Thursday, January 04, 2007
The Bible As Self-Expression
I rarely use a bound, printed Bible anymore, preferring one of the several electronic versions I have. However when I do use one, it is something else. It's a New American Standard translation I originally obtained in 1971. It completely fell apart sometime in the late '70's, but not wanting to give up my copious marginal notes, underlining and highlighting, not to mention my uncanny ability to open to virtually any verse at first shot, I had it rebound and had a self-designed wonderful leather cover made (appropriately 70-ish), all of which has held together quite well since then.
When I ran across this OpinionJournal piece on the boom in Bible publishing, I became somewhat ashamed of the rather self-indulgent nature of that book.
Worse, we see not an effort to find the most accurate translation and from it derive what we are to know, instead we seek translation to support that which we have already concluded - yet another form of self-expression.
The Bible, scripture, is for us but it is not about us. Consider what the Westminster Confession says:
I grow increasingly aware of efforts to mold faith, whether in worship style, Bible choice, and even theology to shape us. Such is the ultimate sin. We do not shape God, we submit to God's shaping of us.
What faith expression do you have that is really self-expression? Submit.
Related Tags: Bible, scripture, publishing, self-expression, submission, shaping
When I ran across this OpinionJournal piece on the boom in Bible publishing, I became somewhat ashamed of the rather self-indulgent nature of that book.
"Bibles are a growth area for us and we're giving them more space in our stores," said Jane Love, religion buyer for Barnes & Noble. "It's partly because of the way they've evolved over the last three or four years."What is revealed here is rather frightening to me. My efforts at adorning that Bible were acts of adoration, I loved that thing, still do - but alas now such adornment is an act not of adoration, but self-expression.
[...]
But Bibles are becoming as much personal statements as fashion statements. "What people are saying is 'I want to find a Bible that is really me," noted Rodney Hatfield, a vice president of marketing at Thomas Nelson. "It's no different than with anything else in our culture."
[...]
In some instances, spiritual leaders are embracing myriad translations and their flocks are following suit. "You go back 20 years and the pastor would stand in the pulpit and say 'you need to have this Bible, this translation. Go to the store and buy it,'" said Thomas Nelson's Mr. Hatfield. "But now pastors are reaching out and grabbing the translation that best suits their point for a particular sermon." [emphasis mine]
Worse, we see not an effort to find the most accurate translation and from it derive what we are to know, instead we seek translation to support that which we have already concluded - yet another form of self-expression.
The Bible, scripture, is for us but it is not about us. Consider what the Westminster Confession says:
Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation; therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his Church; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.God expresses Himself through scripture to aid us in our salvation but the same confession later says:
The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory,... [emphasis added]There is nothing inherently wrong with having a pretty Bible, but we must listen to it, we do not shape it to suit our mood, our understanding, or our perspective. Rather we use it to teach ourselves the correct perspective.
I grow increasingly aware of efforts to mold faith, whether in worship style, Bible choice, and even theology to shape us. Such is the ultimate sin. We do not shape God, we submit to God's shaping of us.
What faith expression do you have that is really self-expression? Submit.
Related Tags: Bible, scripture, publishing, self-expression, submission, shaping
