-
2. Biblical Authority: A Personal Reflection
- Augsburg Fortress Publishers
- Chapter
- Additional Information
BiblicalAuthority APersonalReflection TheissueoftheauthorityoftheBibleisaperennialandurgentonefor thoseofuswhoclaimandintendtostakeourlivesonitsattestation. Butforalloftheperennialandurgentqualitiesofthequestion,theissue ofbiblicalauthorityisbound,inanycase,toremainendlesslyunsettled andtherefore,Ibelieve,perpetuallydisputatious.Itcannotbeotherwise, andsoweneednothopefora“settlement”oftheissue.Theunsettling anddisputatiousqualityofthequestionis,Ibelieve,giveninthetextitself, becausetheBibleiseversoendlessly“strangeandnew.”1 Italways,inescapably ,outdistancesourcategoriesofunderstandingandexplanation,of interpretationandcontrol.BecausetheBibleis,asweconfess,“thelive wordofthelivingGod,”itwillnotsubmitinanycompliantwaytothe accountsweprefertogiveofit.Thereissomethingintrinsicallyunfamiliar aboutthebook,andwhenweseektooverridethatunfamiliarityweareon thehazardousgroundofidolatry. BecauseIamnotwellschooledinthelong,formaldiscussionsand considerationsconcerning“theauthorityofscripture”(perhapsbetterleft totheologians),Iofferhereaquitepersonalreflectionontheauthorityof scripture,toconsiderhowitisthatIworkwith,relateto,andsubmittothe Bible.Idonotsuggestthatmywayisinanysensecommendableornormative .NordoIknowifmyruminationswillparticularlyservethecurrent crisisinthechurch,andIdonotintendmystatementtobeparticularly attentivetothe“culturewars”inwhichweareengaged. Thus,Iofferamoreorlessinnocentpersonalaccount,thoughofcourse noneofourpersonalaccountsisveryinnocent.Yourinvitationhasprovided anopportunityformetothinkclearlyaboutmyownpractice.Inthe process,moreover,Ihavebecomeconvincedthatwewillbewellserved ifwecanbeinsomewayhonestabouttheintimatefoundationsofour 20 chaptertwo BookThatBreathes.finalinterior.indd 20 10/5/04 5:22:36 PM BiblicalAuthority:APersonalReflection21 personalstanceonthesequestions.Indeed,ratherthanloud,settledslogans abouttheBible,wemightdobettertoconsidertheoddandintimate waysinwhichwehaveeach,alikeanddifferently,beenledtowhereweare abouttheBible.Insettingoutsuchastatement,Isayattheoutsetthatyou domeagreatprivilegebyinvitingmehere,anon-Presbyterian,though IhopewhenIhavefinishedyouwilljudgemetobereliably,ifnotwith excessiveintensity,Reformed. IbeginbytellingyouaboutwhatItaketobethedefiningmomentin myattachmenttotheBible.InmyGermanEvangelicalupbringing,con- firmationwasaverybigdeal.Inthatactofconfirmation,thepastor(in mycase,myfather)selecteda“confirmationverse”foreachconfirmand, aversetomarkone’slife—readwhilehandswerelaidoninconfirmation, readatone’sfuneral,andreadmanytimesinbetween.Myfather,onthat occasionofconfirmation,readovermePsalm119:105: Yourwordisalamptomyfeet andalighttomypath. Hedid,inthatact,morethanheknew.Providentially,Ihavenodoubt,he markedmylifebythisbookthatwouldbelampandlight,toilluminea waytoobedience,tomarkawaytofullness,joy,andwell-being.Themore Ireflectonthatmoment,themoreIamsurethatIhavebeenboundmore thanIknewtothisbook. Beforethatmomentofconfirmationinbaptismalvows,inmynurture inthechurch,mychurchpreparedmetoattendtotheBibleinacertain way.IamachildofthePrussianUnion,achurchbodycreatedin1817,on the300thanniversaryofLuther’stheses.ThePrussiankingwaswearyof CalvinistsandLutheransarguingabouttheEucharistandsodecreedan ecumenicalchurchthatwasinitsveryfoundingtobeecumenicalandnot confessional,opentodiversity,andaimednotatanyagreementbeyond abroadconsensusofevangelicalfaiththatintendedtoprotectlibertyof conscience.ThisisthechurchbodythatbroughttotheUnitedStatesa deepGermanchurch...