feeling out on a limb
Can those of you who may be in conservative congregations give me some tips as to how to "stay and be an irritant" (as John Spong would say) without sparking nasty debate. I'm finding that since I do not use the Bible literally, I'm in a really small minority and feeling like a heretic. My Pastor recently preached a sermon on blasphemy & cited one of my "beliefs" as such. YIKES!! I'm much more interested in living as Jesus taught that on the details of a virgin birth or the end times.
Any advice would be welcomed. Shelley
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Out on a limb - with friends!
Thanks Zeus & Stephen for the encouraging words. Both of you offered good suggestions on living in a conservative Christian community. I strongly agree with your take on Jesus, Zeus. He would be a real radical in today's climate. And Stephen, I know you're right that we "lefties" have to know what we are for, not just what we're against. I'm squarely on the side of living the words of Jesus - loving others, righting injustices, trying to bring about the Kingdom here and now.
Shelley
Welcome Shelley
Shelley,
First welcome to the CrossLeft community. Its great to have you hear and active.
Your question is a good one and something a lot of us struggle with. On a personal level, I have a number of family members who are fundamentalist in their beliefs. Its tough to have conversations about which they may disagree because fundamentalist are often absolutists. There is little nuance in the argument. They say, "That's what the Bible says so I'm going to believe it." What I try to have folks see is that its their interpretation of the Bible that they believe and that there could in fact be multiple interpretations.
I ask, "do you believe adulterers should be stoned?"
They say, "No" and something about Jesus's new covenant.
And I say, "Well, a literal interpretation is read that adulterers should be stoned. Any divergence from that is a matter of interpretation. You in fact are interpreting the Bible."
I then go on to talk about the degrees of interpretation that people have. Its still a difficult conversation, but I think the key is to have a fundamentalist see the first shade of gray in what is otherwise a black and white world.
At CrossLeft, we've determined that progressive Christians need to have a space to have conversations within a community of like-minded folks. Too often progressive know what they're against, but not what they're for. This makes for conversations with conservatives difficult because if nothing else, they know what they're for. Progressives need to move beyond providing a purely contrarian view to begin talking about what we're for, what policies will move us to a more just world.
That's what we're doing at CrossLeft...welcome aboard!
Simply follow Christ's example
Shelly,
I would suggest you keep following Christ's example. He also was held to be a heretic by the Pharisees of the day. Pick the most radically loving sections of Jesus' work and cite them as templates for your own life (I would recommend the Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount, lines about loving your enemies as well as your neighbors). Stick to it in faith even in a community who will impugn you. Join us and others who support what you do. The power of joined example will present a new alternative and eventually another way to worship and live in the world that will be deemed, as it should, squarely Christian.
Zeus Yiamouyiannis, Ph.D.
Berkeley, CA