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the stories of the Bible stick with me.
and every year they bring new questions.
and every year they bring new questions.
Thomas doubted.
Thomas got to see Jesus yet again.
And was invited to evaluate evidence in a very specific, convincing way.
Thomas got to see Jesus yet again.
And was invited to evaluate evidence in a very specific, convincing way.
i, too, have doubts.
the evidence i am able to review is not of the same character as the evidence Thomas was able to evaluate.
the evidence i am able to review is not of the same character as the evidence Thomas was able to evaluate.
What does that say of my responsibility - or of others in my generation, in this age long past the death of anyone that saw Jesus in his days on Earth - before God to “just believe” as is the common expectation among Christians?
i don’t often discuss the questions i have about the Bible, its meaning, and our responsibility before God with friends that are Christians or seekers.
i have friends whose faith is dear to them, and verily seems a great benefit to them in their life of kindness and all-around goodness.
i feel a responsibility not to trouble or burden them unnecessarily.
“Let no person fall away on account of me.”
i feel a responsibility not to trouble or burden them unnecessarily.
“Let no person fall away on account of me.”
well into my teen years, i wanted to become a Christian minister.
my parents met while my dad was studying to become a WELS Lutheran pastor. Their divorce while i was quite young ended that aspiration for him.
my parents met while my dad was studying to become a WELS Lutheran pastor. Their divorce while i was quite young ended that aspiration for him.
But my dad remained very active in WELS congregations. When i was a teenager and staying with him for a few weeks, a Lutheran men’s choir (college students) came through town as they toured churches. A few of them stayed at our place overnight.
i remember taking a walk through the streets of that small town with them, through some fresh winter snow.
They were friendly, and i could see myself being part of a group like that in a few years myself.
They were friendly, and i could see myself being part of a group like that in a few years myself.
it was time for me to see what kind of answers they had…
“I think a lot about becoming a pastor. But I also feel like my own faith is too wobbly to try to lead a church in their pursuit of faith and God. What do you think?”
“I think a lot about becoming a pastor. But I also feel like my own faith is too wobbly to try to lead a church in their pursuit of faith and God. What do you think?”
i give those young men credit for not laughing off or dismissing my question.
But i tried to hide my disappointment that they had no answer for me beyond “everyone feels that. at some point you get used to it. then you get over it.”
But i tried to hide my disappointment that they had no answer for me beyond “everyone feels that. at some point you get used to it. then you get over it.”
i’m almost 50 now and i’ve not gotten used to it, certainly not gotten over it.
i’ve read the Bible a lot.
at least 5 different English translations, and significant portions of it in two different Russian translations.
as well as struggling through translations of The Sermon on the Mount from Old Church Slavonic in grad school
at least 5 different English translations, and significant portions of it in two different Russian translations.
as well as struggling through translations of The Sermon on the Mount from Old Church Slavonic in grad school
Christian apologetics?
Yeah, i’m familiar. i’ve either read the book, or am familiar with the line of reasoning from another book i’ve read.
Whether an argument for the existence of God, the historicity of the person Jesus of Nazareth…
Yeah, i’m familiar. i’ve either read the book, or am familiar with the line of reasoning from another book i’ve read.
Whether an argument for the existence of God, the historicity of the person Jesus of Nazareth…
the “faithfulness” of modern translations to ancient texts…
i’m familiar with these forms of support for the Christian faith.
and without something *more* to me they are unconvincing.
i’m familiar with these forms of support for the Christian faith.
and without something *more* to me they are unconvincing.
something comforting to me from the Bible: Jacob receiving a new name, rather late in life, with the meaning “struggles with God” or “wrestles with God”.
the Book of Job - which on twitter together with namesake character i often refer to as Iyov for search and other specificity - has a lot of meaning to me. https://twitter.com/sql_handle/status/1205914015807025152
