worldview focuses on two strong identities: the dominant, evil Roman Catholic Church, and Adventists as the last-day remnant of the faithful. These claims create a strong identity for us underdog Adventists. And it is now merging with a modern political narrative: that the United States is a God-led nation with a God-anointed leader.
But these narratives can distract us from the central truth of the Bible: it should lead us to God!
Instead of worshipping the Bible, I am careful to worship God. I should be inspired by the book that belief in God can make a profound positive impact in my life and in our world.
How I read it now
Now, when I read this book, I identify which parts are descriptive of man’s view of God through the ages. That understanding has evolved, sometimes into detours of deeply immoral behavior such as Lot’s offering his daughters to a sex-crazed mob. But also leads to great acts of compassion and empathy, such as Jesus’ life and sacrifice.
I also try to avoid letting all of the Bible be prescriptive in terms of belief and behavior. Many Bible stories don’t have an explicit “moral of the story.” Once you understand that, it makes the stories more universal in time and culture. It helps us to reap the deeper values, from the mere thrill of a good yarn, to insights relevant to how to live a good and moral life in touch with God.
I read the first few chapters of Genesis not as a scientific description, but as a grand poetic work attempting to describe the incomprehensible miracle of creation. No human words can adequately describe its wonder, and trying to force the text into a literal reading using the limited words of humanity undermines the majesty of the Divine.
I read the Psalms to inspire, encourage, and lift me up when feeling low and beaten down. Proverbs provides wisdom, often in memorable and humorous one-liners. Ecclesiastes and the book of Job struggle with the problem of evil, and take us along for a bumpy existential ride—often without an explanation. The Bible, understood through the lessons of life, has taught me to accept that there isn’t an explanation for everything. I have learned that humility means letting certain questions lie unanswered in God’s hands.
The mysterious prophecies of the Bible, painted on a huge mural in vivid colors, depict the struggles between good and evil. These epic stories are best left undisturbed by attempts to fit them into time schedules and historic events. They are strongest when we permit them to have universal relevance in various cultures and times, be they cosmic or deeply personal.
I see Jesus in the four gospels turn everything upside down. As a breath of fresh air he once and for all discards the bloody, vindictive view of a God of pain and punishment, seen in the primitive cultures of the Old Testament. He replaces it with an enlightened, hope-filled, and loving future.
I sympathize with Paul as he struggles to define a Christian theology. His evolution of thought, often confusing and complex, gives me comfort when there are things I don’t comprehend. I appreciate his life and conversion as a work in progress, as it probably is for all of us.
When I read the Song of Solomon I experience a stunningly beautiful erotic story, celebrating God’s first commandment in Genesis 1:28 to be fruitful and multiply. We do the Song of Solomon and God a disservice when we convert this sensual story into an allegory describing the relationship between God and the church. Petrified by our puritan heritage, we fail to celebrate the crowning work of creation where God enables the emotional and physical bonds that unite man and woman in the possibility of being co-creators with God.
Worship God, not the book
In my current reading of the Bible, I have found a new view of God. Through these more positive glasses, I read the Bible as the often-agonizing struggle to discover an enlightened path forward, dramatically accelerated by Jesus’ revolutionary revelation. My focus is now on God—on worshipping Him in gratitude and humility. The Bible is no longer as “holy” as it was in my naive childhood. I recognize it as a human-curated book that gives thrilling yet mystical glimpses of God.
This may sound to you as a downgrade to the holiness of the Bible. But for me it is an upgrade. It makes more room for God, for God’s mystery and grandeur. It warns that we go astray when we force the Bible to answer all questions, to be the infallible syllabus of all truth.
And that includes science. The attempt to make the Bible a science textbook has degraded its holiness. It becomes a sort of idolatry of the Bible, in direct violation of the first three commandments, where human words and prophetic images are put above an infinite God.
I am grateful that my life has evolved from that simple childish view, to a more mature, deeper understanding of the Bible. It gives glimpses of a truly loving God. Each of the phases of my faith have served me well, fulfilling my needs along the way. They illustrate Paul’s metaphor of progressing from milk to solid food.
I continue to struggle to accept other believers’ spiritual journeys. But I believe that God has room for all of us, irrespective of where we are along the path.
Carsten Thomsen is a retired engineer, who is a member in the Nærum church in Denmark.
