(does that make it philoneutic or hermosophic?)
So, I was at the movies last night (I'm Not There - Cate Blanchett as Dylan is mindblowing) and I saw a preview for the new Will Smith movie - you know, the one where he's apparently the last person left alive on the planet. And he's trying to find other people and stuff.
But I got to thinking: what if I were the last person on earth and I had to recreate civilization for (spoiler alert) all the other people who eventually come out of hiding to go on and re-spawn the whole human race? So they'd all be like:
"You're religious. Why don't you recreate Christianity for us. Maybe try to rewrite all those sacred documents that got demolished in the end of the world. You know, whatev."
Here's my question: Would I recreate Scripture as best I am able, exactly according to what I can remember, including all those passages about how women are weaker vessels and need to submit and be quiet in church? OR would I leave household codes, weird Old Testament events involving genocide and mutilated concubines out? If I left them out, what justification would/could I give for my decision?
So, people, whaddya think?
Thursday, November 29, 2007
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13 comments:
Here's my best shot:
Given that those passages are the Word of God, if you remembered them but failed to reproduce them you would be at fault.
That being said, you could provide right along with those passages your interpretations.
You would be "translating" the Word of God for the apocalyptic survivors, and all translations include reproduction as well as commentary--like how Peterson says the Message is *not* a paraphrase, but a respectable translation. All translations are guided by the translator's interpretation.
Of course, instead of reproducing what you remember from scripture in a vacuum of you and your interpretation, you could take a Pauline approach and write letters to the apocalyptic survivors that were aimed at their theological needs, these letters being informed by your Christainly expertise. So the second generation of new civilization would have the World of God, it's just that it would look like a collection of "Meg's Epistles." (Careful, you wouldn't want to be sainted).
OR, you could just teach the basics because these apocalyptic events are obvious precursors to Christ's immediate return ;)
Happy Birthday!
Hmmm...
I think you're stuck reproducing as much as you can remember.
But here's what I'd be worried about: I don't think I remember all that much, and I'd be nervous about reproducing something with an error in it. SO, things like the Levitical stuff, I just couldn't trust my memory to do it accurately. (I'm guessing you're the same way.) Additionally, what I remember would probably be my own personal Biblical-greatest-hits. Yikes!!!
Maybe the best solution is this: reproduce what you are a sure of as a sort of compendium. This stuff will likely be the essentials.
Then, you add a second sort of "summary" book--the stuff you can summarize, but don't remember exactly.
And, for sure, it is philoneutics.
What an interesting thought...it would be tempting to think about this and leave out parts - but as others have said..I think I would be compelled to stick with everything I remembered - but then no one would like me, and no one would be a follower of the Bible possibly so would that do any good?
thanks for posing the question
Yeah, the Bible does sort of interpret itself as it goes along, and there's no reason you couldn't give us your best shot alongside everything you can remember from the old version.
However, if you're in the I Am Legend scenario, you'd be too busy fighting off hideously disfigured zombie-vampires to re-transmit Christianity. (Hint: Head shots. Worked for George Romero.)
More seriously, though, it is worth wondering what such a Christianity would look like. If the one who leads the half-infected out of the ruins is a Christian, and so everyone else de facto thanks with her when she thanks her God, I wonder what that would do to make Christianity feel less like an identity group and more like just ... the way life is.
i think standard enlightened/intellectual non-religious view is the bible was useful for teaching the developing race of MAN (meaning humans) back in the old old days as a source of stories that taught morality... and life skills (i.e. 10 commandment) to survive and operate as an organized society.
I was always under the impression that MAN is fallible... and the various organized religious leaders of the day that had the WEALTH to produce printed (or hand copied) bibles also controlled the content of what they disseminated to the populace to control/influence them... and to spread their influence/power base.
Without a doubt many had the absolute best of intentions.. but unfortunately many did not.. or went through periods where certain charismatic leaders did not.
We are not in those dark/developing days now... i personally am one that can see the Adam/Eve/7 Day Creation story as just that.. a story... a very important story with a message... and that robs me of nothing in my relationship with God. But back then.. that story explained things in a conceptual way that was understandable whether you were a goat-herder, slave, roman soldier, spanish sailor, pilgrim, Queen of England, etc... and provided an important sense of security so you could worry about raising crops, survival and gathering as a society in a beneficial way to provide safe-haven, defense.. develop better mathematics and technology.. and expand.
In short.. tell your stories.. in a contemporary way so they may apply to a new people who are in danger of extinction and have to overcome an evil.. to bring about some good.
Thoughts?
Awe shucks, I hate it when I notice a spelling mistake after I post something on the www.
Anywho, DC Discombobulated, I disagree with your statement "We are not in those dark/developing days now."
;)
Oooh FUN! Thanks for the comments y'all. I really was sort-of stuck in my thinking for many of the same reasons y'all brought up.
I think integrity would compel me to write down everything I can remember as literally as possible but I also like the idea of writing or teaching a compendium of some sort to give it all shape & interpretation.
Hmm...I think I'm going to have to defer to Irenaus on this one. He argued to keep the OT in the canon even when other guys wanted to get rid of the parts of the Bible that were too Jewish. Heck, I've even heard that Luther wanted to throw out James because some parts sound too works/righteousy. But he got overruled too. But yeah...I want to throw out the city plundering business just as much as you do. :)
On a random note, if you are by some freakish chance bored and looking for an apologetic challenge, I've been having a grand ol' time over at www.de-conversion.com.
Another thought, if such a thing were to happen, and if the Bible is from God, inspired by the Spirit, who also guided the canonization process and continues opening eyes and hearts to it, then couldn't we be assured that the Spirit would guide those left to accurately reproduce it?
Hey Meg--
I just tagged you re: Advent music.
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