I noted yesterday that I am now uncool. Today, I am uncooler if that is possible.
Yesterday I went to BIBLE STUDY called BYOB (Bring Your Own Brain)which claims to take the bible seriously but not literally. It is run by Pastor Nadia with the following description from the church website: "House for All Sinners and Saints' is a group of folks figuring out how to be a liturgical, Christo-centric, social justice oriented, queer inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, ancient - future church with a progressive but deeply rooted theological imagination."
Nice that.
But its still bible study... I've never studied the bible. I've pooh-poohed it. I've ignored it. I've ridiculed it. I've heard it read in church. Suddenly I feel compelled to read it, study it and, good lord, talk about it with other people. Christo-centric people! We did not talk about religion, Christ, God, let alone our "theological imagination" in the home I grew up in. We did not speak God's name. That was for the priests' to do. On Sunday. Our job was to shut up and listen. On Sunday.
Now I'm listening for god because I want to after forty years, give or take, of searching everywhere but under my bed as I mentioned in my last post.
Taking a deep breath, I went to bible study which is held at St. Mark's coffee house, next door to the Thin Man Bar, carrying my bible as if it were explosives. I'm early. I drink two huge cups of coffee because my hands aren't already shaking enough. Finally, its 7 PM and time for class or group or whatever it is and we go downstairs to the performance area. Stage. Christmas lights strung around. An interesting (as we would say in MN) space.
We proceed to discuss the bible. I mostly listened on the premise that I was already uncool, so no need to be perceived as an idiot to boot. I had to use my table of contents to find the book we are discussing, everyone else just flips it open because they apparently know what order the books of the bible are in. Show-offs.
In particular, we discuss 1 Samuels 3:1 - 10. This is the story where Samuel, as a boy, is helping Eli at the temple and the Lord drops in and calls out to Samuel. I especially like the line here "The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread." Which pretty much sums up my involvement with Christian thought up to that point. Then we read John 1:43 where Jesus calls Phillip and Nathanael. This is the verse that reads: "He found Phillip and said to him, "Follow me."
Follow me?
My first bible study and the verses are about being called by God and being told to follow him.
As I say, I'm freaking out!
Namaste.
Yesterday I went to BIBLE STUDY called BYOB (Bring Your Own Brain)which claims to take the bible seriously but not literally. It is run by Pastor Nadia with the following description from the church website: "House for All Sinners and Saints' is a group of folks figuring out how to be a liturgical, Christo-centric, social justice oriented, queer inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, ancient - future church with a progressive but deeply rooted theological imagination."
Nice that.
But its still bible study... I've never studied the bible. I've pooh-poohed it. I've ignored it. I've ridiculed it. I've heard it read in church. Suddenly I feel compelled to read it, study it and, good lord, talk about it with other people. Christo-centric people! We did not talk about religion, Christ, God, let alone our "theological imagination" in the home I grew up in. We did not speak God's name. That was for the priests' to do. On Sunday. Our job was to shut up and listen. On Sunday.
Now I'm listening for god because I want to after forty years, give or take, of searching everywhere but under my bed as I mentioned in my last post.
Taking a deep breath, I went to bible study which is held at St. Mark's coffee house, next door to the Thin Man Bar, carrying my bible as if it were explosives. I'm early. I drink two huge cups of coffee because my hands aren't already shaking enough. Finally, its 7 PM and time for class or group or whatever it is and we go downstairs to the performance area. Stage. Christmas lights strung around. An interesting (as we would say in MN) space.
We proceed to discuss the bible. I mostly listened on the premise that I was already uncool, so no need to be perceived as an idiot to boot. I had to use my table of contents to find the book we are discussing, everyone else just flips it open because they apparently know what order the books of the bible are in. Show-offs.
In particular, we discuss 1 Samuels 3:1 - 10. This is the story where Samuel, as a boy, is helping Eli at the temple and the Lord drops in and calls out to Samuel. I especially like the line here "The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread." Which pretty much sums up my involvement with Christian thought up to that point. Then we read John 1:43 where Jesus calls Phillip and Nathanael. This is the verse that reads: "He found Phillip and said to him, "Follow me."
Follow me?
My first bible study and the verses are about being called by God and being told to follow him.
As I say, I'm freaking out!
Namaste.
3 comments:
Check out this verse, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 I think you will like it as well.
And, as the Nag Thomas says, "if you bring forth what is withon you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."
Be with your "uncoolness." Listen for that still, small voice. And keep on with your mystery walk.
Namaste.
Came to your blog from Nadia's and thrilled to read what you're posting here. Will definitely pray for you a bit.
Namaste.
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